Pancreatic Cancer: Treatments

How is pancreatic cancer treated?

Goal of cancer treatment

The goal of pancreatic cancer treatment is to permanently cure the cancer or to bring about a complete remission of the disease. Remission means that there is no longer any sign of the disease in the body, although it may recur or relapse later.

Common treatments for pancreatic cancer

A number of surgical and other therapeutic approaches have been used in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Common treatments for pancreatic cancer include:

• Chemotherapy to attack cancer cells
• Cryosurgery to freeze and destroy cancer cells
• Embolization to block blood flow to the tumor by injecting a substance into an artery
• Microwave thermotherapy to destroy cancer cells with heat
• Participation in a clinical trial testing promising new treatments for pancreatic cancer
• Radiation therapy to attack cancer cells
• Radiofrequency ablation to destroy cancer cells
• Surgery to remove the cancer or alleviate symptoms
• Targeted therapy to attack cancer cells

Other treatments for pancreatic cancer

Other therapies may be added to help with general state of health and any complications of the cancer or its treatment. Those therapies might include:

• Acid-blockers for the rare pancreatic cancers that increase stomach acid production
• Antinausea medications if needed
• Blood sugar monitoring and treatment if diabetes is present
• Dietary counseling to help maintain strength and nutritional status
• Pain medications as needed to increase comfort
• Palliative care to improve the overall quality of life for patients with serious disease and their families

Complementary treatments

Some complementary treatments may help some people to better deal with pancreatic cancer and its treatments. These treatments, sometimes referred to as alternative therapies, are used in conjunction with traditional medical treatments. Complementary treatments are not meant to substitute for full medical care.

Complementary treatments may include:

• Acupuncture
• Massage therapy
• Yoga

Hospice care

In cases in which pancreatic cancer has progressed to an advanced stage and has become unresponsive to treatment, the goal of treatment may shift away from curing the disease and focus on measures to keep a person comfortable and maximize the quality of life. Hospice care involves medically controlling pain and other symptoms while providing psychological and spiritual support as well as services to support the patient’s family.

What are the potential complications of pancreatic cancer?

Some of the complications of pancreatic cancer are due to compression of nearby tissues and organs or spread of the disease. Others are related to the type of cancer. Complications of pancreatic cancer can be serious, even life threatening in some cases. You can help minimize your risk of serious complications by following the treatment plan you and your health care professional design specifically for you. Complications of pancreatic cancer include:

• Biliary obstruction (blockage of the duct that carries bile from the liver and gall bladder to the intestines)
• Bowel obstruction
• Deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in the leg that can break loose and cause a pulmonary embolism in the lung, a heart attack, or stroke)
• Diabetes
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• Malnutrition
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (excess acid production in the stomach that can lead to ulcers)