[Risk factors and early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer]. / Factores de riesgo y diagnóstico temprano del cáncer de páncreas.

ABSTRACT

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is usually incurable. Identifying people at risk for developing PC may improve the prognosis of this entity. The main risk factors for PC are Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, hereditary pancreatitis and a history family of PC. Other factors, such as advanced age and smoking, should also be taken into account. PC screening is only useful in very high risk individuals. Tools that allow tumors to be identified in the early stages are required in order to apply appropriate curative treatments. In this scenario, only endoscopic ultrasound with cytological analysis of suspicious pancreatic lesions has proved to be useful.