Approximately 95% of pancreatic cancers begin in the cells that produce hormones.
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect and diagnose for the following reasons:
- There are no noticeable signs or symptoms in the early stages.
- The signs, when present, are nonspecific and are very similar to those of many other illnesses.
- The pancreas is hidden behind other organs such as the stomach, small intestine, liver, gallbladder, spleen and bile ducts, and sometimes it is difficult to see it with imaging techniques.