Metastatic pancreatic cancer. Coloured axial computed tomography (CT) scan showing cancer (blue dots) in the pancreas and liver. The front of the body is at top. The pancreas (dark pink) is to the right of the liver (pink). The cancer originated in the pancreas and has spread to the liver. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis. If pancreatic cancer is diagnosed early it can be treated with surgical removal, or chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Once it has spread beyond the pancreas the prognosis is poor.