Objective To explore the risk factors of postoperative anxiety in patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing total pancreatectomy. Methods A total of 31 patients who underwent total pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer between July 2011 and December 2016 were collected and analyzed in this retrospective study. The patients’ postoperative Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores were collected, and the exposure factors were analyzed to identify the risk factors of postoperative anxiety through univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis by SPSS 21.0 statistical software. Results In the 31 patients, there were 17 males and 14 females, with an average age of (66.16±9.09) years, an average body mass index of (21.11±3.10) kg/m2, and an average postoperative hospital stay of (14.58±7.47) days. There were 23 patients (74.2%) with postoperative anxiety, and 30 patients (96.8%) with hyperglycosemia required insulin therapy. The total perioperative mortality was 3.2%. In the univariate analysis, age (P=0.012), smoking history (P=0.043), preoperative diabetes mellitus (P=0.012), postoperative bile leakage (P=0.043), and postoperative abdominal infection (P=0.026) were related factors of the postoperative anxiety. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, patients without preoperative diabetes was an independent risk factor of postoperative anxiety (P=0.013). Conclusions For patients undergoing total pancreatectomy, it is needed to pay attention to the patients’ postoperative psychological conditions and assess the postoperative anxiety, especially for those without preoperative diabetes. To improve the life quality and long-term survival of these patients, health education and psychological intervention are needed.