How is pancreatic cancer diagnosed?

Biopsy: Pathology gives the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, typically a needle guided biopsy of the pancreatic mass seen at the time of endoscopy a ct-guided biopsy by interventional radiologist is performed.

Biopsy sometimes: Patients with pancreatic masses, elevated ca19-9 levels, and clinical features of cancer can fairly reliably be clinically diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Biopsy should only be performed when the tumor is unresectable, metastasized, or if neoadjuvant (before surgery) chemo/radiation is being offered. Surgical resection should proceed to provide definitive pathology; needle biopsy often misses.