What criteria should I use to determine when to refer a patient for suspected pancreatic cancer?

Refer patients for suspected pancreatic cancer if they are aged 40 years and over with jaundice, as per NICE guidelines ¹.

Consider urgent suspected cancer pathway referral within 2 weeks for patients aged 60 years and over with weight loss and any of the following symptoms: diarrhoea, back pain, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, or new-onset diabetes ¹.

Offer urgent CT scan or ultrasound scan within 2 weeks for patients aged 40 years and over with unexplained weight loss and symptoms such as diarrhoea, back pain, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or new-onset diabetes ¹.

Refer using a suspected cancer pathway referral if the patient has jaundice and is aged 40 years and over ¹.

Consider non-urgent direct access upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for patients aged 55 years and over with raised bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase, or with symptoms such as upper abdominal pain, reflux, or dyspepsia ²,⁴.