This article summarizes the proceedings of the 1996 Comfort Symposium on Pancreatic Carcinogenesis that took place at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, September 11–13, 1996. The annual series of Comfort lectures are aimed at discussing leading theories and advanced technological developments in the area of pancreatic research. The goals of this year's symposium were to summarize epidemiologic and experimental findings in the field of pancreatic cancer research, to foster communications among scientists studying this disease, and to identify areas of research that are likely to bridge the gaps between basic science and patient care. The topics discussed included (i) current algorithms for the diagnosis of early pancreatic cancer, (ii) animal and cellular models of pancreatic carcinogenesis, (iii) mechanisms of pain in pancreatic cancer, (iv) the role of signaling cascades and transcription factors in the regulation of pancreatic cell growth and differentiation, (v) methods to study genetic alterations associated with neoplastic diseases, and (vi) recent developments in genetargeting techniques. The lectures and discussions during the symposium successfully achieved the goals outlined above and resulted in the identification of novel areas of research that may increase our understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis, and lead to early diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer.