Expert, compassionate care when you need answers
A pancreatic cancer concern or diagnosis can bring uncertainty and many questions. At Marshfield Clinic, our specialists are here to help you understand what’s happening and provide clear and compassionate answers with confidence and care.
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Call: (866) 520-2510 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Types of pancreatic cancers we treat
Pancreatic cancer develops when abnormal cells grow in the tissues of the pancreas, an organ that plays an essential role in digestion and blood sugar regulation.
Exocrine pancreatic cancer
- Pancreatic adenocarcinoma, which begins in cells that make digestive enzymes
- Other rare exocrine tumors
Endocrine (neuroendocrine) pancreatic tumors
- Tumors that begin in hormone‑producing cells
- Often grow differently and may be treated with specialized approaches
Risk factors
Having one or more risk factors does not mean you will develop pancreatic cancer, but understanding them can help guide evaluation and care.
Risk factors include:
- Smoking
- Excess body weight
- Diabetes or chronic pancreatitis
- Some individuals have risk factors that may benefit from pancreatic cancer screening. These risk factors include:
- Family history of pancreatic cancer in two or more family members
- A relative with pancreatic cancer and has certain genetic conditions including BRCA ½, Lynch syndrome, and Li-Fraumeni Syndrome.
- Having certain inherited genetic conditions including Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and Familial atypical multiple mole melanoma (FAMMM)
- Having hereditary pancreatis
If you are at higher risk of pancreatic cancer, see if the High Risk Pancreatic Screening Program is the right fit for you.
Signs and symptoms
Pancreatic cancer often does not cause symptoms in early stages. When symptoms appear, they may resemble other conditions. If you experience any of the following, evaluation by a specialist is important:
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
- Light‑colored stools or dark urine
- Upper or middle abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the back
- Unexplained weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Ongoing fatigue
If you think you may have pancreatic cancer, request an appointment with your primary care provider.
Treatments
Your care team will tailor treatment to your diagnosis, health, and preferences. Options may include one or a combination of the following:
Surgery
- Whipple procedure (pancreaticoduodenectomy): Surgeons remove the head of the pancreas, gallbladder, parts of the bile duct and small intestine, and sometimes part of the stomach.
- Distal pancreatectomy: Surgeons remove the tail of the pancreas and sometimes part of the body of the pancreas. The spleen is sometimes removed.
Radiation therapy
- External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT): Radiation is directed at the cancer from outside the body. Radiation may be done before or after surgery or is sometimes done at the same time as chemotherapy.
Ablation or embolization
- Ablation or embolization may be an option for advanced disease to help prevent and control symptoms, especially if the cancer has spread to the liver.
- Ablation: Radiofrequency ablation uses high-frequency radio waves to kill cancer cells and cryoablation uses very cold gasses to freeze and destroy cancer cells.
- Embolization: Substances are injected into an artery to block blood flow to cancer cells. This process may be combined with chemotherapy (chemoembolization) or radiation (radioembolization).
Chemotherapy
- Chemotherapy circulates through the bloodstream to attack cancer cells, including those that may have spread. It may be used before or after surgery or for advanced disease.
Targeted therapies and immunotherapy
- Some pancreatic cancers may benefit from additional therapies based on the cancer’s genetic structure. Targeted therapies block genetic changes that can help tumors grow. Immunotherapies help your body’s immune system attack and kill cancer cells.
Clinical trials
- Clinical trials are research studies that test new ways to treat cancer. The Marshfield Clinic Research Institute has over 100 cancer-related clinical trials. Ask your care team if there is a clinical trial right for you.