Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month | Diagnosis and treatment blog
Around 900 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Scotland each year with only a seven percent chance of people living for five or more years after diagnosis.
As part of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month (November), Clan has collaboratedwith Pancreatic Cancer UK and NHS Grampian, to highlight information about this devastating disease.
Rachel Thomson and Catherine Thomson are specialist nurses in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary’s Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) department.
Here they share how pancreatic cancer is diagnosed and the treatments available.
Being diagnosed
There are many different symptoms associated with pancreatic cancer, many of them are vague and easily attributable to other health conditions. This can make diagnosing pancreatic cancer very difficult.
Patients who present with jaundice may be more likely to have a quicker diagnosisas they will have a CT scan to investigate what is causing the jaundice. This scancan detect cancer in the pancreas.
Those who present with other symptoms, such as weight loss, fatigue and pain, maybe referred by their GP for specialised tests, which may initially include ultrasound and CT scan.
If pancreatic cancer is suspected following these tests, a biopsy is required to confirm diagnosis and will guide treatment.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type of pancreatic cancer. PDAC can be located anywhere in the pancreas, though it is most often found in the head of the pancreas.
Neuroendocrine pancreatic cancers are rarer, and the prognosis and treatment is very different.
Treatment
Treatment for pancreatic cancer is determined by many factors, including:
- The stage of cancer at presentation
- The size of the tumour
- Where the tumour is within the pancreas and whether there is involvement of major blood vessels
- If the cancer has spread
- The patient’s general health and fitness.
Surgery is the only curative option for pancreatic cancer, but less than 10% of patients are eligible for surgery at diagnosis. Patients also require a good level of fitness to proceed with this option. Fitness is assessed during patient appointments,we can help to support improving patient’s fitness and often refer to services such as Clan who offer 1:1 specialist instructor exercise sessions.
As this is major surgery, complications can occur for approximately 40% of patients, making recovery prolonged, and this can often take up to six months. The majority of patients are offered chemotherapy following surgery to complete treatment.
Chances of relapse are high and it’s standard practice for patients to be monitored for five years post-surgery.
If the tumour is close to surrounding blood vessels, surgery may not be possible initially and chemotherapy may be required in an attempt to shrink and control the cancer.
For patients where surgery is not possible, chemotherapy may be offered, depending on patient fitness, with the aim of gaining control of the cancer.
There are a number of clinical trials for patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer.Participation in these can enable access to new treatments and the opportunity to contribute to medical science, but participation is a personal decision.
Support available
Getting a diagnosis for pancreatic cancer can be an overwhelming time for the patient and their loved ones. Third sector organisations like Clan can offer valuable services such as listening and support, health and wellbeing, and age-appropriate support for children and families.
More specialist advice and resources are available from charities dedicated to supporting people with pancreatic cancer, such as Pancreatic Cancer UK.
