What is the pancreas?
ANSWER
The pancreas is an organ located behind your stomach next to the top of the small intestine. It is about six inches long but is less than two inches wide and functions as two separate organs. It has two big manufacturing jobs in the body:
- It makes digestive juices that help the intestines break down food
- It produces hormones -- including insulin -- that regulate the body's use of sugars and starches. The pancreas is divided into three sections: the head, the body, and the tail.
Reviewed by Gabriela Pichardo on January 25, 2020
SOURCES:
American Cancer Society: "Learn About Cancer: Pancreatic Cancer."
National Cancer Institute: "Pancreatic Cancer."
The National Pancreas Foundation: "About Pancreatic Cancer."
SOURCES:
American Cancer Society: "Learn About Cancer: Pancreatic Cancer."
National Cancer Institute: "Pancreatic Cancer."
The National Pancreas Foundation: "About Pancreatic Cancer."
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