Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer arises when abnormal cells grow out of control in the pancreas, an organ that helps with digestion (exocrine function) and blood-sugar control (endocrine function). Most pancreatic cancers start in exocrine cells and are typically found at a later stage; pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are less common and often have a different outlook and treatment approach. Shape

Understanding the Pancreas & Tumor Types

Exocrine pancreatic cancers (about 95%) include pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common type.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (islet-cell tumors) are less common and can behave differently; they are discussed separately below.

Signs & Symptoms

Pancreatic cancer can be hard to detect early. When symptoms appear, they may include:

Jaundice (yellowing of the skin/eyes), dark urine, light or floating stools, and itching
Abdominal or back pain, nausea, loss of appetite, and unintended weight loss

Because these symptoms have many possible causes, persistent or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by your clinician.

Risk Factors

Factors linked with higher risk include:

Tobacco use, obesity, longstanding diabetes, and chronic pancreatitis
Family history of pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis, or hereditary syndromes (e.g., BRCA, Lynch, Peutz–Jeghers, VHL, FAMMM, MEN1)

Screening & Risk Reduction

There is no routine screening test proven to reduce deaths from pancreatic cancer for people at average risk. High-risk individuals (e.g., strong family history or certain genetic syndromes) may discuss specialty referral for risk evaluation and individualized surveillance.

Diagnosis

If pancreatic cancer is suspected, evaluation may include:

and imaging (CT/MRI) to define the pancreas and nearby structures

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and staging; other procedures (e.g., ERCP) may be used selectively to relieve bileduct blockage and obtain samples

Staging & “Resectability” (Can It Be Removed with Surgery?)

Pancreatic cancer is staged using the AJCC staging system (0–IV), but treatment decisions also focus on resectability categories—resectable, borderline resectable, locally advanced (unresectable), and metastatic—based on how the tumor involves nearby blood vessels and whether it has spread. These factors help determine whether surgery is appropriate up front, after neoadjuvant therapy, or not feasible.

Treatment Options (Exocrine Pancreatic Cancer)

Care is personalized based on stage, tumor location, overall health, and your goals, and is delivered by a multidisciplinary team (surgical oncology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, gastroenterology, radiology, pathology, genetics, nutrition/supportive care).

Surgery

Resectable disease: Procedures may include pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple) for head tumors or distal pancreatectomy (often with spleen removal) for body/tail tumors; goal is to remove all visible disease with negative margins.
Timing: Some patients benefit from neoadjuvant chemotherapy (± radiation) to improve the chance of complete resection; others proceed directly to surgery and then receive adjuvant chemotherapy.

Systemic Therapy

Chemotherapy is used before surgery (neoadjuvant), after surgery (adjuvant), or for locally advanced/metastatic disease. Regimen selection depends on fitness and goals of care.
Targeted therapy/Immunotherapy: Testing for actionable biomarkers (e.g., BRCA/PALB2, MSIH/dMMR, NTRK fusions) can identify options such as PARP inhibitors (maintenance in selected settings) or checkpoint inhibitors (for MSIH/dMMR tumors). Your oncologist will discuss the role of molecular testing and whether a clinical trial is appropriate. Current Clinical Trials – Illinois CancerCare

Radiation Therapy

Considered selectively, e.g., with chemotherapy for borderline resectable disease, for local control in unresectable tumors, or for symptom relief; timing and technique are individualized.

Because pancreatic cancer care evolves quickly and many questions remain about the best sequence of treatments, we encourage discussion of clinical trials at every decision point.

Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (PNETs)

PNETs are less common and can be functional (hormoneproducing) or nonfunctional. Management options include surgery, targeted therapies, somatostatin analogs, and other systemic treatments tailored to tumor behavior and spread. Ask your clinician whether your tumor is exocrine or neuroendocrine, as this changes the care plan.

Prognosis

Outlook depends on stage at diagnosis, whether the tumor is resectable, molecular features, and response to therapy. There continues to be advances in surgery, combination chemotherapy, biomarker-driven care, and clinical trials aim to improve survival and quality of life.

Follow-Up & Supportive Care

Your personalized survivorship plan may include:

Regular visits, labs, and imaging appropriate to your stage and treatment
Nutrition support, symptom management (e.g., enzyme replacement for digestion; pain/itching relief for biliary issues), and attention to blood-sugar control when needed
Guidance on genetic counseling/testing for patients and families when history or tumor testing suggests a hereditary risk.

Why Choose Illinois CancerCare

Multidisciplinary pancreatic care—coordinating surgery, systemic therapy, radiation, gastroenterology, genetics, and supportive services—close to home.
Clinical trials access and referral pathways, aligned with NCI/NCCN resources, to offer innovative options where appropriate. Current Clinical Trials – Illinois CancerCare
Compassionate, patient-centered support—from diagnosis through survivorship—to help you navigate treatment and everyday life.

Sources & Patient Friendly References

All information was taken from the NCI (National Cancer Institute) and ACS (American Cancer Society).