Treatments for Pancreatic Cancer
Treatments For Pancreatic Cancer
There are different types of Treatments for Pancreatic Cancer. It is up to the doctor to consult with the patient to assist in determining what treatment option is best for them.
Some treatments are standard and some are being tested in clinical trials. There are three main types of standard Treatments for Pancreatic Cancer, surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
Whipple procedure: The head of the pancreas, the gallbladder, part of the stomach, part of the small intestine, and the bile duct are removed. Enough of the pancreas is left to produce digestive juices and insulin.
Total pancreatectomy: Removal of the whole pancreas, part of the stomach, part of the small intestine, the common bile duct, the gallbladder, the spleen, and nearby lymph nodes.
Distal pancreatectomy: The body and the tail of the pancreas and usually the spleen are removed.
Surgical biliary bypass: The gallbladder or bile duct will be cut and sewn to the small intestine to create a new pathway around the blocked area.
Endoscopic stent placement: A stent will be placed to drain bile that has built up in the area. The stent may go through a catheter that drains to the outside of the body or the stent may go around the blocked area and drain the bile into the small intestine.
Gastric bypass: The stomach may be sewn directly to the small intestine so the patient can continue to eat normally.
Radiation therapy is another Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing within the body. The radiation is directed to the area of the body where the cancer is and administered directly to the cancer cells.
Chemotherapy is a Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing when taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body.