Abdominal CT - pancreatic cancer signs?

[looking4diagnosis]

My father has just had an abdominal CT done that showed a neoplasm with a diameter of about 3.5 cm (1.4 in) in the tail of the pancreas.  The CT interpretation calls for further investigation and describes the mass as having undefined borders and the fat tissue around it as having elevated density (not sure about the terminology, this is my poor attempt to translate from German, since the test was done in Austria).  We are all very scared it might be cancer.  Can you please tell me how likely that is.  Thank you.

[boron]

Is there any chance to phone to the doctor, which has made an investigation and ask, what he thinks? Anyway, I encourage you and your father to make additional test to rule out/confirm the cancer as soon as possible - you can't loose anything; early diagnosis is better than late.

[CalGal]

The term neoplasm simply means an abnormal mass of tissue that results when cells divide more than they should or do not die when they should. Neoplasms are also termed 'tumors.' Tumors may be benign (not cancerous), or malignant (cancerous).

It may be difficult to go beyond the statement that there is a mass at the tail of the pancreas without further tests and evaluation.

You may want to consider posting on the other MedHelp board which is monitored by a doc and ask your question there. It is a fee-based board, however.

[boron]

The term "neoplasm" was used in CT description? Neoplasm means cancer. Any statistics won't be of any help here. Beside cancer, it could be a cyst, but cysts would have defined border.

More specific tests exist to prove a pancreatic cancer, and there are more stages of a cancer. Early treatment has better results.
A detailed description of pan. cancer:
http://www.pancreatica.org/faq.html
Additional links:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pancreaticcancer.html