Adenocarcinoma
The pancreas produces enzymes, or digestive fluids. These are important for digesting food. If cancer develops in the ducts that carry these enzymes within the pancreas, it is called adenocarcinoma. Most people with pancreatic cancer have adenocarcinoma. The tumor is usually located in the head of the pancreas.
(Source: Radboud University Medical Center)
See what is pancreatic cancer? page and the rest of the website for all the information about this most common form of pancreatic cancer. There are also other, rarer forms of pancreatic tumors in or near the pancreas. These are discussed on this page.
Rare types of pancreatic cancer
- NET (neuroendocrine tumor) of the pancreas: these are rare tumors that originate in the neuroendocrine cells of the pancreas. These cells produce hormones. More information (text in Dutch only).
- NEC (neuroendocrine carcinoma) of the pancreas: these very rare tumors also originate in neuroendocrine cells in the pancreas. However, these tumors develop differently than NETs, and grow faster. More information (text in Dutch only).
- Acinar cell carcinoma: this tumor arises in the cells that produce enzymes themselves (so not in the ducts as in adenocarcinoma).
- Pancreatic lymphoma: lymphoma is a malignant tumor that originates in the lymphatic vessels, which are part of the immune system. Lymphoma can develop anywhere in the body, including, in rare cases, the pancreas. Treatment does not involve surgery. Chemotherapy is often administered.
- Metastases from tumors elsewhere in the body. Sometimes a tumor in the pancreas can develop and turn out to be a metastasis from another cancer elsewhere in the body. Treatment will depend on the type of cancer from which the metastasis originated.
Other tumors in the pancreas
There can also be tumors in the pancreas that are benign but can sometimes become malignant.
- Pancreatic cysts are common and usually harmless. Cysts rarely cause symptoms and are often found incidentally during a CT or MRI scan for another reason. Sometimes, however, these cysts constitute a precancerous condition and may require treatment. Common types include:
– intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN): this is a cyst that most often occurs in the pancreas. These cysts also have the greatest chance of becoming malignant. If you have IPMN, you will usually have regular MRI scans to monitor the cyst’s development. More information (text in Dutch only).
– mucinous cystedoma: this is a cyst that is usually located at the end of the pancreas (the tail), but it can also be found in the head of the pancreas. This condition only occurs in women, and mainly around the age of 50. These cysts can also become malignant. - Pseudopapillary tumor or Hamoudi tumor: this tumor is very rare. The tumor is often encapsulated, preventing it from growing or spreading into other tissues. Therefore, the tumor can be easily removed surgically. Pseudopapillary tumors usually develop in women between the ages of 20 and 40.
In addition, other types of cancer can also develop in and near the pancreas (text in Dutch only).
Webinar neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) in and around the pancreas
In October 2025, Living With Hope organized the webinar ‘Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) in and around the pancreas’. Prof. Dr. Els Nieveen van Dijkum, endocrine surgeon at Amsterdam UMC, provided information and answered questions from participants.
A video has been made of this NET webinar. The information in this video is of interest to people with a neuroendocrine tumor or neuroendocrine carcinoma in the pancreas, papilla of Vater, distal bile duct, or duodenum.
Watch the video below. This video is only available in Dutch. That is why we made a video transcript in English.