All types of pancreatic cancer begin when abnormal cells grow out of control within the pancreas. There are two types of cells in the pancreas, the exocrine cells and endocrine cells. These cells
also have different functions.
More than 95% of pancreatic cancers are classified as exocrine tumors. These tumors start in the exocrine cells that make pancreatic enzymes that help in digestion. Within this category, the vast
majority of tumors are adenocarcinomas. The following table describes the different types of pancreatic exocrine tumors.
Accounting for less than 5% of all pancreatic tumors are neuroendocrine tumors, also called endocrine or islet cell tumors. Islet cells are the endocrine cells in the pancreas that produce and secrete the hormones insulin, glucagon and somatostatin into the bloodstream. Insulin and glucagon are the two main pancreatic hormones. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels while glucagon raises blood sugar levels. Together, these two main hormones work to maintain the proper level of sugar in the blood. Somatostatin regulates the levels of a variety of other hormones in the blood.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors may be benign or malignant and they tend to grow slower than exocrine tumors. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are either functional (produce hormones) or
nonfunctional (produce no hormones). Most functional neuroendocrine tumors are benign. However, 90% of nonfunctional neuroendocrine tumors are cancerous.
Some rare forms of pancreatic cancer form from the abnormal growth of hormone-producing cells in the pancreas called islet cells. These tumors are known as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
(pancreaticNETs or PNETs), pancreatic endocrine tumors or islet cell tumors.
Islet cells are the endocrine cells in the pancreas that produce and secrete the hormones insulin, glucagon and somatostatin into the bloodstream. Insulin and glucagon are the two main
pancreatic hormones. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels while glucagon raises blood sugar levels. Together, these two main hormones work to maintain the proper level of sugar in the blood.
Somatostatin regulates the levels of a variety of other hormones in the blood.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors account for less than 5% of all pancreatic tumors. They may be benign or malignant and they tend to grow slower than exocrine tumors. Pancreatic neuroendocrine
tumors are either functional (produce hormones) or nonfunctional (produce no hormones). Most functional neuroendocrine tumors are benign. However, 90% of nonfunctional neuroendocrine tumors are
cancerous. The following table describes the different types of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.