Pancreatic cancer is not as common as the other forms of cancer. It is considered as the deadliest form due to its rapid growth and thus often undiagnosed till at the later stages and few treatment available options.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death overall, only in U.S. In estimation, nearly 38,000 Americans were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during 2008, and only four thousand manage to survive.

Anatomy of pancreas

The pancreas is important organ situated beneath the stomach adjacent to the duodenum. The pancreas consists of collections of glands, which perform their specific function. Functionally pancreas can be divided into the parts:

• Exocrine part
• Endocrine part

The glands in exocrine part secrete their enzymes into duodenum through a duct. The enzymatic action of these secretions digest the food as it moves through the intestines.

The glands of endocrine part secrete hormones, which include insulin, into the blood circulation. Insulin assists rest of the body in the process metabolizing sugar as an energy source. Insulin also maintains the sugar level in the blood.