Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of the pancreas--a large organ that lies behind the stomach. The pancreas secretes enzymes that aid digestion and hormones that help regulate the metabolism of sugars. Pancreatic cancer often has a poor prognosis, even when diagnosed early, and can spread rapidly. Because symptoms tend not to appear until the disease has progressed, the cancer is rarely detected in its early stages, which is a major reason why...