Pancreatic cancer often hides until it’s advanced. That’s why knowing the common signs and the next steps can change outcomes. This page gives plain, practical info: early symptoms, how doctors find it, main treatment paths, and clear actions you can take right away.
Notice any of these? Tell your doctor—especially if they’re new or getting worse over weeks:
- Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice), dark urine, pale stools. These happen when a tumor blocks the bile duct.
- Upper belly or mid-back pain that won’t go away.
- Sudden, unexplained weight loss and appetite loss.
- New-onset diabetes or blood sugar that’s suddenly hard to control.
- Long-lasting nausea, vomiting, or feeling full quickly.
Key risk factors: being over 60, smoking, heavy alcohol use, long-term pancreatitis, obesity, diabetes, and a family history of pancreatic or certain genetic cancers. If your family has BRCA or similar mutations, ask about genetic testing—some treatments work better for those changes.
Doctors start with history and a physical exam, then use tests to confirm things:
- Blood tests: liver panel and sometimes CA 19-9, a tumor marker that can support the diagnosis (not definitive on its own).
- Imaging: CT scan or MRI of the abdomen is the main tool. It shows tumor size, local spread, and if nearby blood vessels are involved.
- Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with biopsy or a percutaneous biopsy if tissue is needed. Biopsy confirms the type and helps plan treatment.
Staging answers the big question: can this be removed with surgery? That drives the treatment plan.
Surgery offers the best chance for cure but only if the tumor is found early and is resectable. Common procedures include the Whipple (for head tumors) and distal pancreatectomy (for tail tumors). Surgery is major. Ask about high-volume centers—outcomes are better there.
Chemotherapy is used before surgery (neoadjuvant), after surgery (adjuvant), or alone for advanced disease. Regimens like FOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel are common. Targeted drugs and maintenance options exist for specific genetic changes (for example, PARP inhibitors for BRCA mutations).
Radiation can be used in select cases to control local disease or symptoms. Palliative care helps manage pain, nutrition, and quality of life at any stage.
Want practical next steps? If you or a loved one has worrying symptoms, get evaluated promptly. Ask your doctor about imaging, specialist referral to a pancreatic surgeon or medical oncologist, genetic testing if family risk exists, and clinical trials—many centers offer trials that may be a good option.
Pancreatic cancer is tough, but timely action, the right team, and clear information make a real difference. If you have questions about tests or treatment options, bring them up at your next appointment—no question is too small.
