Screening for Pancreatic Cancer

Michael Jubinville, MPH

The purpose of screening is to find and treat diseases early. They are given to people who may be at high risk, but who don’t have problems.

Screening Guidelines

There are no standard tests for pancreatic cancer screening. You and your doctor will talk about what makes your risk higher and how to make changes. Those with a higher risk are people who:

Smoke
Have diabetes
Have this type of cancer in their family
Have certain genes linked to cancer

If you are in a high-risk group, your doctor may choose to look at the pancreas and structures around it. An endoscopic ultrasound can be used to look for abnormalities.

Talk to your doctor about your risk and any tests you may need.

References:

Can pancreatic cancer be prevented? American Cancer Society website. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/prevention.html. Accessed October 3, 2020.

Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/pancreatic-adenocarcinoma. Accessed October 3, 2020.

Last reviewed September 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Mohei Abouzied, MD, FACP
Last Updated: 12/16/2020

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