Early Detection Initiative
Read more about why early detection matters on our pancreatic cancer early detection information page.
The challenge we're working to solve
Detecting pancreatic cancer early — before it has spread beyond the pancreas — dramatically improves a patient's chances of survival. Earlier-stage diagnosis opens the door to more treatment options, including surgery, which remains the only potential cure for pancreatic cancer.
Yet today, only around 10% of pancreatic cancers are diagnosed before they spread.
If detected early, long-term (5 years+) survival rates are 10 times higher.
Most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage because pancreatic cancer often causes few obvious symptoms, the pancreas sits deep within the body, and there is currently no population-wide screening program for pancreatic cancer like those available for breast, bowel or prostate cancer.
Patients diagnosed at the earliest stage (stage 1A) have an 80% five-year survival rate — yet only 1–2% of patients are diagnosed at this stage.
Our Early Detection Initiative
Launched in 2021, the Pankind Early Detection Initiative provides dedicated focus and funding for research that will enable earlier detection and diagnosis of pancreatic cancer across Australia.
The initiative supports research that seeks to:
- identify pancreatic cancer earlier
- improve access to timely diagnosis
- better understand people at high risk of pancreatic cancer
- develop more effective tools and pathways for early detection
The early detection landscape
Advancing early detection of pancreatic cancer is one of the most complex challenges in cancer research.
To better understand where the greatest opportunities exist, Pankind commissioned a comprehensive analysis of the pancreatic cancer early detection landscape in Australia and globally in 2023.
Key findings:
- An emerging field locally, active globally — Australian early detection research is still developing, with a fragmented and siloed landscape compared to highly collaborative international networks.
- Funding gaps remain — Pankind was the second-largest funder of pancreatic cancer early detection research in Australia (28.8% of total funding), yet overall investment remains insufficient. During this period, Cancer Australia did not fund a single pancreatic cancer project.
- No reliable test exists yet — several blood-based early detection tests are currently in development and available in Australia and overseas.
- GPs are critical but under-supported — around 61% of patients visit their GP more than three times before diagnosis, highlighting the need for better decision-support tools and education in primary care.
- Understanding high-risk and at risk groups is a priority — more research is needed to better identify and support people at increased risk of pancreatic cancer.
- Collaboration is the most urgent need — researchers, clinicians, industry, government and people with lived experience must work together. The fragmented nature of the field remains one of the biggest barriers to progress.
These findings, together with the 2023 Pankind Early Detection Workshop, directly shaped our current research priorities and investment strategy.
Charting the course for earlier detection and diagnosis
In 2023, Pankind brought together Australia's leading pancreatic cancer researchers, clinicians, people with lived experience, industry and government to map the path forward for early detection.
The resulting reports captured the current landscape, identified critical gaps, and directly shaped Pankind's research priorities and funding strategy.
Early Detection in Pancreatic Cancer: Environment Report (September 2023)
A comprehensive analysis of the global and Australian early detection research landscape, including publication impact, national funding patterns, translational and commercial activity, and stakeholder consultation
Early Detection Workshop Report (November 2023)
A summary of the key themes, priorities and recommended next steps identified by workshop participants, including the urgent call for a national, multidisciplinary approach to early detection research for pancreatic cancer.
Our Investment in Early Detection Research
A dedicated Early Detection grant stream was established in 2021 and has, to date, invested $3,211,640 specifically in early detection research. Our commitment has grown every year, and in 2025 Pankind announced our largest-ever research investment — with a record number of grants dedicated to early detection.
Our investment spans population-wide detection approaches, improved risk assessment and monitoring for high-risk groups, and research to intercept the disease at its earliest, pre-cancerous stage — developing the tools we need to find this cancer before it is too late.
Specifically, the Early Detection Initiative drove targeted investment in surveillance for high-risk individuals through a screening program
Learn more about the APRISE study
Pankind’s early detection funding has also had a demonstrable multiplier effect: two recipients of the 2021 Early Detection Innovation Grants — Claudine Bonder and Zaklina Kovacevic — went on to successfully secure NHMRC Ideas Grants in 2022, leveraging Pankind’s seed funding into additional national investment.
In addition, four previous Pankind grant recipients have received subsequent Pankind funding to further develop, expand and build on their earlier research outcomes.