Pancreatic Cancer

It’s difficult to detect pancreatic cancer in the early stages. This is because healthcare providers can’t feel your pancreas during routine exams and it’s difficult to see these tumors on routine imaging tests.

If your provider suspects pancreatic cancer, they’ll recommend a combination of pancreas function tests, which may include:

Imaging tests

Your healthcare provider may need to take one or more of the following imaging tests:

• CT (computed tomography) scans.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
• PET (positron emission tomography).
• Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS).

Blood tests

A pancreas blood test can detect tumor markers. A tumor marker is a substance that may indicate the presence of cancer.

For pancreatic cancer, high levels of carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 — a type of protein released by pancreatic cancer cells — might indicate a tumor.

Staging laparoscopy

Sometimes, providers use laparoscopy to determine the extent of pancreatic cancer and whether removal is possible.

During this procedure, a surgeon creates a few small incisions (cuts) in your abdomen and inserts a long tube with a camera on the end. This allows them to see inside your abdomen and look for abnormalities. Often, they’ll take a biopsy during the same procedure.

Genetic testing

If you receive a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, you should consider genetic testing. This can tell you if there’s a hereditary reason you developed pancreatic cancer. It can also help your healthcare provider determine which type of treatment will be most effective for you.

Some people with pancreatic cancer have mutations in genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. Though you may recognize these genes as the “breast cancer genes,” mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 may also indicate other types of cancer, including prostate, ovarian and pancreatic.

If you’re a first-degree relative (a parent, child or sibling) of someone who has pancreatic cancer, you should consider genetic testing. Your results can tell you if you have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation. Keep in mind, even if you have the mutation, it doesn’t mean you’ll get cancer. But knowing your risk is important.

Resectable vs. unresectable pancreatic cancer: What’s the difference?

Healthcare providers rank pancreatic tumors into four different categories:

• Resectable:The tumor is only in your pancreas and doesn’t involve nearby blood vessels or other organs. A provider can remove it with surgery.
• Borderline resectable:The tumor is in your pancreas and there’s some involvement of nearby blood vessels, but a surgeon can still remove it.
• Locally advanced:The tumor is in your pancreas and has significant involvement of nearby blood vessels. In these cases, surgical removal might be difficult or unsafe.
• Metastatic:The cancer has spread to distant areas in your body, such as your liver, lungs or abdominal cavity. It has possibly spread to organs, tissues or lymph nodes near your pancreas.

If you have specific questions about pancreatic cancer staging, talk to your healthcare provider. Understanding your pancreatic cancer diagnosis can help you make an informed decision about your treatment.