The pancreas is a long, flat gland that lies in the abdomen behind the stomach.
It produces enzymes that aid digestion and certain hormones that help maintain the proper level of blood sugar.
The American Cancer Society estimates that in the U.S. in 2009, there will be 42, 470 people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and 35, 420 deaths from pancreatic cancer, making it the nation's fourth leading cause of cancer death overall.
Unlike other cancers, there is no screening test for pancreatic cancer.
There are also no symptoms until the cancer has begun to spread, which accounts for the cancer's dismal survival rate.
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