Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a deadly disease with globally rising incidence. It is generally diagnosed late at advanced, lethal tumor stages. PDAC is predicted to become the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States within 10 years. Tobacco smoking, overweight, type-2-diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, physical inactivity and heavy alcohol use cause almost half of all PDAC. Thus, pursuing a healthy lifestyle is the most effective way to reduce PDAC deaths. PDAC early detection initiatives focus on high-risk individuals and on people aged 60 (50) years and over with (early) warning signs such as new-onset and deteriorating diabetes, weight loss and unexplained acute pancreatitis. The Cancer of the Pancreas Screening (CAPS) programme has provided strong evidence for improved cancer-specific survival of high-risk individuals, whose PDAC are diagnosed by surveillance. However, PDAC screening of the average-risk, asymptomatic population is not feasible and is not recommended.
Keywords: Screening, surveillance, risk stratification, hereditary pancreatitis, new-onset diabetes