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Pancreatic Cancer - Types and Stages of Pancreatic Cancer The Complete Overview | HCG

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As the name suggests, pancreatic cancer begins when the cells in the pancreas start growing uncontrollably. The pancreas, being a flat organ located behind the stomach in the abdomen, is responsible for regulating and maintaining the metabolism and digestion of the body.

There are two main pancreatic cancer types: exocrine pancreatic cancer and endocrine pancreatic cancer, or neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer (NETs). These different types of pancreatic carcinomas are classified based on the location of the cancerous cells in the pancreas. For example, exocrine pancreatic cancer initiates in the exocrine cells, while neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer starts in the endocrine cells.

What is Pancreatic Cancer?

Pancreatic cancer is a severe cancer type that is renowned as a 'silent killer.' The reason is that this type of cancer presents itself as asymptomatic in its early stages. Also, pancreatic cancer symptoms are quite vague and can be mistaken for other lesser-known diseases. Thus, the survival rate of carcinoma of the pancreas is relatively low compared to other cancer forms.

How Common is Pancreatic Cancer?

Pancreatic carcinoma is a relatively rare type of cancer when compared to other cancer types. The survival rates for pancreatic cancer are relatively low

The risk of getting pancreatic carcinoma rises with age.

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Top 8 Pancreatic Cancer Types

There are two main pancreatic cancer types, and each of these types has subtypes. Here are the top 8 types of pancreatic carcinoma.

Main Types of Pancreatic Cancer

The two main pancreatic cancer types are exocrine pancreatic cancer and neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer.

Exocrine pancreatic cancer

Exocrine cells produce enzymes that assist in the digestion of food, and exocrine pancreatic cancer starts in these cells.

Neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer (NETs)

Neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer (NETs) starts in the endocrine cells of the pancreas, which are responsible for producing hormones for regulating different essential body functions.


Specific Types of Pancreatic Cancer

Here are some other pancreatic cancer types:

Adenocarcinoma

Adenocarcinoma pancreatic cancer is a type of exocrine pancreatic carcinoma that forms in the pancreatic ducts and tissues. Adenocarcinoma is an aggressive form of pancreatic carcinoma that spreads quite quickly.

Acinar Cell Carcinoma

Acinar cell carcinoma is an exocrine carcinoma that starts in the tail or body of the pancreas. This pancreatic cancer type is aggressive and will often need a multimodal treatment approach.

Squamous cell carcinoma

Pancreatic squamous cell carcinoma is a rare type of pancreatic cancer. Unlike other forms of pancreatic carcinoma, it arises from the squamous epithelial cells that line specific structures present in the pancreas.

Adenosquamous Carcinoma

Adenosquamous cell carcinoma is an aggressive cancer that has features of both squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. These cancerous cells can occur in different parts of the body, including the lungs, esophagus, cervix, and pancreas. When these cells are found in the pancreas, it is called adenosquamous pancreatic cancer.

Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm (IPMN)

Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm (IPMN) refers to the development of potential cancerous tumors in the form of projectiles that are finger-shaped and are present inside the pancreatic ducts. These are usually slow in growth but possess the potential to grow into carcinoma of the pancreas.

Mucinous Cystic Neoplasm (MCN)

Mucinous Cystic Neoplasm (MCN) refers to the formation of cystic pre-cancerous tumors in different parts of the body, but mainly in the pancreas. These tumors are characterized by the presence of mucin-producing cells and are found mainly in the tail of the pancreas.

What are the Pancreatic Cancer Stages?

The pancreatic cancer stage implies the extent of the spread of cancer within the pancreas and nearby organs and the size of the tumor.

TNM system

The TNM system has been developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) for the staging of cancers, such as pancreatic cancer. The system is designed to determine the extent of the spread of the primary tumor, regional lymph node involvement, and the appearance of distant metastasis (M).

Once the TNM parameters are evaluated, pancreatic carcinoma is staged:

Stage 0 Pancreatic Cancer

Stage 0 pancreatic cancer, also known as carcinoma in situ, refers to the earliest stage of the cancer. In this stage, the cancerous cells have not invaded the nearby tissues or penetrated deep into them but have localized growth.

Stage 1 Pancreatic Cancer

In stage 1 pancreatic cancer, the cancer grows beyond the cells that are lining the pancreas and may start invading the nearby tissues. However, the cancer at this point has not invaded the nearby lymph nodes or other organs.

Stage 2 Pancreatic Cancer

2nd stage pancreatic cancer implies that the cancer has moved from the pancreas but has not spread to the other distant essential organs. At this stage, the cancer may have spread to the nearby regional lymph nodes.

Stage 3 Pancreatic Cancer

3rd stage pancreatic cancer refers to the advanced stage of pancreatic carcinoma, in which the cancer spreads to the nearby lymph nodes and structures. However, the cancer has not spread to distant organs, and the tumor may be large and quite invasive.

Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer

4th stage pancreatic cancer is considered to be the final stage of pancreatic cancer. At this stage, the cancer spreads to distant tissues and organs. Stage 4 pancreatic cancer is also referred to as metastatic pancreatic carcinoma.



Conclusion


Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive and rare form of cancer that is not easily diagnosed in its early stages. It is also one of the cancers with relatively poor survival rates. For effective management, doctors often recommend going for regular checkups.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common type of Pancreatic Cancer?

The most common type of pancreatic cancer is Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Among the different types of Pancreatic Cancers, Pancreatic Neuroendocrine tumors have a relatively better prognosis.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma may cause pain, but the severity may differ from individual to individual, as well as the tumor's size, the extent of spread, and the tumor's size.

There are various risk factors that can increase the chances of an individual getting pancreatic cancer. These include increasing age, genetic mutations, family history of cancer, smoking, obesity, chronic pancreatitis, and diabetes.

Yes, pancreatic cancer is treatable. Nevertheless, like every other cancer type, it is important for this cancer type to be detected in its early stages, as early detection positively impacts clinical outcomes and quality of life post-treatment.

Pancreatic cancers are often diagnosed in advanced stages because they rarely cause symptoms; nearly half of all pancreatic malignancies are not detected until they have already metastasized to other organs.

Pancreatic cysts are common, and most of them are non-cancerous. However, some are cancer-causing, and others are precancerous. Pancreatic cysts come in a variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from benign to malignant. Benign cysts usually go away after some time without any medical treatment. However, if a cyst is found, it is important to confirm the type of cyst—benign or malignant—and take appropriate care if necessary.

As many are aware, BRCA mutations are strongly associated with the formation of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. These BRCA mutations appear to be linked to pancreatic cancers as well. A BRCA mutation nearly doubles the risk of pancreatic carcinoma throughout a person’s lifetime. BRCA mutations are found in about 5% of people with this cancer type.