Can you screen for pancreatic cancer?

The symptoms of pancreatic cancer are vague and often don't appear until the latter stages of the disease. As a result, pancreatic cancer often goes undetected until it is fairly advanced, when it’s harder to treat successfully. 

So, why don't we have a routine screening test for pancreatic cancer, the way we do for colorectal cancer or breast cancer? 

“The reason is that pancreatic cancer is often hard to diagnose,” explains Shubham Pant, M.D., a gastrointestinal medical oncologist who specializes in pancreatic cancer. “Symptoms like back or abdominal pain are so non-specific that they could be due to a host of other things, too. But while you can get a mammogram to detect breast cancer and a colonoscopy to find colorectal cancer, there’s really no easy way to pick up pancreatic cancer.”

Current screening tests can’t pick it up

Current screening tests are also not sensitive enough to detect pancreatic cancer in its earliest stages. 

“We don’t have any good blood tests yet, either,” adds Pant. “Pancreatic cancer just doesn’t get picked up that way. And, because of how it spreads, even if the original lesion is very small, there may already be others in adjacent organs early on in the disease.” 

The bottom line? No screening exam exists to detect pancreatic cancer in healthy adults with no symptoms and no family history of the disease. But knowing your risks, making healthy choices and learning how to spot the symptoms can help you protect yourself. 

How to reduce your pancreatic cancer risk

Even otherwise healthy individuals can get pancreatic cancer. But you can take the following steps to reduce your risk. 

• Don’t smoke. People who smoke are twice as likely to get pancreatic cancer as non-smokers. 
• Limit alcohol. Heavy drinking can lead to pancreatitis, or chronic inflammation of the pancreas. Long-term pancreatitis increases your risk of pancreatic cancer. 
• Maintain a healthy body weight. Someone with a BMI, or body mass index, of 30 or higher is considered obese. 

Pancreatic cancer is rare, but it’s becoming more common. Pant says the rising rate of obesity may be the cause. You can manage your weight and reduce your cancer risk by eating a plant-based diet and staying physically active. 

Know your family history

If you have a family history of pancreatic, colon, breast, prostate or ovarian cancer, talk to your doctor about genetic testing for inherited mutations that can cause these diseases. 

“Only about 10% of pancreatic cancers are inherited,” explains Pant. “But they’re usually associated with one of the BRCA mutations, and can be passed down from one generation to the next. So, it’s important to speak with a genetic counselor if you have a family member with one of those diseases.”

Watch for symptoms

Pancreatic cancer symptoms can be vague and resemble many other health issues. One specific thing to look for is a diabetes diagnosis later in life.

The pancreas regulates glucose levels in the blood, so diseases of the pancreas can affect your blood sugar. Sudden-onset diabetes could be a sign that something is wrong, especially in an older person or someone who is at a healthy weight or has lost weight. 

Other symptoms of pancreatic cancer include: 

• Jaundice: This yellowing of the eyes and skin might be subtle at first, but it can become very pronounced. 
• Unexplained weight loss: Watch for weight loss that is unrelated to changes in your diet or exercise routine. Pancreatic cancer can cause muscle wasting, which is when your muscles become weak or shrink. You may also lose your appetite. Unexplained weight loss of 10 or more pounds could be a sign of cancer. 
• Pain: Many patients report stomach pain that radiates to their back, usually at night. 

It’s important to talk to your physician if you have any symptoms or a family history of pancreatic cancer.

“There really is no one hard and fast rule as to when to seek a doctor’s help,” notes Pant. “Because you might not notice weight loss until after a couple of months. So, what I tell people is that if your symptoms are persistent and progressive, you need to be checked out.” 

Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or call 1-877-632-6789.