The literature data on the connection between type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and pancreatic cancer (PC) were analyzed. Early detection of pancreatic cancer remains an unsolved problem of oncology because of absence of pathognomonic symptoms for this disease at the early stages, difficulties in visualizing changes in the pancreas as well as difficulties in differential diagnosis with benign tumors. Fifty nine articles in Russian and English were studied, and the data presented in literature regarding the connection between type 2 diabetes mellitus and early stages of pancreaticic cancer have been analyzed.Resectable pancreatic cancer makes up less than 15 % of the cases during initial medical examination. Currently, the existing methods of diagnostics do not allow solving the problem of early detection of pancreatic cancer it dictates the need to search for a new marker that will improve the early diagnosis of this tumor. According to the results of many studies, there has been detected a connection between the new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus and early stages of pancreatic cancer. Based on the data published by a number of authors, manifestation of the new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients over fifty (fasting blood glucose level 7 mmol/L, or a blood glucose sugar level 11,1 mmol/L after performing oral glucose tolerance test, or random blood glucose level 11,1 mmol/L with a typical hyperglycemia signs and symptoms) can serve as an early symptom of pancreatic cancer. Thus, the new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus in persons aged 50 years or older can potentially be used to identify a group of patients requiring a directional examination for the purpose of early detection of pancreatic cancer. Further studies on this problem could allow us to formulate a special program of early diagnostics of pancreatic cancer.

The objective of the study was the analysis of the main clinical characteristics identified in patients with malignant neoplasms of the pancreas, who received medical care in healthcare institutions of St. Petersburg in the period from 2015 to 2020.Methods and materials. A continuous study of clinical and statistical data of patients with pancreatic cancer receiving medical care in healthcare institutions of St. Petersburg (of federal and city subordination) for the period from 01.2015 to 02.2020 was carried out. In total, the study included depersonalized medical cards of 2141 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.Results. During the studied period, more than half of the patients diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas received medical care in specialized oncological institutions of city subordination, a third – in federal institutions, 11.3 % – in multidisciplinary city hospitals. The maximum number of cases was in patients of older age groups: 41.7 % – 70 years and over, including 15.4 % – 80 years and over. The majority (39.7 %) of new patients with pancreatic cancer hospitalized in medical institutions of St. Petersburg were diagnosed with stage IV of the disease. The disease, according to examinations, was represented by stage III in 29.7 % of patients at the time of initial hospitalization. The pancreatic cancer was presented with stage III in 20 % of the patients. The disease was registered in 4.4 % of patients at stage I. Stage 0 or carcinoma in situ was diagnosed at initial presentation in 4.7 % of patients. The stage of the disease was not determined in 1.4 % of patients. The tumor was located in the head of the pancreas in 64.4 % of patients. The most common histological type of pancreatic cancer is ductal adenocarcinoma, which was verified in 72.0 % of patients. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was registered in 37 % of patients as concomitant disease.Conclusion. The results of the analysis of clinical and statistical data of patients with pancreatic cancer may become a background for conducting research on the early detection of this neoplasm.