Due primarily to a lack of specific signs and symptoms, pancreatic cancer is mostly diagnosed late and once the disease is already advanced. This, combined with a lack of effective treatments, means that prognosis is poor and mortality rates are high. Early detection is therefore essential to improve survival rates. Researchers have been working on the identification of sensitive and specific biomarkers and the development of reliable screening tools and strategies. The author of this article reviewed the recent literature to explore advances in the early detection of pancreatic cancer. Although early detection is far from being achieved, there has been progress towards this aim, with the identification of biomarkers and early indicators, attempts to develop effective screening strategies, and the potential of artificial intelligence applications to improve screening.