Project Purple High-Risk Pancreatic Cancer Program

Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose early, which is why identifying those who have an increased risk is crucial. Monitoring in these individuals helps us spot the cancer early when it’s most treatable.

About the program How is pancreatic cancer identified Who is at increased risk?What is surveillance?What to expect with surveillance?Our team Program locations

About the program

As with many forms of cancer, early diagnosis dramatically increases a person’s chance of survival. The Project Purple High-Risk Pancreatic Cancer Program was created to monitor those considered at increased risk of developing the disease.

This surveillance work is critical as experts believe pancreatic cancer will become the second leading cause of cancer-related death by 2030.

The main goal of our program is to help you understand your risk and get you care early enough to improve your outcomes. By treating pancreatic cancer early, we can keep it from spreading to other parts of the body.

How is pancreatic cancer identified?

Pancreatic cancer usually has few symptoms, making it challenging to diagnose early. If you are at increased risk of pancreatic cancer, our multi-disciplinary team of specialists can use several types of tests and procedures to reach a diagnosis. These include:

Screening tests like CT scans and MRIs
Diagnostic procedures such as minimally invasive endoscopic ultrasound, which uses ultrasound waves to get clear pictures of the pancreas. Performed by a gastroenterologist, the test allows us to biopsy pancreas tissue and fluid for examination.

Who is at increased risk?

You may be considered to have an increased risk for pancreatic cancer if you have multiple family members with the disease, the presence of an inherited genetic mutation, or a combination of the two. In addition, about 10% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer will have:

Inherited risk secondary to genetic mutations such as CDK2NA, STK11 (Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome), BRCA1, BRCA2, HNPCC (Lynch Syndrome), ATM, PALB2
Genetic predispositions that lead to chronic pancreatitis such as PRSS1, PRSS2, CTRC, CPA1, SPINK1

If you are at increased risk, we recommend ongoing surveillance.

What is surveillance?

Anyone at high risk for pancreatic cancer can start medical surveillance with the High-Risk Pancreatic Cancer Program. Surveillance is monitoring people so we can find the disease and start treatment as early as possible for the best outcomes.

If you are identified as having increased risk, we will assess your overall health and imaging preferences to determine a surveillance schedule. Catching the disease early can also reduce the need for aggressive therapies which can have harsh side effects. Surveillance can even help us identify related cancers, such as breast or ovarian, especially in people with BRCA and other genetic mutations.

What to expect with surveillance

At the High-Risk Pancreatic Cancer Program, our work centers on you. Here's what you can expect:

You have a phone call screening with our program coordinator. This includes discussion on your medical history, risk factors and any symptoms. We use this information to tailor your care and determine next steps. You may also meet with a genetic counselor who can explain genetic testing and conduct a cancer risk assessment if applicable.
You meet in-person with one of our pancreatic surgeons. The surgeon will review your medical history and perform a thorough exam, which helps us understand your health status and identify any immediate concerns. Based on this, we schedule appropriate screening tests to monitor your pancreas and detect early signs of cancer or pre-cancerous conditions.
Our team recommends a surveillance plan tailored to your unique risk factors. The plan includes the frequency and type of ongoing monitoring needed to stay ahead of potential issues. If concerns are identified during screening, you may be referred for further treatment. To help you stay on track with surveillance, we provide regular reminders by phone.