Patient-Friendly Summary of the ACR Appropriateness Criteria: Staging of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, cancer of the pancreas, usually causes only vague symptoms until the pancreatic duct is blocked. Surgery with complete removal of the tumor is curative. Thus, it is important to find out if the tumor has spread outside of the pancreas or whether it remains confined to the pancreas and can be completely resected (surgically removed).