Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer
In order to diagnose pancreatic cancer, physicians will request a complete physical exam as well as personal and family medical histories. The way in which the cancer presents itself will differ depending on whether the tumor is in the head or the tail of the pancreas. Tail tumors present with pain and weight loss while head tumors present with steatorrhea, weight loss, and jaundice. Doctors also look for recent onset of atypical diabetes mellitus, Trousseau's sign, and recent pancreatitis.

In general, when making a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, physicians pay special attention to common symptoms such as abdominal or back pain, weight loss, poor appetite, tiredness, irritability, digestive problems, gallbladder enlargement, blood clots (deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism), fatty tissue abnormalities, diabetes, swelling of lymph nodes, diarrhea, steatorrhea, and jaundice.

It is also common for doctors to administer blood, urine, and stool tests. Blood tests can detect a chemical called carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as well as CA 19-9 - a chemical released into the blood by pancreatic cancer cells. Liver function tests check for bile duct blockage.

Several imaging techniques are employed in order to see if cancer exists and to find out how far it has spread. Common imaging tests include:

Ultrasound - to visualize tumor

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) - thin tube with a camera and light on one end

Abdominal computerized tomography (CT) scans - to visualize tumor

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) - to x-ray the common bile duct

Angiogram - to x-ray blood vessels

Barium swallows to x-ray the upper gastrointestinal tract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - to visualize tumor

Positron emission tomography (PET) scans - useful to detect if disease has spread