The pancreas plays an important role in the digestive process, producing essential enzymes in the digestion of food. The other function of the pancreas, which can be described as “control of fuel,” is to produce insulin, which affects people with diabetes. Over 95% of the cells of the pancreas are exocrine glands, which produces pancreatic juice that contains enzymes that break down fats and proteins in food so that nutrients can be absorbed by the small intestine and used by the body to tissue repair or to promote growth.
Ducts are called exocrine pancreatic juice to the common bile duct and, eventually, the small intestine. Only a small percentage of cells in the pancreas are endocrine glands, arranged in small groups or clusters called islets of Langerhans. Islet cells release three hormones (insulin, glucagon and somatostatin) which allow the body to metabolize (break down and digest) food. Also regulate the body makes use of glucose, which is the energy source for many of the daily activities of all cells.
When the pancreas is functioning normally, the blood glucose concentration varies in response to a wide variety of events, stress or infections, but remains in its normal limits.
Causes
* Genetic Factor: The changes or mutations that occur in the DNA of people indicate that they might be responsible for pancreatic cells from becoming cancerous. It is therefore possible that changes in the DNA inherited from one generation to increase the risk not only to develop this cancer, but also others, which leads to the activation of oncogenes (cancer) or inactivation of tumor suppressor genes .
* Age: The risk of colon cancer increases after age 50. Most patients are between 60 and 80 years at the time of diagnosis.
* Sex: The probability of having the disease is 30 percent higher in men than in women.
* Race: Blacks are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than whites or Asian.
* Snuff
* Food: A diet rich in meat and fat increases risk, while fruits, vegetables and foods containing fiber seem to have a protective effect.
* Pancreatic cancer is more common in people with diabetes.
* The pancreatitis to chronic persistent inflammation of the pancreas, is also associated with increased risk of developing cancer in this organ, with the evidence that some families have a tendency to suffer chronic pancreatitis, which is believed to be due to an inherited genetic mutation . Thus, this risk factor linked to the first, exposing the possibility that the keeper is the gene that is responsible for making certain digestive enzyme.
* Intense exposure to certain chemicals (pesticides, dyes and chemicals related to gasoline) are considered risk factors working against the possibility of developing this cancer.
Tags: break down fats, Genetic Factor, Pancreatic cancer, the digestive process
