Pancreatic Cancer

Familial Pancreatic Cancer Registry

Study to help define risk factors for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer refers to several distinct cancers of the pancreas, a gland that has vital functions affecting how the body digests and uses food.

In this section, you can find information about our expertise in treating patients with pancreatic cancer, our services, and our research.

Our Approach & Expertise
More than 300 new patients with cancer of the pancreas come each year to Memorial Sloan-Kettering, which has one of the largest referral programs for this disease in the nation.
Our Team of Experts
Information about Memorial Sloan-Kettering's pancreatic cancer specialists, their education, training, board certifications, current publications, and specific areas of clinical expertise.
Overview
Cancer of the pancreas is diagnosed in about 30,000 people in the United States each year. Most cases occur in people over the age of 65; however, pancreatic cancer can occur in younger people, particularly those with a family history of the disease.
Risk Factors
Smoking is the most generally accepted risk factor for cancer of the pancreas.
Symptoms
Pancreatic cancer often reaches an advanced stage before symptoms occur. When symptoms do occur, they are often so vague and nonspecific that they may be ignored. The first symptoms are typically pain and weight loss.
Diagnosis & Staging
Today, only about 20 percent of pancreatic cancers are diagnosed while the tumor is confined entirely within the pancreas. Research is under way at Memorial Sloan-Kettering on ways to diagnose cancer of the pancreas earlier in the course of the illness.
Treatment
Pancreatic cancer is complicated and difficult to manage, requiring an interdisciplinary team effort of specialists from surgery, medical oncology, radiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, immunology, and pain management.
Our Clinical Trials
A continually updated listing of Memorial Sloan-Kettering's current clinical trials for pancreatic cancer.
Symptom Management
Controlling symptoms for pancreatic cancer, such as pain, is as important as the treatment aimed at controlling the disease.
After Treatment
To help patients manage some of the other issues that may come up following treatment, Memorial Sloan-Kettering offers a wide range of programs for support.

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