Pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer
Pancreatic neuroendocrine cancers develop in the of the pancreas.
There are different types of cancer that develop in the pancreas. The most common type are pancreatic cancers. These start in cells that produce pancreatic digestive juices.
Read more about the most common type of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic neuroendocrine cancers are much rarer. They start in the endocrine cells of the pancreas. This is where and other are made and released into the bloodstream. They are also called pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (PNETs) or islet cell tumours.
The treatment and is different to the more common type of pancreatic cancer. So it is important you know what type you have.
The pancreas is part of our .
The pancreas is quite high up in the tummy (abdomen). It lies across your body where the ribs meet at the bottom of the breastbone, just behind your stomach. It is about 6 inches long (15 centimetres) and shaped like a leaf.
The pancreas has 3 parts:
the wide part is the head
the thin end is the tail
the part in the middle is the body
The pancreatic duct is a tube that collects the digestive juices made by the pancreas. It carries them into the first part of the small bowel (duodenum).
The pancreas makes digestive juices. The part that makes digestive juices is the exocrine pancreas. It also makes different types of hormones such as insulin. The part of the pancreas which produces hormones, including insulin, is called the endocrine pancreas.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine cancers are rare pancreatic cancers. Around 400 people are diagnosed with pancreatic neuroendocrine cancers in England every year.
There are different types of cancer that can develop in the pancreas. Only 1 to 2 out of every 100 pancreatic cancers (1 to 2%) are the neuroendocrine type.
Neuroendocrine cancers can start in different parts of the body. Around 8 out of every 100 neuroendocrine cancers (around 8%) start in the pancreas.
A risk factor is anything that increases your risk of getting a disease. But having one of these risk factors doesn’t mean that you will definitely develop a cancer.
We don’t know what causes most neuroendocrine cancers. But there are some risks factors that can increase your risk of developing it. Having one of these risk factors doesn’t mean that you will definitely develop a cancer.
The risk factors for pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer include:
inherited conditions such as and
having a family history of cancer
Read more about the risks and causes of neuroendocrine cancer
Symptoms are usually caused by:
the growth of the cancer in your pancreas
cancer spreading to another part of your body
hormones made by the cancer
You might hear the terms ‘functioning’ and ‘non functioning’ neuroendocrine tumour (NET). This refers to whether the cancer over produces hormones. These hormones cause symptoms.
Non functioning NETs don’t over produce hormones or cause a syndrome.
Functioning NETs over produce certain hormones. This causes a group of symptoms called a syndrome.
We have a page for each type of pancreatic NET. You can read more about the symptoms of each type on the relevant page.
Read about the different types of pancreatic NET and their symptoms
Cancer in your pancreas can cause some general symptoms. These might include:
tummy pain
unexplained weight loss
loss of appetite
indigestion (dyspepsia)
yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
These symptoms could be due to a pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer. But they can also be caused by other medical conditions. It’s important to get them checked out by your doctor.
You have some tests to diagnose a neuroendocrine cancer of the pancreas. This might include blood tests and scans. Your GP can refer you to see a specialist.
Find out more about seeing a specialist
If your doctor suspects cancer, you have tests to check the type of cancer you have. Tests also show the size of the cancer and whether it has spread. This helps your doctor plan your treatment.
Tests might include:
blood tests - these check your general health and check levels of substances raised by neuroendocrine cancer
urine tests to check levels of substances raised by neuroendocrine cancer
a
an
an of your tummy to look at your stomach, pancreas and bile ducts, and to take
a to show the size of the cancer and whether it has spread
radioactive scans – these include or Tektrotyd scans, and gallium PET scans
You might have other tests, depending on your symptoms. Your doctor can tell you which tests you need.
Read more about having tests to diagnose neuroendocrine cancer
The best person to talk to you about your outlook (prognosis) is your doctor. Not everyone wants to know. People cope differently with cancer and want different information.
Survival depends on many factors. So no one can tell you exactly how long you will live. Your doctor might be able to give you some guide, based on their knowledge and experience.
Your prognosis will depend on the type of pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer you have. And how far it has spread (the stage).
Read more about survival for neuroendocrine cancer
The tests and scans you have give information about:
your type of cancer
the grade of your cancer - this is how quickly or slowly the cancer cells are growing and dividing
the stage of your cancer - this is how big the cancer is, and whether it has spread
This information helps your doctor decide which treatment you need.
There are 2 main groups of pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer:
pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (NETs)
pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (NECs)
There are different types of pancreatic NETs. The 2 main groups are:
functioning pancreatic NETs
non functioning pancreatic NETs
There are many different types of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (NETs):
Glucagonomas come from cells that make glucagon.
Gastrinomas come from cells that make gastrin.
Insulinomas come from cells that make insulin.
Somatostatinomas come from cells that make somatostatin.
VIPomas come from cells that make vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP).
NECs are poorly differentiated cancers. This means the cancer cells look very different to normal neuroendocrine cells. They are fast growing and have often spread to other parts of the body at diagnosis.
Read more about the different grades, types and stages of pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer
Last reviewed: 30 Apr 2025
Next review due: 30 Apr 2028
There are different types of neuroendocrine cancer that develop in the pancreas. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) include insulinoma, gastrinoma, somatostatinoma, glucagonoma and VIPoma.
Grade means how quickly or slowly the cancer cells are dividing and growing. The stage of a neuroendocrine cancer tells you its size and whether it has spread. There are many different types.
There are many different types of neuroendocrine cancer. They are usually named after the part of the body where they develop.
Treatment depends on the type of neuroendocrine cancer you have, where it is, its size and whether it has spread (the stage).
Survival (prognosis) depends on several factors. This includes your type of neuroendocrine cancer, where it is in your body, and whether it has spread.
Neuroendocrine cancers develop in cells of the neuroendocrine system. They can develop in different parts of the body including the lungs, stomach, pancreas and bowel.
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