Brief introduction: Three common types of pancreatic cancer

Before treating pancreatic cancer, it is beneficial to understand and know the classification of pancreatic cancer, which will help to treat pancreatic cancer more scientifically. What are the common classifications of pancreatic cancer ? The following is a brief introduction to the common classifications of pancreatic cancer.

In general, the common types of pancreatic cancer are:

1) Pancreatic head cancer: The head of the pancreas includes the papilla and the lower end of the bile duct, so there are differences in the names of pancreatic head cancer, papillary cancer, ampulla cancer and lower end of the bile duct cancer. According to statistics, about 60% to 70% of pancreatic cancer occurs in the head of the pancreas, with an average size of 4.2 to 5.7 cm. It can compress the common bile duct and cause progressive obstructive jaundice, enlargement of the gallbladder and liver; if the tumor infiltrates the common bile duct or ampulla and erosion occurs, it can cause acute and chronic bleeding; liver enlargement can occur due to bile stasis. Most people have progressive jaundice, weight loss, upper abdominal pain or distension, and the pain is mostly located in the upper abdomen or on the right side, and can radiate to the shoulder and back. This is a common classification of pancreatic cancer.

2) Pancreatic body and tail cancer: The boundary between the pancreatic body and tail cannot be clearly demarcated, so they are collectively referred to as pancreatic body and tail cancer, which is also a common classification of pancreatic cancer. Only 30% of pancreatic cancer occurs in the pancreatic body and tail. Pancreatic body and tail cancer can destroy pancreatic islet tissue and cause diabetes, and can be accompanied by peripheral venous thrombosis, causing splenomegaly, portal hypertension and other symptoms, which may be caused by the tumor secreting certain substances that promote blood coagulation. Pancreatic body and tail cancer metastasize earlier than pancreatic head cancer, and are more common and widespread, and can metastasize to local lymph nodes, liver, peritoneum and lungs.

3) Pancreatic cancer: also known as extensive pancreatic cancer, it can develop from pancreatic head, pancreatic body, and pancreatic tail cancer, or it can be diffuse in the early stage of the disease. The incidence rate varies from report to report, and this type of pancreatic cancer accounts for about 10% of pancreatic cancer.

The above is an introduction to the common classification of pancreatic cancer. I hope it will be helpful to you. For more questions about the classification of pancreatic cancer, you can consult our online experts, who will answer them in detail.