Treatment varies greatly and it all depends on the stage of
the cancer. Earlier on the doctors will be very aggressive with surgeries and
chemotherapy + radiation. Further on may mean you are only getting comfort
measures, e.g., pain medicine, stent placement, etc.
Once the
stage has been determined (usually confirmed by a biopsy of the pancreas) your
doctor or Oncologist will then go over the options that will best suit your
personal situation.
The American Cancer Society and Cancer Research UK have nice comprehensive lists of the
most common treatment options and great resources for any questions you may
have. The Cancer Research UK also has a section on “living with pancreatic cancer”
that has diet suggestions and assistance on how to cope.
The side
effects can range from annoying to unbearable depending on your situation,
tolerance to meds or treatment and your support system. Cancer.Net has a list of the treatment options
along with possible side effects. This site also has a Pancreatic Cancer Guide, to the right of the site page linked above, that can link you with latest research, illustrations,
statistics and additional questions for your doctor.
Take Good Care...
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