Question: what are pancreatic enzymes?

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Pancreatic Cancer: The pancreas lies behind the stomach and in front of the spine. There are two kinds of cells in the pancreas. Exocrine pancreas cells make enzymes that are released into the small intestine to help the body digest food. Neuroendocrine pancreas cells (such as islet cells) make several hormones, including insulin and glucagon, that help control sugar levels in the blood. Most pancreatic cancers form in exocrine cells. These tumors do not secrete hormones and do not cause signs or symptoms. This makes it hard to diagnose this type of pancreatic cancer early. For most patients with exocrine pancreatic cancer, current treatments do not cure the cancer. Some types of malignant pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, such as islet cell tumors, have a better prognosis than pancreatic exocrine cancers. - Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. - Smoking and health history can affect the risk of pancreatic cancer. - Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer include jaundice, pain, and weight loss. - Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect (find) and diagnose early. - Tests that examine the pancreas are used to detect (find), diagnose, and stage pancreatic cancer. - Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options. - Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. - Smoking and health history can affect the risk of pancreatic cancer. - Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer include jaundice, pain, and weight loss. - Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect (find) and diagnose early. - Tests that examine the pancreas are used to detect (find), diagnose, and stage pancreatic cancer. - Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options. - Tests and procedures to stage pancreatic cancer are usually done at the same time as diagnosis. - There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body. - Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body. - The following stages are used for pancreatic cancer: - Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ) - Stage I - Stage II - Stage III - Stage IV - Tests and procedures to stage pancreatic cancer are usually done at the same time as diagnosis. - There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body. - Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body. - The following stages are used for pancreatic cancer: - Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ) - Stage I - Stage II - Stage III - Stage IV  - There are different types of treatment for patients with pancreatic cancer. - Five types of standard treatment are used: - Surgery - Radiation therapy - Chemotherapy - Chemoradiation therapy - Targeted therapy - There are treatments for pain caused by pancreatic cancer. - Patients with pancreatic cancer have special nutritional needs. - New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials. - Biologic therapy - Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. - Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment. - Follow-up tests may be needed - There are different types of treatment for patients with pancreatic cancer. - Five types of standard treatment are used: - Surgery - Radiation therapy - Chemotherapy - Chemoradiation therapy - Targeted therapy - There are treatments for pain caused by pancreatic cancer. - Patients with pancreatic cancer have special nutritional needs. - New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials. - Biologic therapy - Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. - Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment. - Follow-up tests may be needed Stages I and II Pancreatic Cancer Treatment of stage I and stage II pancreatic cancer may include the following: - Surgery. - Surgery followed by chemotherapy. - Surgery followed by chemoradiation. - A clinical trial of combination chemotherapy. - A clinical trial of chemotherapy and targeted therapy, with or without chemoradiation. - A clinical trial of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy before surgery. Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.			Stage III Pancreatic Cancer Treatment of stage III pancreatic cancer may include the following: - Palliative surgery or stent placement to bypass blocked areas in ducts or the small intestine. - Chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation. - Chemoradiation followed by chemotherapy. - Chemotherapy with or without targeted therapy. - A clinical trial of new anticancer therapies together with chemotherapy or chemoradiation. - A clinical trial of radiation therapy given during surgery or internal radiation therapy. Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.			Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer Treatment of stage IV pancreatic cancer may include the following: - Palliative treatments to relieve pain, such as nerve blocks, and other supportive care. - Palliative surgery or stent placement to bypass blocked areas in ducts or the small intestine. - Chemotherapy with or without targeted therapy. - Clinical trials of new anticancer agents with or without chemotherapy. Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.  - Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors form in hormone-making cells (islet cells) of the pancreas. - Pancreatic NETs may or may not cause signs or symptoms. - There are different kinds of functional pancreatic NETs. - Having certain syndromes can increase the risk of pancreatic NETs. - Different types of pancreatic NETs have different signs and symptoms. - Lab tests and imaging tests are used to detect (find) and diagnose pancreatic NETs. - Other kinds of lab tests are used to check for the specific type of pancreatic NETs. - Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options. - Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors form in hormone-making cells (islet cells) of the pancreas. - Pancreatic NETs may or may not cause signs or symptoms. - There are different kinds of functional pancreatic NETs. - Having certain syndromes can increase the risk of pancreatic NETs. - Different types of pancreatic NETs have different signs and symptoms. - Lab tests and imaging tests are used to detect (find) and diagnose pancreatic NETs. - Other kinds of lab tests are used to check for the specific type of pancreatic NETs. - Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options. - The plan for cancer treatment depends on where the NET is found in the pancreas and whether it has spread. - There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body. - Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body. - The plan for cancer treatment depends on where the NET is found in the pancreas and whether it has spread. - There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body. - Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body.  - There are different types of treatment for patients with pancreatic NETs. - Six types of standard treatment are used: - Surgery - Chemotherapy - Hormone therapy - Hepatic arterial occlusion or chemoembolization - Targeted therapy - Supportive care - New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials. - Treatment for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors may cause side effects. - Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. - Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment. - Follow-up tests may be needed. - There are different types of treatment for patients with pancreatic NETs. - Six types of standard treatment are used: - Surgery - Chemotherapy - Hormone therapy - Hepatic arterial occlusion or chemoembolization - Targeted therapy - Supportive care - New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials. - Treatment for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors may cause side effects. - Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. - Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment. - Follow-up tests may be needed. Gastrinoma Treatment of gastrinoma may include supportive care and the following: - For symptoms caused by too much stomach acid, treatment may be a drug that decreases the amount of acid made by the stomach. - For a single tumor in the head of the pancreas: - Surgery to remove the tumor. - Surgery to cut the nerve that causes stomach cells to make acid and treatment with a drug that decreases stomach acid. - Surgery to remove the whole stomach (rare). - For a single tumor in the body or tail of the pancreas, treatment is usually surgery to remove the body or tail of the pancreas. - For several tumors in the pancreas, treatment is usually surgery to remove the body or tail of the pancreas. If tumor remains after surgery, treatment may include either: - Surgery to cut the nerve that causes stomach cells to make acid and treatment with a drug that decreases stomach acid; or - Surgery to remove the whole stomach (rare). - For one or more tumors in the duodenum (the part of the small intestine that connects to the stomach), treatment is usually pancreatoduodenectomy (surgery to remove the head of the pancreas, the gallbladder, nearby lymph nodes and part of the stomach, small intestine, and bile duct). - If no tumor is found, treatment may include the following: - Surgery to cut the nerve that causes stomach cells to make acid and treatment with a drug that decreases stomach acid. - Surgery to remove the whole stomach (rare). - If the cancer has spread to the liver, treatment may include: - Surgery to remove part or all of the liver. - Radiofrequency ablation or cryosurgical ablation. - Chemoembolization. - If cancer has spread to other parts of the body or does not get better with surgery or drugs to decrease stomach acid, treatment may include: - Chemotherapy. - Hormone therapy. - If the cancer mostly affects the liver and the patient has severe symptoms from hormones or from the size of tumor, treatment may include: - Hepatic arterial occlusion, with or without systemic chemotherapy. - Chemoembolization, with or without systemic chemotherapy. Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.			Insulinoma Treatment of insulinoma may include the following: - For one small tumor in the head or tail of the pancreas, treatment is usually surgery to remove the tumor. - For one large tumor in the head of the pancreas that cannot be removed by surgery, treatment is usually pancreatoduodenectomy (surgery to remove the head of the pancreas, the gallbladder, nearby lymph nodes and part of the stomach, small intestine, and bile duct). - For one large tumor in the body or tail of the pancreas, treatment is usually a distal pancreatectomy (surgery to remove the body and tail of the pancreas). - For more than one tumor in the pancreas, treatment is usually surgery to remove any tumors in the head of the pancreas and the body and tail of the pancreas. - For tumors that cannot be removed by surgery, treatment may include the following: - Combination chemotherapy. - Palliative drug therapy to decrease the amount of insulin made by the pancreas. - Hormone therapy. - Radiofrequency ablation or cryosurgical ablation. - For cancer that has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body, treatment may include the following: - Surgery to remove the cancer. - Radiofrequency ablation or cryosurgical ablation, if the cancer cannot be removed by surgery. - If the cancer mostly affects the liver and the patient has severe symptoms from hormones or from the size of tumor, treatment may include: - Hepatic arterial occlusion, with or without systemic chemotherapy. - Chemoembolization, with or without systemic chemotherapy. Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.			Glucagonoma Treatment may include the following: - For one small tumor in the head or tail of the pancreas, treatment is usually surgery to remove the tumor. - For one large tumor in the head of the pancreas that cannot be removed by surgery, treatment is usually pancreatoduodenectomy (surgery to remove the head of the pancreas, the gallbladder, nearby lymph nodes and part of the stomach, small intestine, and bile duct). - For more than one tumor in the pancreas, treatment is usually surgery to remove the tumor or surgery to remove the body and tail of the pancreas. - For tumors that cannot be removed by surgery, treatment may include the following: - Combination chemotherapy. - Hormone therapy. - Radiofrequency ablation or cryosurgical ablation. - For cancer that has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body, treatment may include the following: - Surgery to remove the cancer. - Radiofrequency ablation or cryosurgical ablation, if the cancer cannot be removed by surgery. - If the cancer mostly affects the liver and the patient has severe symptoms from hormones or from the size of tumor, treatment may include: - Hepatic arterial occlusion, with or without systemic chemotherapy. - Chemoembolization, with or without systemic chemotherapy. Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.			Other Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (Islet Cell Tumors) For VIPoma, treatment may include the following: - Fluids and hormone therapy to replace fluids and electrolytes that have been lost from the body. - Surgery to remove the tumor and nearby lymph nodes. - Surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible when the tumor cannot be completely removed or has spread to distant parts of the body. This is palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life. - For tumors that have spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body, treatment may include the following: - Surgery to remove the tumor. - Radiofrequency ablation or cryosurgical ablation, if the tumor cannot be removed by surgery. - For tumors that continue to grow during treatment or have spread to other parts of the body, treatment may include the following: - Chemotherapy. - Targeted therapy. For somatostatinoma, treatment may include the following: - Surgery to remove the tumor. - For cancer that has spread to distant parts of the body, surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. - For tumors that continue to grow during treatment or have spread to other parts of the body, treatment may include the following: - Chemotherapy. - Targeted therapy. Treatment of other types of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) may include the following: - Surgery to remove the tumor. - For cancer that has spread to distant parts of the body, surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible or hormone therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. - For tumors that continue to grow during treatment or have spread to other parts of the body, treatment may include the following: - Chemotherapy. - Targeted therapy. Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.			Recurrent or Progressive Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (Islet Cell Tumors) Treatment of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) that continue to grow during treatment or recur (come back) may include the following: - Surgery to remove the tumor. - Chemotherapy. - Hormone therapy. - Targeted therapy. - For liver metastases: - Regional chemotherapy. - Hepatic arterial occlusion or chemoembolization, with or without systemic chemotherapy. - A clinical trial of a new therapy. Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Answer: Exocrine pancreas cells make enzymes that are released into the small intestine to help the body digest food.