Pancreatic cancer in children
Malignant diseases of the pancreas are very rare in children. The rare pancreatoblastoma is a tumour of the epithelial cells of the pancreas, which occurs in 90% of cases in early childhood and only in 10% of cases in adults. The five-year survival rate for this tumour is up to 80%.
With an average age of approximately 20 years, the very rare solid pseudopapillary pancreatic tumor occurs particularly in women. This pancreatic cancer is low-grade malignant, but has a good prognosis in case of complete surgical removal. In certain regions of India, children may develop chronic pancreatitis, which leads to blood sugar levels and later to the development of pancreatic cancer. As a result of globalisation and the resulting mixing of nations, these forms of disease are also being treated in Central Europe.
Peak age of various tumours of the pancreas
By far the most common malignant pancreatic cancer is ductal adenocarcinoma. In Germany, 18 people are diagnosed with this disease per 100,000 inhabitants every year. This makes it the third most common tumour of the digestive tract.
In most cases, the ductal adenocarcinoma is located in the head of the pancreas and has a relatively poor prognosis, as it is only operable in 10-15% of cases at diagnosis. This pancreatic cancer occurs most frequently between the 6th and 8th decade of life. Other types of pancreatic tumours are much rarer.
For example, intraductal papillary mucinous tumours of the pancreas occur slightly more frequently in men than in women and accumulate between the ages of 60 and 70. The prognosis of this pancreatic cancer is very good. This tumour develops within the ductal system of the pancreas (intraductally).
The serous cyst adenoma of the pancreas is a benign tumour. It is mainly observed in older women and is diagnosed randomly in up to one third of cases. Women of advanced age are affected up to four times more frequently than men.
Serious cyst adenomas of the pancreas are rare and have a good prognosis if they are removed completely by surgery (resection). In contrast, the term mucinous-cystic tumour of the pancreas is used to describe benign and malignant tumours, which particularly affect women between the ages of 40 and 60. If such a tumour can be removed completely, the prognosis is good.
The five-year survival rate for malignant tumours is about 75%. A rare form of pancreatic cancer is acinar cell carcinoma. It occurs twice as frequently in men as in women and the age peak is between 55-65 years.
These tumours are often discovered late, and liver metastases are often already present at the time of diagnosis. Insulinoma is a rare tumour of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, which is benign in 90% of cases. It is the most common hormone-active (insulin-producing) pancreatic cancer, is noticed by symptoms of hypoglycaemia (attacks of ravenous hunger, dizziness, sweating) and is found about twice as often in women as in men.
Insulinoma can occur at any age, but the most common form of pancreatic cancer is around the age of 50. A gastrinoma and the associated clinical picture the so-called Zollinger-Ellison syndrome can not only be caused by a tumour of the pancreas, but also in the small intestine. Gastrinomas are malignant in 60% of cases, are extremely rare and usually occur between the ages of 30 and 60.
This type of pancreatic cancer produces the hormone gastrin, which stimulates the production of stomach acid. The acid increase in gastrinoma often leads to stomach and duodenal ulcers.
