Pancreatic cancer

Treatment

How is pancreatic cancer treated?

Your treatment will depend on:

  • The type and stage of pancreatic cancer
  • Where the tumour is in the pancreas
  • Your general health and if surgery is possible

Your care team will recommend the best treatment plan for you. In some cases, treatment may aim to cure the cancer, while in others it focuses on controlling the cancer and improving your quality of life.

Treatment options include:
 

Surgery is the only treatment that can cure early-stage pancreatic cancer. If the tumour hasn’t spread and it’s in a suitable position, surgery may be offered to remove the part of the pancreas affected.

Your surgeon will explain the type of operation recommended for you.

Read more about pancreatic cancer surgery

Chemotherapy is often used when surgery is not possible. It can help to shrink the cancer, control or improve your symptoms and give you a better quality of life. Your specialist nurse will give you a list of the chemotherapy drugs you will receive and explain the side-effects. 

Read more about chemotherapy.

These drugs only target the cancer cells. This means that they usually have fewer side-effects than chemotherapy. They work by blocking the signals that tell cancer cells to divide and grow. Your medical team will discuss with you if there is a targeted therapy suitable to treat pancreatic cancer. 

Read more about targeted therapies.

This uses high-energy rays to kill the cancer cells. It can be given before surgery to shrink the tumour or after surgery to kill any cancer cells left behind to prevent the cancer coming back. Sometimes you have chemotherapy and radiotherapy together. 

With advanced cancer, radiotherapy can also help to ease pain or pressure. This is called palliative radiotherapy.

Read more about radiotherapy.

Treatment to relieve symptoms

Pancreatic cancer is often very advanced when it’s diagnosed and treatment will be aimed at shrinking or controlling the cancer and relieving any symptoms, rather than curing it.

Treatments include surgery such as stenting and bypass surgery if the tumour is causing a blockage. Other treatments include, chemotherapy, targeted therapies and / or radiotherapy. You may also have treatment as part of a clinical trial

We have more information on treatments to help with pancreatic cancer symptoms.

Will I get side-effects?

The type of side-effects you get will depend on the type of treatment, the dose, the duration and your own general health. Your doctor or nurse will discuss any possible side-effects with you before your treatment.

Read more about coping with cancer side-effects and symptoms

Pancreatic cancer patient booklet

Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Booklet 73 pages 10.02 MB
Information for pancreatic cancer patients, including tests, staging, treatment and side-effects, and how to cope.

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