Surgery may not be suitable for people with advanced stage pancreatic cancer for that reason. Other treatment options must be explored once the cancer spreads outside of the pancreas.
Radiation therapy uses X-rays and other high-energy beams to kill the cancer cells. In some cases, your doctor might combine other treatments with chemotherapy , which uses cancer-killing drugs to help prevent future growth of cancer cells. This type of cancer treatment uses drugs or other measures to specifically target cancer cells and work to destroy them. These drugs are designed not to harm healthy or normal cells.
The survival rates for pancreatic cancer have been improving in recent decades. Research and new treatments are expanding the average five-year survival rate for people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. However, the disease is still considered difficult to cure.
Because pancreatic cancer typically does not cause symptoms until the cancer is in advanced stages, the likelihood the cancer has spread, or metastasized, is high. That make it hard to treat or eliminate the cancer. Combining alternative measures with traditional medical treatments may help to improve your quality of life. Yoga, meditation, and light exercise might promote a sense of well-being and make you feel better during treatment.
Early diagnosis significantly increases the chances of recovery. To make a diagnosis, your doctor will review your symptoms and medical history. They may order one or more tests to check for pancreatic cancer, such as:. The five-year survival rate for all stages of pancreatic cancer is 9 percent. You may also consider:. Two types of surgery, Whipple procedure or a pancreatectomy , can remove a portion or all of the pancreas.
This will eliminate the initial cancer tumor. Unfortunately, the majority of pancreatic cancers are not found and diagnosed until the cancer is in an advanced stage and spread beyond the original site. Surgery may not be suitable at late stages of pancreatic cancer. If the cancer has spread to other areas of the body, removing the tumor or pancreas will not cure you. Other treatments must be considered. While the cause of this type of cancer is unknown, there are certain risk factors that may increase your chances of developing pancreatic cancer.
You may be at an increased risk if you:. Your DNA has a great influence on your health and the conditions you may develop. You can inherit genes that will increase your risk for pancreatic cancer. If the tumor has remained confined to the pancreas, surgery may be recommended. Whether or not surgery is an option is based on the exact location of the cancer.
The bottom half of the bile duct and the first part of the intestine are also removed. About 95 percent of pancreatic cancers are pancreatic adenocarcinomas. This type of pancreatic cancer develops in the exocrine cells of the pancreas. The majority of cells in the pancreas are these exocrine cells, which make pancreatic enzymes or make up the pancreatic ducts. These cells make important hormones like insulin and glucagon which help control blood sugar levels , and release them directly into the blood.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors start in the endocrine cells. See Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor for more about this type. They have distinct risk factors and causes, have different signs and symptoms, are diagnosed with different tests, are treated in different ways, and have different outlooks. Exocrine cancers are by far the most common type of pancreas cancer. If you are told you have pancreatic cancer, it's most likely an exocrine pancreatic cancer.
These cancers usually start in the ducts of the pancreas. The pancreas in the digestive system The pancreas is a long, flat gland that lies horizontally behind your stomach.
Pancreatic cancer Open pop-up dialog box Close. Pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer is cancer that forms in the cells of the pancreas. Email address. First Name let us know your preferred name.
Last Name. Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth coping with cancer guide will be in your inbox shortly. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography Open pop-up dialog box Close. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ERCP uses a dye to highlight the bile ducts and pancreatic duct on X-ray images.
Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references AskMayoExpert. Pancreatic cancer. Rochester, Minn. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Fort Washington, Pa. Accessed June 3, Niederhuber JE, et al.
Carcinoma of the pancreas. In: Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. Philadelphia, Pa. What you need to know about cancer of the pancreas. National Cancer Institute. Distress management. Palliative care. Clark KL, et al. Psychological distress in patients with pancreatic cancer — An understudied group. Tee MC, et al. Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: Is it an effective procedure for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma? Advances in Surgery. Sugumar A, et al. Distinguishing pancreatic cancer from autoimmune pancreatitis.
Current Gastroenterology Reports. Accessed June 10, Riggin EA. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Ramanathan RK expert opinion. It may help with tumors that are smaller than 1 inch 2. A surgeon will insert a needle or a probe to apply the treatment. Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that can kill cancer cells and stop them from spreading. A doctor may prescribe it alone or with other treatments.
This treatment can also help relieve symptoms in the later stages. A person receives treatment in cycles of 2—3 weeks , followed by a rest period.
This allows the body time to heal between doses. This is a newer approach than chemotherapy. It stops cancer cells from developing by targeting substances they need to grow. There are different types of targeted therapy, such as :. Unlike chemotherapy, these drugs have specific targets, so their impact on the whole body is lessened.
However, they can still have adverse effects, which will depend on the type of treatment a person receives. PD-1 inhibitors are one type of immunotherapy that may help treat pancreatic cancer. People receive this treatment as an infusion once every 2—3 weeks.
Radiation therapy destroys cancer by focusing high energy rays on the cancer cells. It can shrink or remove a tumor. In the later stages, it can help relieve symptoms by removing or reducing a blockage.
Like chemotherapy, it can cause some side effects, such as skin changes, gastrointestinal disturbances, and fatigue. However, these usually pass after completing treatment. A person may receive radiation therapy either alone or with other treatments, usually on 5 days per week for several weeks. There are different types of pancreatic cancer. The main distinction is whether they affect the exocrine glands or the endocrine glands.
The exocrine glands produce enzymes that enter the intestines and help digest fat, proteins, and carbohydrates. Most of the pancreas consists of exocrine glands. Types of tumor that can affect exocrine function include:. The endocrine glands are small clusters of cells known as the islets of Langerhans. They release the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream. There, they help manage blood sugar levels.
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