Pancreatic Cancer

Treatment Options

We specialize in caring for patients with cancers of the pancreas. 

As an integrated cancer institute, we work together to develop an individualized treatment plan for each patient.  Your treatment plan for pancreatic cancer may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. 

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to treat cancerous cells. In most cases, chemotherapy works by interfering with the cancer cell’s ability to grow or reproduce. Different groups of drugs work in different ways to fight cancer cells. The oncologist will recommend a treatment plan for each individual. Chemotherapy may be given alone, or in combination with surgery and radiation therapy.

Other medication may be given to relieve symptoms and/or reduce pain.

If chemotherapy is the best option, you’ll see a medical oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating cancer with drugs and other therapies.

Medical treatments may include:

• Neoadjuvant therapy
• Adjuvant therapy
• Chemotherapy and/or biologic therapy
• Participation in clinical trials

Surgery

For the best outcome, you should be treated by a surgeon who has done many pancreatic surgeries. In general, people having this type of surgery do better when it is performed at a hospital that does at least 20 pancreatic surgeries per year. At OHSU Knight Cancer Institute 90 percent of our pancreatic surgeries are successful and lead to a complete resection due in part to our team approach with vascular surgeons and our advanced techniques. 

There are a number of possible surgeries that can be performed to treat pancreatic cancer. If you need surgery, your doctor may remove your tumor and take out sections of or the entire pancreas, portions of the small intestine or both.  The type of surgery your doctor recommends depends on the type of cancer in your pancreas, the stage of the cancer, the location and size of the tumor and your overall health.

Pancreatic surgery may be performed for two different goals:

• Potentially curative surgery is used when imaging tests suggest that it is possible to remove all the cancer. Read More
• Palliative surgery may be done if imaging tests show the tumor is too widespread to be completely removed. This type of surgery may be done to relieve pain or other symptoms or to prevent certain complications liked a blocked bile duct or intestinal tract. Read More
  

Several studies have shown that removing only part of the cancer does not help patients to live longer. Pancreatic cancer surgery is one of the most difficult operations a surgeon can do. It is also one of hardest for patients to undergo. There may be complications, and it may take several weeks to recover. Your doctor and other members of your healthcare team will discuss the potential benefits and risks of pancreatic cancer surgery with you.

Radiation Therapy

External radiation (external beam therapy) - a treatment that precisely sends high levels of radiation directly to the cancer cells. The machine is controlled by the radiation therapist. Since radiation is used to kill cancer cells and to shrink tumors, special shields may be used to protect the tissue surrounding the treatment area. Radiation treatments are painless and usually last a few minutes. Radiation therapy may be given alone, or in combination with surgery and chemotherapy.

For general information on pancreatic cancer, visit:

• American Cancer Society
• American College of Gastroenterology
• National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
• Lustgarten Foundation
• Pancreatica.org
• National Pancreas Foundation

Our Team