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Pancreatic carcinoma

Definition:
Pancreatic carcinoma is a malignancy (cancer) of the pancreas.

Alternative Names:
Pancreatic cancer; Cancer - pancreas

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of death from cancer in the U.S. The disease is slightly more common in men than in women, and risk increases with age.

The cause is unknown, but the incidence is greater in smokers. Almost one-third of cases of pancreatic carcinoma can be attributed to cigarette smoking. A minority of cases are known to be related to hereditary syndromes.



Review Date: 8/23/2002
Reviewed By: Scott Howard, M.D., M.S., Memphis, TN. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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