Early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is key to successful treatment. Our physicians are experts at identifying symptoms and giving you the right tests to determine the progression of your disease. We may order blood and urine tests, and

• Computed tomography (CT) scan—uses X-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan—uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the body
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)—uses an endoscope to look at the bile ducts
• Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) – uses an ultrasound placed through an endoscope to image the pancreatic tumor and any enlarged lymph nodes, and determine the extent of disease and contact with any blood vessels.  EUS is used to help guide the physicians when performing a biopsy of the tumor, which involves removal of a sample of pancreatic tissue in order to test for cancer cells and perform tumor gene profiling to help guide treatment

These exams and tests help determine the stage of your cancer. Like other cancers, pancreatic cancer can be stage I to IV, with stage I indicating a localized cancer and stage IV indicating spread to other areas of the body. We use test results to develop an individualized treatment plan for you.