Digestive / VISUAL EXPLAINER
How Pancreatic Cancer Develops π§¬
PanIN is an example of a precursor change in small pancreatic ducts, not invasive cancer. Invasion means growth into surrounding tissue. Not every precursor becomes cancer, and this is not every pancreatic cancer pathway.
READ THE IMAGE
What the illustration shows
Navy and gold poster titled How Pancreatic Cancer Develops with a DNA symbol. A large oblique small-duct cross-section has an open lumen enclosed by pale epithelial cells. A coral patch in the ring is labeled PanIN precursor example, confined to the lining, not invasive cancer. Leaders identify lumen, duct epithelium and surrounding connective tissue with acini. Below, an ordinary duct ring sits separately from a conceptual epithelial extension into supporting tissue. No progression arrow joins them. Large text says not every precursor becomes cancer and selected example, not a predicted sequence. Gold AllHumanBody.com branding and the full slogan appear on a plain navy footer. Original AI-generated educational illustration, not diagnostic microscopy or physician certification. Colors, cell shapes, counts and scale are illustrative, not diagnostic criteria.
How to interpret this poster
- Selected compartment example, not a predicted sequence, diagnostic cytology, grading, stage, genetic mechanism or prognosis. Illustrated empty lumen means an open space, not a claim living ducts lack fluid.
- AI-assisted educational illustration; not physician certification, a diagnosis or individualized medical advice.
- Fine annotations require enlargement; preserve the full uncropped illustration and its qualifiers.
AI-assisted educational illustration, adapted into web-sized images without changing its composition. This is general education, not an individual diagnosis or treatment recommendation.
EVIDENCE / CONTEXT
Sources and what they support
- Johns Hopkins Pathology: Duct lesions β
Small-duct epithelial PanIN precursor distinct from invasive cancer.
- Johns Hopkins Pathology: Types of tumors β
Invasion into surrounding tissue and diversity of pancreatic tumors.
- NCI: What is cancer? β
Abnormal changes are not inevitably cancer; generic invasion context.
- American Cancer Society: Pancreatic cancer β
Exocrine duct association distinct from endocrine tumors.