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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How is pancreatic cancer diagnosed?

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  • Mr Arul Suthananthan

    General Surgeon, Upper GI Surgeon (Abdominal)

    Mr Arul Edward Suthananthan is a specialist surgeon in liver transplant, hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) and general surgery. He has expertise in open as well as advanced … View Profile

    The diagnosis of pancreatic cancer involves clinical evaluation, imaging, and sometimes tissue sampling. Blood tests may show abnormal liver function or raised tumour markers such as CA 19-9.

    CT scans of the abdomen are the primary imaging tool for diagnosis and staging.

    PET scans are routinely used to assess extent of disease.

    Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) allows detailed imaging of the pancreas and biopsy if required.

    A biopsy confirms the diagnosis, particularly when nonsurgical treatment is planned.

    Once diagnosed, the cancer is staged to determine whether surgery is possible.

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