Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment by Doctors at Mercy
At The Center for Comprehensive Pancreatic Care at Mercy in Baltimore, our doctors work with patients who have pancreatic cancer symptoms to develop individualized treatment options. Medical Director Dr. Rohan Mandaliya works in tandem with Surgical Oncology Medical Director Dr. Debashish Bose, as well as a multidisciplinary team to fight pancreatic cancer and provide innovative treatment options for complex pancreatic disease.
Mercy is proud to have one of the most comprehensive treatment teams in the area for pancreatic cancer, including surgical oncologists, gastroenterologists, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, radiologists, dietitians and genetic counselors. Mercy's team offers innovative therapies to address the complexities of pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer develops when cells inside the pancreas grow uncontrollably and outlive normal cells to form a tumor. Pancreatic cancer can spread rapidly and is seldom detected early.
Because pancreatic cancer symptoms often do not appear until the cancer is advanced, pancreatic cancer usually is not detected early. When pancreatic cancer symptoms do appear, they are similar to most other pancreatic diseases; therefore, it is important to see a pancreas specialist if any of the following pancreatic cancer symptoms occur:
- Upper abdominal pain that can radiate to the back
- Jaundice, or the yellowing of skin and whites of eyes
- Appetite loss
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Blood clots
Factors that increase the risk of pancreatic cancer can include smoking, chronic pancreatitis, a long history of diabetes, and heredity.
Pancreatic cancer can be diagnosed by a variety of diagnostic tests including ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI. In addition, pancreatic cancer can be detected using the following innovative techniques:
- Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
- Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)
- Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography (PTC)
Treatment options for pancreatic cancer will be dependent on the stage or the progression of the cancer as well as the location of the cancer within the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer treatment may include:
- Surgery, including NanoKnife, Whipple or pancreatectomy options
- Therapeutic endoscopy
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted therapy
- Clinical trials
- Palliative care