Pancreatic cancer

Nurse with chemotherapy

Treatment options

Surgery

Our specialist and highly skilled Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) surgeons undertake over 100 pancreatic operations every year, including those for cancer or where a condition may develop into cancer.

They performs a significant number of these operations laparoscopically. This is a type of keyhole surgery that allows surgeons to use only small cuts and a camera for procedures inside the abdomen. They have also performed more than 150 cases using state-of-the-art robotic surgery.

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, surgery is usually only suitable if you have early-stage pancreatic cancer. Your surgeon may remove part or all of the pancreas during the operation. This will depend on where your cancer is and how much of the pancreas it involves.

Your surgical team may recommend one of the following procedures:

Pancreatico-dupdenectomy (Whipple)

This operation involves removing the duodenum, head of the pancreas, gallbladder and some of the bile ducts. Sometimes it is also necessary to remove part of the stomach as well.

Total pancreatectomy

This operation is like the pancreatic-duodenectomy (whipple), but involves removing the whole pancreas. This operation is rare and the surgeon will also remove:

  • the duodenum
  • part of the stomach
  • the spleen
  • the gallbladder
  • part of the bile duct
  • some lymph nodes

This operation will cause diabetes that will need insulin for treatment.

Distal pancreatectomy

This operation removed the tail of the pancreas, and usually the spleen. Some vaccinations are required before this operation, and antibiotics are usually prescribed afterwards. This is because the spleen helps you to fight infections. There is a risk of developing diabetes after this operation.

After Surgery

After surgery you will most like go to either the Intensive Care Unit ( ITU) or the High Dependency Unit (HDU). This is usually only for a day or so.

The time you need to spend in hospital after surgery will vary and the team will only discharge you when it is safe to do so.

 

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS)

Our HPB surgical team have been pioneers in enhanced recovery after surgery and it is embedded in the care of all our patients undergoing pancreatic surgery. This programme of care aims to help you recover quickly and safely. It has led to our patients having some of the shortest length of hospital stay in the country.

Oncological treatments

 

Chemotherapy

This is a cancer treatment which uses medicine to kill cancer cells.  If you have had surgery you may be offered chemotherapy to reduce the chances of your cancer coming back.

If your cancer is not operable, because it is attached to surrounding blood vessels or has spread, you may be offered chemotherapy to control the cancer or relieve the symptoms.

Learn more about chemotherapy at Royal Surrey Cancer Centre.

 

Radiotherapy

This uses radiation to target cancer cells. This is sometimes suitable to control the cancer if it hasn’t spread, but isn’t suitable for surgery.

Read more about radiotherapy at Royal Surrey Cancer Centre.