The short answer
Pancreatic cancer can develop from two kinds of cells in the pancreas: exocrine cells and neuroendocrine cells. The exocrine type is more common and is usually found at an advanced stage. Neuroendocrine tumors are less common but have a better outlook.
Pancreatic cancer can start in two kinds of cells: exocrine cells and neuroendocrine cells.
The exocrine type is more common.
The exocrine type is usually found at an advanced stage.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (islet cell tumors) are less common.
What you might notice
This section describes the symptoms and history a patient might report to their doctor.
Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), often with dark urine and pale stools.
Pain in the upper abdomen or back.
Unexplained weight loss and loss of appetite.
New-onset diabetes or worsening blood sugar control.
Nausea, fatigue, and greasy or floating stools.
Risk history
smoking, obesity, chronic pancreatitis, family history, certain inherited syndromes.
What tests show
Imaging
pancreatic-protocol CT, MRI/MRCP, and endoscopic ultrasound.
Endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle biopsy for tissue diagnosis.
CA 19-9 tumor marker and liver function tests.
ERCP in some cases to relieve bile duct blockage and obtain samples.
Staging imaging to assess involvement of blood vessels and spread.
Interactive anatomy guide
Explore where cancers start and how they are found, on an interactive body map.
Open the anatomy guideWhat it means: stage and outlook
Most are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; diagnosis confirmed by biopsy.
Categorized as resectable, borderline resectable, locally advanced, or metastatic based on vessel involvement and spread.
TNM staging combined with resectability guides treatment.
Nutritional and biliary status assessed.
What happens next: treatment
Surgery (e.g., Whipple procedure) for resectable disease, usually with chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy, sometimes with radiation, before or after surgery.
Advanced disease
chemotherapy, targeted therapy for specific mutations, and clinical trials.
Relief of bile duct blockage, pain control, and nutritional/enzyme support.
Genetic testing and ongoing monitoring.
These are simplified, educational summaries showing the kinds of findings clinicians document when evaluating each cancer, based on National Cancer Institute resources. They describe typical diagnostic criteria and workups — not a real patient, and not medical advice. Real clinical notes are individualized. Always rely on your own care team. If you have symptoms that worry you, contact a healthcare professional. For an emergency, such as trouble breathing, heavy bleeding, a seizure, or sudden weakness, call 911. Based on National Cancer Institute educational content. Educational only — not medical advice.
Common questions
What kinds of cells does pancreatic cancer start in?
Pancreatic cancer can develop from two kinds of cells in the pancreas: exocrine cells and neuroendocrine cells, such as islet cells.
Which type of pancreatic cancer is more common?
The exocrine type is more common. It is usually found at an advanced stage.
What are pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors?
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, also called islet cell tumors, start in neuroendocrine cells. They are less common than the exocrine type but have a better prognosis.
Why does the type of cell matter?
The two types can behave differently. The exocrine type is usually found at an advanced stage, while neuroendocrine tumors have a better prognosis.
Is there a screening test for pancreatic cancer?
The National Cancer Institute does not recommend screening for people at average risk of pancreatic cancer. People at higher risk, such as those with a strong family history, should talk with their healthcare team about screening.
Questions to ask your doctor
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Get urgent help
Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher during chemo, severe pain, or trouble breathing: call your cancer care team right away, day or night. Call 911 for an emergency.
Plain-language explanation of the published sources cited on this page. AI-assisted, source-checked, not clinician-reviewed.
Sources last checked: 2026-07-21 what this meansLast updated: 2026-10-16Next planned review: 2027-07-21
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How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes, and this is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and then compared with the sources listed on it, looking for statements those sources do not back up. That check is not a sentence-by-sentence record and can miss errors. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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