Background:

pancreatic cancer represents a serious health problem due to its high mortality. A considerable percentage of the diagnoses is late, and advanced the disease.

Objective:

to update knowledge about pancreatic cancer, symptoms, warning signs, and an earlier diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Methods:

the search for the information was made in the period of one month, January 2018, the following descriptors were used: pancreatic cancer, epidemiology, risk factors, symptoms, signs. Based on the information obtained, a bibliographic review of 213 articles published in MEDLINE, LILACS, VHL, Pubmed, SciELO Cuba, SciELO regional databases was carried out. It was used 47 citations, 12 review articles, four doctoral theses, four international medical consensus conferences on pancreatic cancer, six methodological articles, 14 theoretical articles, two communications, five editorials and online press articles. 62% of the last five years, of them 54.8 % of the years 2017 and 2018.

Development:

it is described aspects such as the prevalence and mortality of pancreatic cancer according to regions of the world, risk factors, main signs and symptoms of suspicion. Reference is made to the use of tumor markers. The interest of this article surpasses aspects of treatment and staging, very specific once the diagnosis has been made.

Conclusions:

the absence of specific early symptoms and the late diagnosis of pancreatic cancer mean that patients do not have the opportunity to receive adequate treatment. Promoting awareness, both directed to health professionals and the general population, about the advantages of early detection is a priority. Only the high clinical suspicion, the sensitization of the care professionals and the conduction of the patient through the system can achieve a diagnosis in early stages of this disease.

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