Effective Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Options: What You Need to Know
The pancreatic cancer treatment depends on factors like the cancer’s stage, location, and the patient’s overall health. Options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and emerging treatments like immunotherapy. While pancreatic cancer can be challenging to treat, advancements in medical science offer hope for improved outcomes. This page explores the various treatment methods available, along with their potential benefits and limitations.
What are the Complications of Pancreatic Cancer?
Pancreatic cancer tends to move or spread, a process called metastasis.
It starts by going to nearby blood vessels and lymph nodes. From there, it can travel to various organs like the liver and the lining of your abdominal cavity (known as the peritoneum), and even make its way to the lungs.
A lot of the time, pancreatic cancer has already spread beyond the pancreas by the time it is diagnosed.
Early detection and understanding of the complications can make a significant difference.
Pancreatic Cancer Treatment in India
Pancreatic cancer therapy options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy. This means that depending on the cancer type and stage, the doctor will prescribe certain treatments that can be applied.
Advanced cancer needs to be resected along with the adjacent blood vessels and lymph nodes.
1. Surgery for Malignancies of the Pancreatic Head
When a cancerous tumour presents in the head part of the pancreas, Whipple surgery is the choice of the surgeon.
Whipple’s procedure is a surgical process in which the head of the pancreas, gallbladder, first section of the small intestine, and surrounding lymph nodes are all removed.
The surgeon once again reconnects the detached parts of the pancreas, stomach, and intestine.
2. Endoscopic Surgery for Pancreatic Tumours in the Tail or Body
The surgeon removes the left side of the tail and body of the pancreas. The spleen is removed too if it is required.
3. Treatment of Cancerous Blood Vessels just next to the Pancreas
They remove and reconstruct blood vessels if the condition affects other blood vessels in the area.
Thereafter, you are likely to vomit if you have challenging cases of digestion and emptying of your stomach.
Surgery is a lengthy process with recovery lasting for a long time. Several days of staying in the hospital after surgery and up to multiple weeks of post-operative care might be important.
Chemotherapy is used to eliminate cancer cells. It is used in advanced stages of cancer or after surgery to eliminate the growth of cancerous cells.
In chemotherapy, drugs are used to kill cancerous cells. It is either given orally or in a vein.
Pancreatic Arterial Infusion (PAI) chemotherapy at the same time can give more drugs to the pancreas without combining with other organs and has lower drug side effects than systemic infusion.
This is already the therapeutic approach tested in different types of tumors, for example, primary and metastatic liver cancers, with some promise. Considering PAI in advanced pancreatic cancer, some trials in humans have shown good safety and preliminary effectiveness of PAI.
In radiation therapy, a high-energy beam is used to eliminate the growth of cancer cells. It is often used before or after surgery to reduce cancer growth.
High radiation beams, like X-rays and protons, are used for treatment.
Nowadays, protons are used to eliminate cancer cells. Proton beams cause lower side effects than traditional X-ray beams.
Radiofrequency energy usage for the control of solid organ malignancies is in practice. Specifically, Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) has been used more frequently due to its ability to offer a palliative intervention for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. RFA has tumor-killing effects via various mechanisms, including denaturing of proteins and enhancing anticancer immunity.
Palliative care is often used as a form of treatment that aims to ease the distress that patients may be experiencing. It assists in enhancing the health of the patient by making them feel comfortable at any given time. It is also used together with other treatments to make the patients feel better and should be used to increase the lifespan of the patients.
Supportive care can reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. It can also significantly improve the mental and physical health condition of the patient by making the patients do regular exercise.
Targeted therapy specifically targets a particular protein in the cancer cell that helps the cancer cell to divide and grow. Destruction of pancreatic cancer cells by targeted therapy can be used as a maintenance therapy (ongoing cancer treatment after sessions of chemo and radiotherapy) or in combination with radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
Latest Advancements in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Options in India
There are certain advanced techniques which can successfully treat tumours which are inoperable by conventional surgical techniques. These latest advancements require the skillfulness of surgeons or need clinical testing on a large number of patients. The surgical procedures are performed or clinical interventions are done when there are few choices left for treating the case.
In this technique, the tumour is first frozen and then thawed using cryoprobes. The procedure is done along with an ultrasound or CT guidance and the inoperable tumors are destroyed. The temperature for freezing the tumours is generally reduced to a temperature as low as -160 degrees.
In CyberKnife treatment, high-dose radiation is provided with a robotic system. Another advantage of this treatment is that the number of sessions is much less as compared to conventional radiotherapy.
This treatment is based on irreversible electroporation of the cell membrane (the cancer cell membrane is irreversibly damaged by making pores in it).
This is also a minimally invasive treatment carried out by robotics. This treatment has received some degree of success in renal cancer, prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer patients.
Stage-Wise Pancreatic Cancer Treatment in India
Pancreatic cancer can be managed depending on the phase it has reached. The first two or three stages can be surgically managed, while the rest cannot. In addition, some stage-IV pancreatic cancer cases are identified to be incapable of being operated upon.
At this stage, many tumours are either localized or locally advanced, and most are still technically removable by surgical resection. Pancreaticoduodenectomy or Whipple operation is the type of pancreatic surgery that is done in this stage.
Preoperative treatment is sometimes offered to patients with pancreatic cancer who have borderline resectable disease. The current clinical research options include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or radiation therapy, either alone or in combination. This treatment is intended to remove or cut off the cancer to decrease its size to make it less difficult to remove in surgery. Neoadjuvant treatment is defined as any medical therapy as an application before surgical intervention.
Treatment options for those whose cancer cannot be removed by surgery could involve chemotherapy radiation and other conventional techniques.
The stage III tumours are no longer localized, and the disease cannot be resected and is treated with agents that reach the cancer cells throughout the body via the bloodstream.
The treatments for stage III might involve chemotherapy, radiation, or both.
Chemotherapy is normally employed during the treatment of stage IV. Clinical trials may also open new possibilities.
How did Schobitz’s Mother from Ethiopia get cured of Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer?
The following video tells us about the cure for Shobitz’s mother‘s cancer. She was diagnosed with a pancreatic mass, which was successfully removed in India by a renowned surgeon. Find out the detailed story of how MedicoExperts assisted the family in their experience in India.
Why the Tumour Board Approach is Considered the Best for the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer?
To answer this question, one must first understand how the tumour board approach differs from other methods of treatment.
It is best approached with a multi-disciplinary team of doctors.
Let’s learn about the tumour board approach in detail:
What is a Tumor Board?
The organization of a tumour board consists of the structural meeting of specialists to consider approaches to treating and managing cancer patients. It provides a full scope of the patient’s care.
How Does the Tumour Board Work?
When you are selected for a tumour board meeting, a group of specialists who deal with your case will sit together to decide the best treatment and care for your case.
Treatment plans may include standard-of-care treatments, surgery, additional testing, supplements, clinical trials, hospice services, and second opinions. Designing your care plan also means that your needs are looked after.
Benefits of the Treatment Plan from Tumor Board.
The surgical oncologist may consider surgery feasible and beneficial for you, while the medical or radiation oncologist may offer preoperative therapy to prepare you for the surgery.
A pathologist in the process of trying to figure out your case may need a radiologist to call in a tumour board for support.
Moreover, cancer treatments change from time to time, requiring combined and effective decisions of the doctors.
Why is India Best for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment?
India stands to be the best country to treat pancreatic cancer because doctors are trained, and again, the cost of conducting treatments in this country is fairly cheap.
Even though the cost of medical treatment of pancreatic cancer in India is comparatively cheaper than in the UK and the USA, it offers quality medical treatment.
Several Indian hospitals dealing with pancreatic cancer have modern and well-equipped facilities.
Pancreatic cancer treatment in the USA costs, on average about $65000, while the most costly treatment in India is up to a maximum of $25000.
How to Choose the Best Hospital for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment in India?
MedicoExperts presents the best medicine and hospital experience in India for pancreatic cancer. We have experienced professionals and the best equipment and thus patients can be guaranteed the best treatment.
Doctors with a strong background – We have doctors with 20 years of experience.
How to Choose the Best Oncology Team and Tumour Board for Your Pancreatic Cancer Treatment in India?
The best oncology team and tumour board can be chosen based on the following points:
Care and Precision – The tumour board works efficiently and effectively on every difficult case to achieve the best outcomes that are needed.
Modern Technologies – There are modern technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of cases, taking into consideration unconventional ways.
Individualizing the Care – Tumor Board provides the right care for you with an individualized treatment plan.
How do Doctors Find the Right Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer?
The treatment approach for pancreatic cancer is tailored based on specific factors:
Tumor Location:
Treatment varies depending on where the tumor is located in the pancreas.
Cancer Stage:
The stage of cancer. This indicates the extent of the cancer spread and influences the chosen treatment.
Overall Health:
People’s health plays a role in determining the most suitable treatment plan.
The Extent of the Spread:
Whether the cancer has spread beyond the pancreas influences treatment decisions.
Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Cost in India
The cost of pancreatic cancer treatment can be influenced by different factors.
Factors for Cost
The extent of physical facilities affects the cost since comprehensive facilities have been developed in the current state-of-the-art buildings.
Cancer at the advanced stage is very dangerous and needs various treatments, and this may pose a high cost to you.
City (Metro versus non-Metro) – While the country’s most developed cities may provide great and comfortable accommodations, your expenses may go up.
The cost segment of the treatment charges may involve a minimum amount of 5,00,000 INR ($ 6,500) to the highest extent of 20,00,000 INR ($ 25,000) for pancreatic cancer in India
The estimated Whipple surgery cost will be approximately 13, 50,000 INR which is approximately 15,000 US Dollars.
Radiation therapy expenses are likely to be around 4,50,000 INR which is roughly 5000 US dollars.
The estimates of chemotherapy expenses will be around INR 36,000 ($400) for each cycle.
Accommodation costs will range between 1700 to 3500 INR ($20-$40) per night.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q1. What is the most common treatment for pancreatic cancer?
A. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are the most common treatments, often used in combination depending on the cancer stage.
Q2. Is pancreatic cancer curable with treatment?
A. Pancreatic cancer can be difficult to cure, but early-stage cases may be treatable with surgery and follow-up therapies. Advanced cases focus on control and quality of life.
Q3. Are there new treatments available for pancreatic cancer?
A. Yes, new approaches like targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and clinical trials are emerging and may offer more options for eligible patients.
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Author Bio:
Dr. Yashashree Joshi – MBBS, MD (Philippines)
Dr. Yashashree Joshi, MD, is a globally-trained oncologist with a robust academic background and extensive experience in pioneering cancer treatments. Dedicated to patient-centered care, she continually integrates the latest advancements in oncology to provide her patients with innovative and personalized treatment plans.
Content Medically Reviewed By MedicoExperts Editorial & Clinically Review Board
