There are a few reasons for this. Once you read these, you will know why it is critical to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer so that more people can get diagnosed in a timely way. Early diagnosis saves lives. Unfortunately, for pancreatic cancer, most cases get diagnosed at Stage IV. This is a very advanced stage of disease. Here is why pancreatic cancer can be difficult to diagnose early:

• Now, because you have read this blog, you already know that the pancreas is located within the abdomen cavity. This actually keeps it protected from damage due to a fall or a punch to the stomach (I won’t ask you who would want to punch you in the stomach or why). However, this safe placement is the very reason why a tumor cannot usually be seen or feel the tumor during a physical exam. 
• Pancreatic cancer symptoms are not always obvious. In fact, some are pretty vague (scroll down for symptoms). The vast majority of symptoms appear gradually and develop over time.
• If you know about the PSA test to screen for prostate cancer or the CA-125 test to screen for ovarian cancer, these types of screening tests measure levels of specific molecules in the blood (If you didn’t know about these important tests, you do now, and you also have more than one reason to thank me in the comment section). These biological molecules produced by cells are called ‘biomarkers’.  Unfortunately, there are no proven biomarkers (yet) to help doctors identify early pancreatic cancer.
• The tests that are available to diagnose pancreatic cancer are unable to consistently detect small lesions (non-specific damage or changes in normal tissue), pre-cancers or even early stage cancers. This is a consequence of a combination of the limitation of technology and the internal placement of the pancreas.
• Current research does not specify whom to screen, and the work in this field is ongoing. This is what we call ‘risk stratification’, and cancer researchers are usually able to help inform screening by classifying individuals as ‘high risk’, ‘medium risk’ and ‘low risk’. This  clarity from scientific research helps doctors identify ‘high risk’ individuals who may benefit from regular screening. Screening each and every person without considering their risk status can understandably increase medical, financial and emotional costs and is not recommended.
• WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PANCREATIC CANCER?

Remember how we talked about vague symptoms caused by early pancreatic cancer? Here are the most common symptoms:

• Pain (in abdomen or back)
• Weight loss
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Changes in stool (dark colored or greasy stools)
• A recent diagnosis of diabetes (This is because of the role that the pancreas play in insulin production. Remember?)
• Fatigue or weakness
• Feeling low or depressed