top of page
Pancreatic Cancer
Purple Pancreatic Cancer awareness ribbon labeled Pancreatic Cancer
Awareness
Month
Ribbon
Color
Pancreatic Cancer signs, follow-up guidance, risk factors, testing information, and trusted cancer resources from PINC Foundation.
Pancreatic cancer can be difficult to find early because symptoms may be subtle. Jaundice, unexplained weight loss, or persistent upper-abdominal/back pain needs follow-up.
Pancreatic cancer is rare in young adults. When it occurs younger, inherited risk can be more relevant. A strong family pattern deserves genetic counseling even without symptoms.
• Smoking
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Long-standing diabetes and excess body weight
• Family history and inherited variants such as BRCA2, PALB2, or CDKN2A
• Increasing age
• Smoking
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Long-standing diabetes and excess body weight
• Family history and inherited variants such as BRCA2, PALB2, or CDKN2A
• Increasing age
• Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, pale or greasy stools, or itching
• Upper-abdominal pain that may spread to the back
• Unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite
• Nausea, vomiting, or new digestive difficulty
• New diabetes or diabetes that suddenly becomes harder to control
Jaundice should be assessed promptly. Seek urgent care for severe pain, repeated vomiting, fever with jaundice, confusion, or fainting.
• Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, pale or greasy stools, or itching
• Upper-abdominal pain that may spread to the back
• Unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite
• Nausea, vomiting, or new digestive difficulty
• New diabetes or diabetes that suddenly becomes harder to control
Jaundice should be assessed promptly. Seek urgent care for severe pain, repeated vomiting, fever with jaundice, confusion, or fainting.
There is no routine pancreatic cancer screening for average-risk people. Selected high-risk individuals with strong family history or certain inherited variants may be offered MRI and/or endoscopic ultrasound in an expert surveillance program.
• Blood tests, including liver tests
• Pancreas-protocol CT or MRI/MRCP
• Endoscopic ultrasound
• Biopsy when tissue confirmation is needed
• Genetic and tumor biomarker testing when cancer is diagnosed
There is no routine pancreatic cancer screening for average-risk people. Selected high-risk individuals with strong family history or certain inherited variants may be offered MRI and/or endoscopic ultrasound in an expert surveillance program.
• Blood tests, including liver tests
• Pancreas-protocol CT or MRI/MRCP
• Endoscopic ultrasound
• Biopsy when tissue confirmation is needed
• Genetic and tumor biomarker testing when cancer is diagnosed
• Could these symptoms reflect bile duct blockage?
• Do I need pancreas-specific CT, MRI, or endoscopic ultrasound?
• Does my family history qualify me for genetic counseling?
• Should testing occur at a high-volume pancreas center?
• Could these symptoms reflect bile duct blockage?
• Do I need pancreas-specific CT, MRI, or endoscopic ultrasound?
• Does my family history qualify me for genetic counseling?
• Should testing occur at a high-volume pancreas center?
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
https://www.cancer.gov/types/pancreatic
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/pancreatic-cancer.html
https://www.cancer.gov/types/pancreatic
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/pancreatic-cancer.html
bottom of page