Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer screening and diagnosis

There is no standard screening test that is used to diagnose pancreatic cancer. Instead, your healthcare team may look at your symptoms and risk factors to decide if testing is right for you. A pancreatic cancer diagnosis is often found through a combination of in-person exams, imaging tests, blood tests and tissue sampling.

The specialists at The University of Kansas Cancer Center are experts in pancreatic cancer testing and treatment. Using a comprehensive approach, they can look for problems that may point to a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Their in-depth expertise may help shorten the time between your pancreatic cancer symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

How is pancreatic cancer diagnosed?

To detect and diagnose pancreatic cancer, our doctors perform thorough exams. They also ask questions about your health history and symptoms. Some of the tests they may perform include:

Your doctor feels your abdomen to check for changes in areas near the pancreas, liver, gallbladder and spleen. Doctors also look for an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Also, your skin and eyes may be checked for signs of jaundice.
A CT or CAT scan uses X-rays to make a detailed picture of the structures inside your body. You lie on a table while the scanner sends a series of X-ray pulses through your body. An iodine dye (contrast material) is often injected to make structures and organs easier to see on the CT pictures.
We are one of the few providers in the region offering endoscopic ultrasound. It combines endoscopy and ultrasound. It can give your doctor detailed images of the gastrointestinal tract and surrounding organs without surgery. The doctor inserts an endoscope into the mouth or rectum. We also combine EUS with fine needle aspiration to collect tissue samples.
ERCP stands for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. In this test, the doctor inserts a small flexible scope through your mouth into your stomach. Through the scope, the doctor can inject dye into your bile and pancreatic ducts. X-rays then make images of your bile ducts and pancreas.
HIDA stands for hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan. With this test, a radioactive chemical goes into your veins. The scanner then makes an image showing how the tracer flows through your liver, gallbladder, biliary tract and small intestine.
MRI is a procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves and a computer to make detailed pictures of areas in your body. The procedure is also known as nuclear magnetic resonance imaging.
The PET scan uses a special camera to see organs in the body. The camera records a tracer (radioactive sugar) that goes into a vein. Cancer cells use more sugar than normal cells, so the tracer shows up in the cancer cells.

These and other follow-up tests help your healthcare team detect and diagnose pancreatic cancer, learn how far it has spread (known as staging) and develop a pancreatic cancer treatment plan.

Pancreatic cancer patient Steve Kilgore.

Itching for answers

Constant itching all over sent Steve Kilgore searching for answers. After several tests, Steve learned he had an uncommon form of pancreatic cancer.

Steve's story