Pancreatic cancer treatment

At GenesisCare our patients have access to the genomic profiling and most effective drugs, some of which might not be available outside the independent healthcare settiung. Treatment is delivered in our state-of-the-art Macmillan accredited outpatient centres where you’re looked after by our compassionate team of nurses with a 24/7 on-call service for anything you may need.

Chemotherapy is one of the main forms of treatment for pancreatic cancer. It uses medicines that destroy cancer cells, which can be given as a single drug or a combination. Sometimes, targeted therapies and immunotherapy are used in certain forms of pancreatic cancer.

There are four common ways chemotherapy can be used to treat pancreatic cancer:

• Before surgery – to help shrink the tumour so it’s easier to remove (called neoadjuvant chemotherapy)
• After surgery – to reduce the chances of the cancer coming back after your procedure (called adjuvant chemotherapy)
• With radiotherapy – chemotherapy can make pancreatic cancer more sensitive to radiation, so the radiotherapy is more effective (called chemoradiation)
• To treat advanced pancreatic cancer – chemotherapy can prolong life expectancy and help with cancer-related symptoms by delaying tumour growth.

Chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer often causes side effects, which include:

• Being very tired (fatigue)
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Loss of appetite, vomiting and nausea
• Increased risk of serious infections
• Hair loss
• Bleeding gums or bruising

These side effects are usually temporary, though sometimes they can be serious.

Your doctor will explain these to you depending on your drug treatment, together with how your treatment plan and supportive care can help manage or minimise side effects.

Immunotherapy involves medicines that help the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells. Some types of immunotherapy include:

• Checkpoint inhibitors which block the signals from cancer cells that help them escape immune defences

Immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer treatment is only available for a small subset of pancreatic cancer, and through clinical trials. If you’d like to receive immunotherapy, you can ask your care team whether there are any clinical trials you can join.

Side effects of immunotherapy depend on the type of therapy you receive. Your care team will explain those to you in advance and offer support during your treatment.

General side effects may include:

• Flu-like symptoms in the days following treatment
• Skin reactions, such as dryness, rashes, and redness from an allergic reaction
• Nausea and vomiting

Pancreas surgery is performed under general anaesthetic as an open surgery or keyhole surgery. It aims to take out all the cancer in one procedure by removing some or all of the pancreas. Because of this, surgery is often only suitable for people in stages one or two (this is called resectable pancreatic cancer).

There are different procedures for pancreatic cancer surgery. Your doctor will use scans like ultrasounds, MRI scans, and CT scans to locate the cancer and determine the most suitable operation for you. You’ll also have a fitness test to make sure you’re well enough for surgery and post-operative recovery.

Sometimes, surgery can be used to help symptoms, such as treating a blocked bile duct or bowel.

Pancreas surgery side effects can be short-term, including pain and nausea that can be managed with supportive care. A pancreatic duct leak is a more serious complication and usually requires further treatment. 

Long-term side effects can include:

• Changes in eating habits, such as appetite loss or feeling full more quickly
• Digestion issues, such as weight loss, diarrhoea, and bloating
• Diabetes
• Fatigue and pain

Most people spend 10 to 14 days in the hospital after their operation. Your doctor and care team will monitor your condition and help you manage any side effects.

Radiotherapy uses high-energy radiation beams to destroy cancer cells. Generally, it’s most suitable for people with early-stage pancreatic cancer. This is because the cancer hasn't spread too far.

GenesisCare pioneered the use of MRI-guided radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer. This innovative treatment can be used to control the growth of inoperable pancreatic cancer, prolonging quality of life and sometimes facilitating surgery. We also use stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) to treat up to three areas of secondary (metastatic) pancreatic cancer.                   

For advanced pancreatic cancer, palliative radiotherapy can help relieve symptoms by slowing cancer progression.

The MRIdian MR Linac is exclusively available to patients across the UK at our centres in Oxford and London.

We also provide a rapid access pathway for patients with pancreatic cancer that hasn’t spread, enabling them to begin treatment within 7 to 10 working days of their oncologist agreeing treatment with them, and the referral being received.

This approach helps maximise the likelihood of achieving the best outcomes and is available to patients with private medical insurance or those wishing to self-fund their care.

Find out more about MRIdian radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer.

The side effects of radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer can vary between people.

They can include:

• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Appetite loss
• Abdominal pain

For many people, side effects are mild and pass a few weeks after treatment ends. It’s possible they’ll get worse before going away. If you have side effects, your radiotherapy team can offer you medication to help.

Personalised treatment is a growing area in pancreatic cancer treatment. It uses information about your health and cancer cells to create a treatment plan specific to you and your condition.

Your doctor will run specialist tests, like liquid biopsies or genomic testing, to find out whether your cancer cells:

• Have mutated (changed) genes
• Can escape the immune system
• Rely on certain hormones to grow

This can help your doctor choose the most appropriate treatment with the best possible outcome for you. For example, if your cancer cells require a certain hormone to grow, your doctor may suggest hormone therapy.

Palliative care focuses on controlling cancer growth and spread. It aims to help with symptoms so you can be more comfortable in your day-to-day life.

It can be used at any point in your cancer journey, but it’s usually offered to people with advanced pancreatic cancer. This is also called stage four pancreatic cancer, or metastasis.

Palliative treatment can include radiotherapy or chemotherapy and can be provided in an outpatient setting.

Find out more about our palliative cancer treatments.

Palliative care for pancreatic cancer may have side effects. These will vary depending on the type of treatment, the treatment area, and your condition.

General side effects may feel include:

• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Soreness in the treated area

Your palliative care team will be there to support you in managing any side effects.