• Most patients are over the age of 50
• Men are more frequently diagnosed than women
• Cigarette smokers are two to three times more likely than nonsmokers to develop pancreatic cancer
• Family history of pancreatic, colon or ovarian cancer, diabetes, and chronic pancreatitis
• African-Americans are more likely to get pancreatic cancer
• Exposure to some chemicals
• Diet high in fats

• Weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pain in the upper abdomen and back
• Jaundice, a condition causing darkened urine or yellow eyes and skin

A physical examination usually is the first step towards diagnosis. When a patient exhibits symptoms, the physician will feel the abdomen for changes in the area around the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder and for abnormal fluid swelling in the abdomen, called ascites. Blood, urine and stool samples may be checked for bilirubin, a buildup which can occur from the blockage of the common bile duct by a tumor. Tumor markers, proteins that appear in the blood at the time of cancer, can be helpful for diagnosis and follow-up.

A computerized tomography (CT) scan is a type of x-ray that can take very detailed pictures. The CT scan is used to detect tumors in the pancreas, lymph nodes, and liver, in addition to detecting a blocked bile duct. When having a CT scan the patient, lying down, is slowly slid through a ring, which takes pictures in sequence. A contrast dye is injected through an IV so internal structures can be seen more clearly on the resulting pictures. Together, the pictures create a thorough internal image of the body.

An ultrasound utilizes inaudible sound waves, which bounce off internal organs and create a picture of the internal body. Two kinds of ultrasound procedures are employed at the possibility of pancreatic cancer: external or internal. Externally an ultrasound device is placed on the abdomen, which is referred to as a transabdominal ultrasound. Internally, in an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) an endoscope, or a thin tube with an ultrasound device at the end, is inserted into the body via the mouth through to the small intestine. An ultrasound device is at the end of the tube.

In an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), an endoscope, or thin tube, is passed through the body through the mouth. The physician can see through the tube as it is pushed towards the small intestine, where then a smaller tube, called a catheter, is inserted through the endoscope. The catheter releases harmless dye that outlines the structure of the ducts. An x-ray is taken showing whether the ducts are blocked or narrowed.

In a percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC), harmless dye is injected to the liver through the skin. An x-ray is taken showing if or where there are blockages in the bile ducts, which can indicate tumorous growth.

In a biopsy, a piece of tissue is extracted from the pancreas and examined under a microscope by a pathologist. The tissue can be removed with a needle, during an ERCP or an EUS, or during an operation on the abdomen.

Whipple procedure: often used for tumors in the widest portion of the pancreas. The head of the pancreas, the bile duct, the gallbladder, a portion of the small intestine and the stomach are removed. Whipple procedures are commonly used when there is hope for a complete cure. In a distal pancreatectomy, the body and tail of the pancreas are removed by the surgeon. In a total pancreatectomy a portion of the small intestine, part of the stomach, the common bile duct, the spleen and some lymph nodes in addition to the entire pancreas are removed.

Surgery can also relieve blockages of the bile duct and duodenum without removing tumors. A bypass or stent, a plastic or metal tube, can keep pathways propped open.

Radiation therapy kills cancer cells with intense x-rays aimed only at the cancerous growth. Radiation can be emitted from outside the patient's body, or radioactive materials can be placed internally to the targeted area. Side effects from radiation therapy include loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and problems with digestion.

Chemotherapy involves taking drugs which kill cells that are growing rapidly, thus noncancerous cells can be killed as well. Side effects vary by type of drug but in general, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, sores on the mouth and the lips and a lower resistance to infection are expected.