Pancreatic Cancer: Features

Key points

• Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed late as it tends to present in a non-specific way. Over 80% of pancreatic tumours are adenocarcinomas which typically occur at the head of the pancreas. Associations
• increasing age
• chronic pancreatitis (alcohol does not appear an independent risk factor though)
• hereditary non-polyposis colorectal carcinoma
• multiple endocrine neoplasia