The pancreas gland is part of the digestive system. It is located behind the stomach and produces digestive juices that flow into the duodenum via a duct. It also produces insulin to aid in the metabolism of glucose.
The vast majority of pancreatic cancers are exocrine tumours that originate from the cells lining the ducts of the pancreas. Endocrine pancreatic tumours are very rare.
Incidence
Nationwide there were 2825 new cases of pancreatic cancer in 2012.
Risk of diagnosisbefore age 75
Men: 1 in 119 
Women: 1 in 158
Causes/Risk Factors
The causes of pancreatic cancer are not fully understood.
Established risk factors include smoking, chronic pancreatitis and diabetes.
If the information on this website raises any questions or concerns relating to your cancer, please call Cancer Council on 13 11 20. Specialist cancer nurses staff the line Monday to Friday 9.00am-5.00pm.