This type of cancer is very deadly, as it is the 4th leading cause of cancer death in the United States today (Heinemann). According to LaRusso, there are currently no guidelines for preventing this disease as it often only shows symptoms when it is too late. Pancreatic cancer is usually discovered at an advanced stage, and it very difficult to treat because of this. There are also many other issues that can develop that can cause pancreatic cancer: hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (HNPCC), Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, familial breast cancer (BRCA2), and familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome (FAMMM, also called atypical mole syndrome). Some people can develop this disease without having any of these risk factors also (American Cancer Society). .
This disease can have devastating effects on the human body with just the symptoms alone. Some of the symptoms of exocrine tumors include jaundice, yellowing of the skin and eyes; abdominal or back pain, caused by the cancer compressing nearby organs; poor appetite; unintended weight loss; digestive problems, because of the cancer blocking pancreatic juices from releasing into the intestines; enlargement of the gallbladder, caused by a bile build-up; blood clots or fatty tissue abnormalities; and rarely, diabetes (American Cancer Society). Signs and symptoms of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are gastrinomas, tumors that create gastrin which tells the stomach to make more acid; glucagonomas, tumors that results in an increase of glucose levels in the blood; insulinomas, tumors that lowers blood glucose levels; somatostatinomas, tumors that make somatostatin, which helps regulate other hormones; and VIPomas, which create a substance called vasoactive intestinal peptide, or VIP; PPomas, which can cause problems with abdominal pain; and carcinoid tumors, which are when hormones are released from the cancer cells directly into the blood leaving the liver (American Cancer Society).