The treatment for pancreatic cancer aims to primarily eliminate the cancer if possible but the choice of treatment is highly dependent on the stage of the cancer and the age, overall health and fitness of the patient. If complete cure is not possible, focus on the preventing further growth of the cancer becomes necessary. However, in more advanced cancer, when it is more likely that the treatment will not benefit the patient, reliving the symptoms of the patient is the focus.

Following are the options to treat the cancer of pancreas:

Surgery

It is indicated when the cancer is confined to the pancreas. This includes surgery of either the head or tail of the pancreas depending on where the tumour is present. Different types of surgery are:

• Pancreatoduodenectomy: commonly known as Whipple procedure, it is done when the cancer is located in the head of the pancreas. This procedure includes excision of the head of the pancreas with small portion of the duodenum (part of small intestine), gall bladder and some part of biliary duct. The residual parts are then reconnected to allow proper digestion of food.
• Distal pancreatectomy: this is performed to remove the tail of the pancreas along with small portion of the body of pancreas. Spleen may or may not be removed depending on the extent of disease.
  
  These procedures can be done either through traditional method in which the single incision is made to perform the surgery or the minimally invasive (laparoscopic) approach is used to lessen the risk and complication which are common in traditional approach.

Radiation therapy

Involves the use of high powered energy beam to kill cancerous cells. Patient may need radiation therapy either before or after the surgery or in combination with the chemotherapy. The radiation can be delivered using;

• External beam radiation therapy: the machine that emits radiation beam moves around the patient targeting the specific area of body.
• Intraoperative radiation: the radiation therapy is used as a part of surgery or given during the surgery.

Chemotherapy

Involves using one or combination of drugs that may be injected or taken orally that helps in killing the cancer cells. If the cancer is not confined to the pancreas and has spread to nearby organs, then chemotherapy is combined with the radiation therapy often called as chemoradiation is used to treat the cancer.

Involves the use of drugs that restrict the substances that provoke the cancer cell to divide and grow. Erlotinib is the one such drug if combined with the chemotherapy, can be used to treat more advanced cases of pancreatic cancer.

Immunotherapy

Also known as biological therapy. It entails using the patient's own body's immune system to fight the cancer. Some of the patient's own immune cells are taken and genetically modified in the lab and are injected back in the body to fight the cancer cells. Biological agents like monoclonal antibodies, therapeutic vaccines, checkpoint inhibitors, immune modulators, adoptive T cell and cytokinesare used as the special immune system cells to stimulate the body's immune system so as to destroy and kill the cancerous cells.

If you are suffering from any of the above mentioned symptoms, you should see a doctor immediately who would advise tests to confirm the diagnosis. If you are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you need to start the treatment immediately.

Minimally invasive pancreatectomy

Laparoscopic surgery for the resection of pancreas is often used to remove cancerous pancreas due to advantages of minimal blood loss, lesser risk of infection, early recovery over conventional surgery.

Laparoscopic pancreatectomy is done under general anaesthesia using the laparoscope and instruments like trocars and cannulas. The surgeon makes several small incisions around the umbilicus. The laparoscope with the camera is inserted through one of the incisions using a trocar and the peritoneum is assessed well by the images on the monitor projected by the camera. After assessing and exploring pancreas, the surgical instruments are inserted through other incision and the correct level of the resections is recognised using the linear laparoscopic ultrasound. The pancreas is then retracted out of the peritoneum cavity by giving incision on the lower point of pancreas and then the targeted part is retracted and excised. If needed, spleen is taken out along with the pancreas and drain is placed in the resection area which shall be removed before discharge from the hospital. The incisions are then closed and dressed.

Recovery after the pancreas cancer surgery is long and difficult. The patient might feel pain after the surgery, but is given pain killer for pain relief. One needs to take fluids after the surgery and gradually be able to drink and eat as after any digestive tract surgery.

After the surgery, the patient would probably need chemotherapy that will aid and increase the chances of cure from cancer.

The results of pancreatic surgery depend on the stage of pancreas cancer. If detected early, there is a good chance of complete recovery.

If only surgery for treatment of pancreas cancer is required, one needs around 2-3 weeks for pancreas cancer surgery in India. But if chemotherapy and radiotherapy or other means of treatments are required, the patient would need few weeks for pancreas cancer treatment in India.