Comprehensive Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

At Catholic Health, we combine innovative technology with our team of experienced, multidisciplinary experts to offer timely diagnosis, treatments and specialized care for pancreatic cancer.

Our multidisciplinary clinical care team comprised of specialists from surgical oncology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, genetic counsellors, supportive oncology, nutrition, social services and nurse navigators. Our comprehensive treatment plan is discussed in a multidisciplinary tumor board conference to deliver the highest standards of care which is patient centered, focusing on individual patient needs. The treatment options include a combination of medical, radiation and targeted therapies as well as advanced, minimally invasive surgical techniques including the Robotic Whipple procedure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pancreatic cancer occurs when cancer cells form and grow within the pancreas. The pancreas is a small organ (about six inches in length) located in the center of the abdomen, close to the stomach, intestines, and other organs. The pancreas produces the digestive enzymes and hormones to digest the food we eat. It has two critical functions:

Exocrine Function: The pancreas contains exocrine glands that produce enzymes that are important to digestion.

Endocrine Function: The endocrine component of the pancreas consists of islet cells that manufacture and release important hormones directly into the bloodstream, mainly to balance the blood glucose level. These include insulin, which acts to lower blood sugar, and glucagon, which raises blood sugar.

The most common form of pancreatic cancer is pancreatic adenocarcinoma, which is a result of transformation of the cells of the inner lining of the pancreatic duct to cancer cells.

Less common are endocrine tumors; cancers that originate in the hormone-producing cells of the pancreas. These account for less than 5% of all pancreatic tumors and are sometimes referred to as islet cell tumors.

An uncommon variety of pancreatic tumors comprise of neuroendocrine tumors with a potential to grow in size and spread to other organs leading to neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Early pancreatic cancer does not usually cause symptoms, however as the condition progresses, symptoms may include:

  • Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
  • Dark urine
  • Pale, oily stools
  • Pain in the lower back and/or upper abdomen
  • Poor appetite, indigestion and nausea
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Unexplained weight loss

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, make an appointment to see your physician.

Pancreatic cancer is more common in men than women and is more commonly diagnosed in people ages 65-74. People with certain risk factors may be more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, including:

  • Smoking and tobacco use
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Race - African-Americans are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer
  • Family history of pancreatic cancer
  • Chronic pancreatitis
  • Genetic syndromes
  • Inflammation of the pancreas

People with the highest risk may have one or more of the following:

  • Two or more blood relatives with pancreatic cancer
  • Hereditary cancer syndromes (Peutz-Jeghers, Lynch Syndrome/HNPCC, MEN1 or von Hippel Lindau)
  • A known mutation in certain genes like the BRCA2, PALB2, ATM or p16/CDKN2A gene
  • Hereditary pancreatitis

Diagnosis

Pancreatic cancer can be difficult to detect at early stages. Although a single test does not exist for screening, your physician may recommend the following if you have certain risk factors or show possible signs and symptoms.

  • Blood test to measure the level of CA-19-9 proteins, a protein released by pancreatic cancer cells
  • Imaging tests such as CT scan, MRI and/or endoscopic ultrasound
  • Genetic consultation and testing

Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer

Specific treatment for this type of cancer depends on certain factors, including:

  • The exact location of the tumor/ cancer
  • The type of the tumor/ cancer
  • The stage of the cancer
  • Whether the cancer has spread beyond the pancreas
  • The overall health of the patient

Treatment options include:

  • Surgery- Removes a portion of the pancreas with the tumor, surrounding lymph nodes or other affected organs.
  • Medical Therapy- Different types of drugs, including chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy are used to treat cancer cells. New modalities of targeted therapy with immunotherapy are evolving in the field of treatment for pancreatic cancer.
  • Radiation Therapy- Highly focused radiation beams are delivered to target and treat cancer cells.
  • Supportive therapy- Our dedicated team of specialists help navigate our patients through their cancer treatment journey and help with social support needs, nutrition, symptom control and psycho-emotional aspects.

Innovative Surgical Procedures for Pancreatic Cancer

The Whipple Procedure

The Whipple procedure (also known as pancreaticoduodenectomy) is the surgical procedure that is performed to treat tumors located in the head of the pancreas.

The conventional Whipple procedure removes the head of the pancreas, the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine), a portion of the stomach, the gallbladder and a portion of the bile duct. The remaining stomach, bile duct and pancreas are then reconnected to the digestive tract to restore flow of ingested food, digestive enzymes and bile.

In selective cases, a pylorus-sparing Whipple (a modified Whipple procedure) may be performed. In this case, the section of stomach is not removed during the operation preserving the pylorus (a valve between the stomach and the duodenum).

Minimally Invasive Robotic Whipple Procedure

Catholic Health offers this minimally invasive surgery to treat pancreatic cancer.

With this procedure, the surgeon performs the operation through several small incisions, using robotic arms equipped with special wristed instruments and a tiny high definition camera. The robotic instruments move precisely along with the surgeon’s hands and the camera provides a complete 3D view of the operative field. The robotic instruments remain in the surgeon’s control at all times reassuring patient safety and precision.

Robotic surgery has shown to be safe and less invasive. Some of the benefits from minimally invasive robotic surgery are

  • less post-operative pain
  • lower risk of infection
  • less blood loss
  • shorter hospital stay
  • quicker recovery period

Meet The Team

gary gecelter md

Gary Gecelter, MD, FACS, FACG

Chair of Surgery Services, Catholic Health

Sandeep Anantha Sathyanarayana, MD

Sandeep Anantha Sathyanarayana, MD

System Chief of Robotic Surgical Oncology

Eugene Rubach, MD, FACS

Eugene Rubach, MD, FACS

Surgery Oncology