If pancreatic cancer spreads

Cancer cells can spread from the pancreas to other parts of the body. This spread is called metastasis.

Understanding how a type of cancer usually grows and spreads helps your healthcare team plan your treatment and future care. If pancreatic cancer spreads, it can spread to the following:

  • nearby lymph nodes
  • bile duct
  • spleen
  • peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen)
  • liver
  • lung
  • bone

Expert review and references

  • Pancreatic cancer. Cancer Research UK. CancerHelp UK. Cancer Research UK; 2012.
  • Dragovich, T . Pancreatic cancer. eMedicine.com. Omaha: eMedicine, Inc; 2013.
  • Erickson, R.A. . Pancreatic cancer. eMedicine.com. Omaha: eMedicine, Inc; 2005.
  • Wexler, A., Waltzman, R.J., Macdonald, J. S. . Unusual pancreatic tumors. Raghavan, E., Brecher, M. L., Johnson, D. H., et al. (Eds.). Textbook of Uncommon Cancer. 3rd ed. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons; 2006: 6:32 pp. 367-382.

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