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Despite advances in cancer therapeutics, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has seen the least improvement in patient survival. Because PDAC is particularly difficult to detect and highly aggressive, it remains a global medical challenge. In this paper, we summarize the basics of PDAC by diving into its discovery and early treatments, its physiology and molecular drivers, current diagnostic and treatment paradigms—including surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiation—and ongoing work by researchers such as the development of biomarkers, KRAS gene targeting, dense tumor micro-environment workarounds, viral therapies and cancer vaccines. By providing a holistic overview of PDAC, we hope to bring context to the next generation of scientists and medical professionals to take on this deadly disease.