Enlarged Pancreatic Ducts Linked to Higher Odds of Deadly Cancer

On November 14, 2025, researchers reported a significant breakthrough in the early detection of pancreatic cancer, a disease known for its silent and deadly progression. The study, published in the journal Gastro Hep Advances, found that enlargement of the pancreatic duct is a strong predictor of higher odds of developing pancreatic cancer among high-risk individuals.

The researchers performed MRI and ultrasound scans on 641 people with a heightened risk of pancreatic cancer, either due to family history or genetic factors. They discovered that 97 of these patients had pancreatic duct enlargement. These individuals were 16% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer within 5 years and 26% more likely within 10 years. Overall, participants with duct enlargement were 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with the deadly disease, especially if they also had three or more pancreatic cysts.

"By identifying this risk factor early, we were able to intervene more quickly," explained senior researcher Dr. Marcia Irene Canto of Johns Hopkins University. "The intervention would be to either operate or do much more frequent imaging." This early warning sign could be detected during scans for other health issues, allowing doctors to address the problem before the cancer progresses.

The next step is to train artificial intelligence to analyze pancreas scans and provide more accurate predictions of cancer risk. This breakthrough could lead to significantly improved survival rates for pancreatic cancer patients, who currently face dismal five-year survival rates ranging from 3% to 16%.