It is well known that pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma has a high mortality rate. Despite progress in understanding the biology and genetic basis of this disease, life expectancy has changed minimally in the last 50 years. This article highlights the importance of screening patients at high risk for developing pancreatic cancer and reviews current methods as well as methods in development for pancreatic cancer early detection and surveillance.
Keywords: Pancreatic cancer; biomarkers; endoscopic ultrasound; magnetic resonance imaging; screening.