Cancer DNA in the blood stream is called circulating tumor DNA or ctDNA. The presence or absence of pancreatic cancer ctDNA in the blood stream may help clinicians to better understand pancreatic cancer behavior in response to specific treatments, like chemotherapy and surgery. Understanding how treatment alters the ctDNA can help future patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The presence or absence of ctDNA or the clearance of ctDNA after treatment may help to guide further treatment decisions for cancer patients after surgery.
For patients who have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that has not spread outside of the pancreas and nearby lymph nodes. The purpose of this research study is to understand if we are able to detect pancreatic cancer DNA in the blood stream before, during, and after treatment.