Navigating Diagnosis, Biology, and Treatment. Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of the pancreas. Because it often doesn't cause symptoms early on, it is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage.
The KRAS gene provides instructions for making a protein that promotes cell growth. In roughly 90% of pancreatic cancers, the KRAS gene is mutated, acting like a biological switch stuck in the "on" position, causing uncontrolled tumor growth.
While often silent in early stages, potential warning signs include:
Treatment depends heavily on the stage of the cancer. Options include surgical removal (such as the Whipple procedure), radiation therapy, and systemic chemotherapy. Today, the horizon of treatment is expanding rapidly with the introduction of targeted therapies aimed directly at specific genetic mutations.