Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

The gastroenterology oncologists at Winship Cancer Institute are experts in pancreatic cancer treatment. We perform more pancreatic cancer surgery than any other center in Georgia. Because we are a research institute, we offer more pancreatic cancer treatment options than any other cancer center in the state. Even if you’ve been told you’re out of options at another center, we may be able to help.

Because every case of pancreatic cancer is different, there is no single pancreatic cancer treatment protocol. Even if your cancer is diagnosed at the same stage and in the same location as someone else’s, your cancer is unique at the molecular level — and it should be treated that way.

The gastrointestinal cancer experts at Winship in Atlanta use the latest technology and advanced testing to analyze your particular pancreatic cancer at every level. Your team of physicians — including your surgeon, pathologist, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist and more — will meet to determine the best course of treatment for your cancer. This enables your care team to develop a plan to treat your cancer as aggressively as possible while minimizing side effects.

Once your personalized pancreatic cancer treatment plan is created, your team will discuss it with you, and treatment at Winship will be scheduled right away. We will even work with you and your local doctors in the event you decide to stay closer to home for treatment. Our goal is to ensure you get your cancer treated the way it needs to be, wherever that is.

As Georgia’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Winship researchers are pioneers in pancreatic cancer treatment, leading clinical trials to develop and study new pancreatic cancer treatment options each year. In fact, many of the drugs used to treat cancer today came out of clinical trials performed at Winship, which means our patients were some of the first to benefit. This is why we can offer you access to the latest pancreatic cancer treatment you won’t find at other cancer centers.

The Winship gastrointestinal cancer team is currently investigating a number of pancreatic cancer treatment options, including combination chemotherapy, targeted therapies and immunotherapy. Talk to your physician if you’re interested in taking part in a trial. We make every effort to match as many patients as possible with ongoing research.

At Winship, we offer the most comprehensive array of pancreatic cancer treatment options in Georgia, and the expertise to treat this complex disease. Based on your unique cancer, your treatment plan may include:

Surgery

Patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer typically have surgery to remove the part of the pancreas containing the tumor. The Whipple procedure for pancreatic cancer, also called Whipple surgery, is a technique that involves removing the head of the pancreas, parts of the bile ducts, small intestine, and stomach. In some cases, total pancreatectomy (pancreas removal surgery) is necessary, which involves removing the entire pancreas as well as nearby structures.

Pancreas surgery of any kind is difficult, given the organ’s location deep within the abdomen, and requires a highly skilled surgical team. Winship’s gastrointestinal surgical oncologists are some of the top-performing surgeons in the country, and they perform more pancreas surgery than any other center in Georgia, meaning you won’t find more experienced pancreas surgeons in the state.

Chemotherapy

Nearly all pancreatic cancer treatment plans will include some form of chemotherapy, which involves the use of medication taken orally or injected to attack cancer cells throughout the body. Frequently, multiple drugs are prescribed in combination to increase efficacy, and new therapies are continually being developed and tested right here at Winship. We’re also currently looking at pancreatic cancer treatment sequencing, which is to say when chemotherapy is best given in relation to surgery and radiation, to increase its effectiveness.

Targeted Therapy

This type of drug therapy is different from chemotherapy in that it targets a cancer’s specific gene mutations. At Winship, we refer all our pancreatic cancer patients for genetic screening, which can help us match them with a targeted drug, even if it’s still being investigated in a clinical trial. Because of this, we are sometimes able to treat patients with targeted therapy who were told by other centers they were out of options.

Immunotherapy

This type of pancreatic cancer treatment uses drugs to help your body’s immune system recognize and enhance its ability to attack cancer cells. Winship is one of the centers pioneering the use of immunotherapies in pancreatic cancer treatment. Besides leading immunotherapy clinical trials for gastrointestinal cancers, Winship has an entire immunotherapy research program that is advancing the world’s understanding of how our immune systems can be harnessed to treat cancer.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy, the use of high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells, may or may not be included in your pancreatic cancer treatment plan. If it is, it should be performed by an experienced radiation oncologist. Winship’s gastroenterology cancer team includes radiation oncologists who specialize in pancreatic cancer treatment.

Proton Therapy

Winship is the only cancer center in Georgia, and one of an elite group in the nation, to offer proton therapy, a powerful and precise form of radiation therapy used to treat pancreatic cancers in some patients. Proton therapy delivers a high dose of radiation to a tumor while preventing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

At Winship, we strive to deliver the most effective treatment while also minimizing side effects. But coping with pancreatic cancer and the side effects of pancreatic cancer treatment — particularly the physical and psychosocial challenges associated with nutrition and pain control — can be difficult. That’s why we have a supportive oncology team of specialized doctors and nurses on staff to help you with the physical, psychological and emotional aspects of living with cancer, including symptom management and counseling. This team — with the help of counselors, nurse navigators, dietitians and social service professionals — will be with you every step of the way, supporting you along your experience and beyond.