Pancreatic carcinoma represents a fatal malignancy with a high mortality rate and without specific early symptoms. When pancreatic tumor is clinically suspected, it usually has come to an advanced stage, which making early diagnosis especially important. Over the last several years, many investigations have focused on relevant biomarkers during early stages of pancreatic tumor, including those in tumor tissues, body fluids and stools. This paper reviews the current application of tumor markers in early diagnosis of pancreatic neoplasm.