Accounts for 5% of all cancer deaths in the US.
Occurs most frequently in the 6^th to 8^th decades of life.
More common in blacks than whites.
More common in males than females.
Patient may have history of smoking or diabetes.
The tumor grows slowly.
May cause jaundice (when obtructing the bile flow), pain, weight loss, or migratory thrombophlebitis (Trousseau's sign).
The tumor has a poor prognosis (over 80% mortality in the first year).
60% in the head, 15-20% in the body, 5% in the tail and 20% diffusely found in the pancreas.
Grossly appears as a white-gray to tan mass.
Microscopically appears as mucinous or non-mucinous adenocarcinomas arising from the ducts, or uncommonly as adenosquamous carcinoma, anaplastic carcinoma, or acinar cell carcinoma. The latter tumors arise from the acini and are composed of cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm. The tumor may occur around the ampulla of Vater and may arise from the distal common bile duct, or the ampulla of Vater (periampullary carcinomas).