[Causes of delayed diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Own study and proposed algorithm]

Pancreatic cancer is the forth leading cause of mortality due to malignant neoplasms in U.S.A and sixth in Europe. Also in Poland incidence of the disease has been increasing. The authors discuss causes of late diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and cite the statistical research conducted in Poland. On their basis they answer the title question. The significance of individual elements of diagnostic proceedings is discussed. The most frequent symptoms of the disease are listed. The most important procedures are shortly characterized. Describing the diagnostic tools, the authors propose an algorythm of diagnostic proceedings. A clinical case of the patient affected by pancreatic head cancer is presented. It took 6 months to diagnose the patient. During that time three times and abdominal ultrasound scan was performed and the patient underwent gastroscopy twice. Computed tomography was ordered only after 5 months, during which the patient lost over 25% of his body weight. Eventually a tumour at the limit of pancreatic head and body with liver metastases was diagnosed. Surgical treatment was limited to taking specimens and palliative procedure. The authors postulate early deepening of diagnostic proceedings in all patients suspected of malignant tumours.