Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month is observed in November each year to raise public understanding of pancreatic cancer risk factors, symptoms, and the need for research and patient support. National and international bodies including the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) and the American Association for Cancer Research promote November activities that emphasise symptom awareness, family-history assessment, and support for research and patients. World Pancreatic Cancer Day falls during November (the third Thursday), reinforcing the month’s focus on education and advocacy.
PanCAN has announced that the theme for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month 2025 is “Shine a Light: Early Detection Saves Lives.”
According to the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition (WPCC), pancreatic cancer ranks as the sixth most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. WPCC estimates that deaths attributed to pancreatic cancer may reach approximately 470,000 cases globally.
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most difficult cancers to detect early. Most patients worldwide are diagnosed at stage III or IV, when the disease has already spread or invaded nearby structures. Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest global 5-year survival rates, ranging between 10% and 12%, largely because most cases are discovered late.¹ Studies show that early detection is rare because pancreatic tumours often remain silent until they cause mechanical obstruction or nerve involvement.¹
To understand the clinical and anatomical reasons behind late detection and the current challenges in India, MedBound Times connected with Dr. Soumya Somasekar, MBBS, MS in General Surgery, M.Ch in Surgical Oncology. She is a Consultant Surgical Oncologist at Cytecare Hospital, Bengaluru. Her insights are combined here with verified scientific evidence.
The pancreas lies deep inside the abdomen, behind the stomach. Tumours arising here cannot be felt during routine examinations and are often silent in the beginning.
Dr. Somasekar explains:
“Pancreas is a deep-seated organ and cancers or tumor of this gland are usually asymptomatic in early stages. Patients present with symptoms later on when the tumour encroaches on nerves or other vital surrounding structures or when it spreads to other organs like the liver.”
This clinical challenge is consistent with global findings. Early symptoms are uncommon, and most patients present only when jaundice, abdominal pain, or weight loss occurs, which usually indicates advanced disease.²
Several imaging tools help diagnose pancreatic cancer. Advanced modalities such as Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS), CT, MRI, MRCP, and PET-CT can detect small lesions. EUS, for example, can visualise tumours less than 1 cm in size and is considered more sensitive than CT for small pancreatic masses.³
However, despite these strengths, Dr. Somasekar notes why these tools cannot be used for general population screening:
“All the tools mentioned are effective in detection of early stage disease but due to relative rare incidence of pancreatic cancer compared to other common cancers, they cannot be used on the general population as a screening tool. The risks of radiation and economical logistics are more than the actual benefit of detection of these small numbers of pancreatic cancer cases.”
No country currently recommends population-wide screening for pancreatic cancer because the disease is rare and imaging tests are costly and invasive.⁴
Current scientific guidelines agree. Pancreatic cancer has a relatively low incidence, and routine imaging for all adults would not be cost-effective.⁴ Only individuals at significantly elevated genetic or familial risk qualify for targeted surveillance.
Surgery is the only potential curative option for pancreatic cancer, but only a minority of patients have tumours that are technically resectable at diagnosis.
Dr. Somasekar explains how surgical teams determine suitability and timing:
“In resectable pancreatic cancers, we do tests to rule out distant spread of disease first followed by the identification of exact anatomical location of disease (whether head, neck, body or tail of pancreas) and assess the general fitness and well-being of patient with measures to improve them. All these decide the type of surgery and timing of surgery.”
Imaging is used to assess whether cancer involves major blood vessels or has metastasized. Tumour location determines whether the patient requires procedures such as pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure) or distal pancreatectomy. Patient fitness, nutritional status, and comorbidities also influence decision-making.⁵
In recent years, minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopic or robotic) has been increasingly used at high-volume centres for selected patients.
Dr. Somasekar adds:
“Yes definitely the newer techniques of minimally invasive approaches are promising in terms of early recovery of patient compared to open surgery. But they need to be balanced with affordability of patients, surgeons experience or expertise, and availability of these equipment in individual centres.”
Evidence supports these observations. Research indicates that minimally invasive pancreatectomies may reduce hospital stays and postoperative complications compared to open surgery, but the procedures require specialised training and equipment.⁶ In many Indian settings, open surgery remains predominant due to resource limitations.
Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, heavy alcohol use, chronic pancreatitis, family history, certain inherited mutations, obesity, and long-standing diabetes.⁷
According to Dr. Somasekar:
“We need to give awareness regarding risks factors for early cancer like smoking, alcohol intake, chronic pancreatitis and hereditary family factors and other genetic conditions. Unfortunately, screening of the general population is not available and not feasible at present and only high risk individuals may be screened after consulting an oncologist.”
Greater awareness among both patients and primary healthcare providers may enable faster recognition of symptoms and earlier referrals to specialized oncology centres.
Not all pancreatic-region cancers are detected late. Dr. Somasekar notes:
“One interesting fact to note is one variant of pancreatic cancer called a related tumour type known as periampullary cancer presents usually in elderly with painless jaundice in very early stages which can be detected and treated with better survival rates.”
Periampullary tumours arise near the ampulla of Vater, where even small growths can obstruct bile flow, leading to jaundice. This early symptom often brings patients to medical attention sooner, improving survival outcomes.⁸
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose early because of its deep anatomical location, lack of early symptoms, and limitations in screening feasibility. While imaging and surgical technologies have progressed, practical constraints make widespread early detection unlikely.
As Dr. Soumya Somasekar’s insights and current evidence highlight, improving outcomes requires:
• greater awareness of risk factors
• timely referrals from primary care
• targeted surveillance for high-risk individuals
• expanded access to specialised imaging and surgical expertise
During Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, strengthening early recognition efforts remains a priority.
References
Mayo Clinic. “Pancreatic Cancer: Symptoms and Causes.” Mayo Clinic, 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pancreatic-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20355421.
World Journal of Oncology. “Pancreatic Cancer: Clinical Presentation and Diagnosis.” World Journal of Oncology 2023. https://www.wjon.org/index.php/wjon/article/view/1166/905.
Amateau, S. et al. “Diagnostic Role of Endoscopic Ultrasound in Pancreatic Tumors.” Biomedicines 13, no.1 (2024). https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/1/76.
National Cancer Institute. “Pancreatic Cancer Screening.” NCI, 2024. https://www.cancer.gov/types/pancreatic/patient/pancreatic-screening.
American Cancer Society. “Treating Pancreatic Cancer.” ACS, 2024. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/pancreatic-cancer/treating.html.
World Journal of Gastroenterology. “Minimally Invasive Pancreatic Surgery: Benefits and Considerations.” WJG 2023.
American Cancer Society. “Pancreatic Cancer Risk Factors.” ACS, 2024. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/pancreatic-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html.
Kerala Journal of Cancer. “Periampullary Tumours: Clinical Profile and Outcomes.” KJC 2021. https://www.kjco.org/journal/view.php?number=329.