Pancreatic cancer is the 10th most common cancer in the U.S. It can be scary to receive a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, but you should know that research is happening every day, including right here at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, to improve diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, it’s important to be treated at a facility that can offer the latest treatments and surgical excellence along with clinical trials.
Hollings is the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in South Carolina, and the only facility in the state to earn a Center of Excellence designation from the National Pancreas Foundation.
Our multidisciplinary team includes medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, nurse navigators, advanced practice providers, a cancer dietitian, psychologists, a clinical trials team and more who are focused on ensuring you receive the best possible care.
We also offer a next-day access program for people with newly diagnosed, non-metastatic pancreatic cancer so that you can begin discussing a treatment plan with a surgeon right away.
Newly Diagnosed or Non-Metastatic
If you have newly diagnosed, non-metastatic pancreatic cancer, schedule an appointment by calling 843-985-7262.
Metastatic, Established or Second Opinions
If you have metastatic pancreatic cancer, are an established patient, or want a second opinion, schedule an appointment by calling 843-792-9300.
MUSC Hollings Cancer Center has been recognized as High Performing in Cancer care in the 2025–2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings. This honor underscores our advanced expertise and dedication to providing patients with innovative treatments and personalized care.
The pancreas is a gland in your upper abdomen that is surrounded by digestive system organs. It has two main functions — producing enzymes to help you to digest food and producing hormones to control your blood sugar levels. The digestion role is part of the exocrine system, and the blood sugar role is part of the endocrine system.
Either of these types of cells can develop cancer, but the vast majority — about 95% — of pancreatic cancers are exocrine tumors. Also referred to as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, these are tumors that grow out of the cells lining the ducts that carry those digestive enzymes to the small intestine.
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect at an early stage. It is deep in the abdomen, surrounded by organs, and early-stage pancreatic cancer often doesn’t cause symptoms. As a result, pancreatic cancer is currently the third-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.
Have more questions about pancreatic cancer? Check out our answers to common questions.
Pancreatic cancer may not cause symptoms or may cause nonspecific, vague symptoms in early stages. Some symptoms that you may notice:
Abdominal cancer doesn’t wait. Neither should you. For patients with certain newly diagnosed, non-metastatic abdominal cancers, you can meet with a surgeon as soon as the next business day to discuss a treatment plan.
Treatment for pancreatic cancer depends on the size of the tumor, how much it has spread, and the genetic makeup of the tumor.
When possible, surgery to remove the cancer is the preferred option.
The most common surgery is the Whipple procedure. This removes the head of the pancreas, the gallbladder, the duodenum (the first part of the small intestines), affected lymph nodes and parts of the stomach and bile duct.
This is a complex procedure, and it’s important to be treated by an experienced surgeon who regularly performs this operation. At Hollings, our skilled team performs multiple Whipple procedures each month. In addition, our teams will use minimally invasive methods, like robotic surgery or laparoscopic surgery, whenever possible. Minimally invasive surgeries require smaller incisions (cuts), which usually means a faster recovery time and less pain.
Other treatments for pancreatic cancer include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and targeted therapy.
Targeted therapies are designed to target specific genetic mutations that can cause cancer. So far, the targeted therapies that have been developed for pancreatic cancer can help only a small percentage of pancreatic cancer patients. Still, it is important to get genetic testing of your tumor to see if you might benefit from one of these drugs.
Hollings performs genetic testing in every pancreatic cancer case so that all treatment options can be explored.
To refer a pancreatic cancer patient to Hollings, please call nurse coordinator Kelsey Cook at 843-985-7262.
Our nurse navigators are an integral part of cancer care. They can help you to navigate through the health system, organize your appointments, and access additional resources. Our gastrointestinal cancer nurse navigator Anthony DeMeo, MSN, RN, will help you understand what to expect during treatment and answer questions you may have.
Clinical trials are how we know which treatments work; results from clinical trials determine what becomes the standard of care across cancer centers. As a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, Hollings takes an active part in clinical trials to continue advancing knowledge of cancer care.
Why might you participate in a clinical trial?
First, there are different types of trials. Some test a new medication. Some might look at whether the order of treatments (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation) makes a difference. Others look at ways to improve quality of life. Your doctor may suggest a clinical trial believing that you could benefit from it. Because therapies in clinical trials have the potential to become the standard of care in the future, you could possibly have earlier access to a new treatment. You will also be helping future cancer patients, who will benefit from the information created during the trial. In some clinical trials you will receive at least the standard of care, and possibly something extra, while in others you will receive a new drug that is being tested in your type of cancer. Your doctor and the research team will help to guide you.
Our clinical trials page includes more information about trials as well as some questions for you to ask if you are considering a trial. You can also review our current pancreatic cancer clinical trials and gastrointestinal cancer clinical trials.
Hollings has a robust pancreatic cancer research program and a strong relationship with the South Carolina chapter of PanCAN, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Some of the research happening here:
In addition, Hollings’ dedicated Pancreatic Transdisciplinary Cancer Team brings together expertise from different disciplines in basic and clinical research for monthly meetings to collaborate on ongoing pancreatic cancer research.
Risk factors increase your risk of getting cancer — they do not mean that you will automatically get cancer and they do not mean that people without these risk factors won’t get cancer. Some risk factors are unchangeable, like getting older. But some lifestyle risk factors can be changed.
MUSC Health’s Tobacco Treatment Program provides education and cessation resources for South Carolina.
Learn about how programs offered by the Weight Management Center can help you or your loved ones reach weight loss goals.
The genetic counseling team and Hereditary Cancer Clinic at Hollings can help you assess and manage your cancer risk.
Some notable statistics about pancreatic cancer, according to the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute:
Have you or a loved one received a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer? You probably have a lot of questions. There’s a lot of information to take in after a cancer diagnosis. Your doctor can answer questions specific to your care, but we have compiled a list of some of the most common questions for your reference below.
Type 2 diabetes means that your body isn’t producing enough insulin or doing a good job of using the insulin in order to get glucose to your cells. Insulin is manufactured in the pancreas.
Researchers estimate that new-onset diabetes is actually an early warning sign of pancreatic cancer in about 1% of cases. Studies are under way to find methods to identify people in the 1%. Right now, signs might be developing Type 2 diabetes after age 50 or experiencing weight loss, instead of weight gain, around the time of the diabetes diagnosis.
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect, in part, because it often doesn’t cause symptoms at first. Symptoms of pancreatic cancer are also similar to symptoms of many other, more common, diseases.
However, some symptoms of pancreatic cancer include jaundice, unexplained weight loss, pain in the upper abdomen or back, or blood clots.
Cachexia is also called wasting syndrome. It’s a condition in which a person starts losing muscle mass as well as fat. It’s not related to how much the person eats but is a complicated process involving a change in the body’s metabolism that scientists don’t completely understand
Cachexia is common among people with advanced cancer, and it’s also very common among people with pancreatic cancer. There are clinical trials underway now across the U.S. to develop treatments for cachexia.
