Treatment to relieve pancreatic cancer symptoms

Pain can happen when the tumour presses on nearby organs or nerves. You don’t need to suffer- there are many ways to manage it.

Treatment options include:

• Strong painkillers, like morphine
• Radiotherapy, chemotherapy or surgery to shrink the tumour
• Nerve blocks, such as a coeliac plexus block or epidural injections

Let your team know how much pain you’re in. If one treatment doesn’t work, there are other options available.

Read more about managing pain.
 

Jaundice happens when the cancer blocks the bile ducts in your pancreas or if it has spread to your liver. This causes the bile to be absorbed into your bloodstream instead. 

This can cause your skin and whites of your eye to become yellow in colour. Your skin can get dry and itchy, your urine becomes dark in colour and your stools pale. You may feel sick, weak and tired, and have tummy pains.

Treatment options:

• Stents to open the bile duct
• Drainage tubes through the skin (into a bag)
• Bypass surgery

Tips

• Calamine lotion or cool water on your skin can help to ease the itching
• Baking soda can help to soothe and soften your skin too. Add a half cup of baking soda to a bath of warm water and soak in it 
• When washing, use a mild soap on your skin 
• Moisturise your skin with an unperfumed cream
• Ask your doctor about antihistamines for severe itching

You may find it hard to eat well due to the effects of cancer and its treatment. But there are ways to help improve your appetite and make sure you are getting enough calories. Your dietitian will advise you about digestive enzymes and help you manage your diet if you have developed diabetes.

How it’s managed:

• Pancreatic enzymes (tablets) to help digestion
• High-energy/calorie diets
• Anti-sickness tablets (helps if you have nausea)
• Medicines for diarrhoea or constipation
• Feeding tubes or IV nutrition (TPN) if needed. In rare cases, your doctor may feel a feeding tube is necessary. This may be done if you cannot take in enough calories by mouth. Or your doctor may decide to give you nutrients directly into a vein. This is called total parenteral nutrition (TPN). TPN is usually only given if there is a blockage in the bowel.

Your dietitian will help you manage eating changes and make sure you’re getting enough nutrients.

Read more about eating problems and weight loss.

Vomiting can sometimes happen if the cancer is blocking your small bowel (duodenum). Food builds up where the blockage is and makes you feel sick (nausea) or vomit. It can affect your appetite as well so that you do not feel like eating.

Treatment options:

• Bypass surgery
• Stents
• Anti-sickness medication (helps ease the nausea and vomiting)

Fatigue is when you feel very tired and rest doesn’t seem to help. 

Read more about fatigue.