Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer can be found anywhere in your pancreas and may not cause symptoms until it is advanced or has spread to other parts of the body.
The pancreas is an organ at the top of your abdomen that helps you to digest food and makes hormones, such as insulin.
What to expect from your appointments with us
Your initial appointment will most likely be in the Upper Gastrointestinal MDT clinic which happens every Thursday afternoon shortly after the multidisciplinary team meeting where all of these cancers are discussed.
You will meet one of the surgeons who will explain the diagnosis, results of tests and the plan for your further investigation and treatment. You will also meet the cancer nurse specialist and the specialist dietitian. The team is there to give you understandable information and answer any questions you may have.
What to expect from your diagnostic tests and investigations
Pancreatic cancer is diagnosed following various tests. Your medical team may request some of the following tests and investigations:
- Blood tests – These will check your general health and how well your bone marrow, liver and kidneys are working. There will also be a blood test called Ca19-9 which can be elevated in pancreatic cancer.
- CT Scan - CT scans take cross sectional pictures of your body. This normally takes around 20 minutes. You will be injected with contrast dye ahead of your scan to help obtain clearer and more detailed images.
- MRI Scan – MRI uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create a three dimensional picture of the body. MRI is used to gather more information in patients being considered for surgery. The scan itself normally takes around 45 minutes to one hour.
- PET CT scan – Positron emission tomography (PET) scans use a glucose injection to identify areas in the body where your cancer may have spread to. This is because glucose is taken up by fast dividing cancer cells. This scan is usually used if you are being considered for surgery.
- Endoscopic ultrasound biopsy – This involves a thin flexible tube being used to look at your pancreas and other organs. The team will also take samples of tissue which will be looked at under a microscope in our laboratory.
Treatment options and what to expect
Your specialist team will advise which, if any, of the below are suitable for you:
Surgery – If your pancreas cancer has been found early and has not spread, surgery may be recommended as part of your treatment. The part of the pancreas where your cancer is located will need to be removed, often with adjacent organs such as the duodenum, bile duct and spleen.
All surgery for pancreas cancer is performed at the regional liver and pancreas surgery centre in Birmingham. If you require surgery as part of your treatment, the Gloucester team will refer you to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
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.
You may hear the chemotherapy treatment being described as SACT, which means systemic anti-cancer therapies. This is a treatment that work throughout the entire body.
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.
Our Radiotherapy pages have more detailed information.
Contacts
Upper GI Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) team (hepatobiliary): 0300 422 6674
Cancer Support Workers: 0300 422 5374 / ghn-tr.uppergihnateam@nhs.net