The testing and imaging you undergo for diagnosis can also determine your cancer’s stage, which refers to whether and how far the cancer may have spread. Pancreas cancers are classified into the following general stages:
- Stage I: Tthe cancer is confined to the pancreas.
- Stage II: The cancer is found in nearby tissues and possibly lymph nodes, but not in nearby blood vessels.
- Stage III: The cancer has invaded nearby blood vessels.
- Stage IV: The cancer has spread (metastasized) to a distant organ such as the liver or lungs.