Pancreatic cancer: a symptomless killer.

Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death in the UK. This disease often remains undiagnosed until it is at a late stage, resulting in the majority of tumours being unsuitable for surgical resection. When a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is confirmed, early input from the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) is vital. Due to the poor prognosis, the screening and treatment of pancreatic cancer remains a considerable challenge for medicine in the 21st century. Copyright the Association for Perioperative Practice.