There are several methods to determine the size and spread of pancreatic cancer. This is called staging.

The most common method is:

• Stage 1: tumor is localized to a small area within the pancreas
• Stage 2: tumor has spread into the duodenum or nearby tissues
• Stage 3: tumor has spread into local tissues and lymph nodes
• Stage 4: tumor has spread into abdominal organs or distant areas of the body