Pancreatic Cancer Surgery

Your pancreas produces enzymes that help you digest food and hormones that control your blood sugar levels. When you have pancreatic cancer, it can affect all aspects of digestion, particularly the liver and bile drainage system. Pancreatic cancers we specialise in treating include:

• Adenocarcinoma. This is the most common type of cancer. It is known as an exocrine tumour and develops in the glands of your pancreas.
• Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours. These rare tumours affect the hormone-producing cells in your pancreas.

Your care team will work together to build a treatment plan centred around your specific diagnosis. We take the size, location and type of pancreatic cancer into account when planning your care. Depending on your needs, you may have one or more of the following therapies:

Endoscopic procedures

Endoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure in which your provider inserts a thin tube with a camera and instruments at the end into your mouth and moves it past the stomach into the pancreas. We can use endoscopy to confirm diagnoses or treat conditions such as blocked pancreatic ducts. Common endoscopic procedures for pancreatic cancer include:

• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• Endoscopic ultrasound

Biliary drainage

Yellowed skin (jaundice), a common pancreatic cancer symptom, occurs when the bile ducts become blocked. We can use real-time imaging to move instruments through a blood vessel to access and drain clogged bile ducts.

Pancreatic cancer surgery

When you need surgery to remove pancreatic tumours, our team of skilled surgeons can perform even the most sophisticated procedures, including:

• Whipple procedure (pancreaticoduodenectomy): This procedure treats cancer on the right side of the pancreas by removing the head of the pancreas (which is on the right side of the organ), the first part of the small intestine, the gallbladder and part of the bile duct.
• Distal pancreatectomy: In this procedure, the surgeon removes the left side (tail) of the pancreas and, sometimes, also the entire spleen (splenectomy).

Recovering from pancreatic cancer can take months. After surgery, you’ll spend time in our advanced intensive care unit so we can monitor your health and ensure you’re recovering as well as possible. We also tailor medical therapies, like temporary insulin injections and supplemental enzymes, to support your digestive system throughout your recovery.

Other pancreatic cancer treatments

Our team may recommend chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a combination of both either before or after surgery.

These services are available through our partnership with The London Clinic. Their oncologists work as an extension of our team, allowing us to coordinate your care seamlessly. We work together to determine the appropriate treatments for your needs and the order in which you receive them.

We use chemo to shrink large tumours, improving your eligibility for surgery. Having both chemotherapy and radiotherapy can destroy cancer cells that may remain after surgery. Radiotherapy also offers you a treatment option if we cannot remove your tumour. This includes ones involving essential blood vessels.

Second Opinions and Virtual Consultations

Taking charge of your healthcare journey is an important part of cancer treatment. When you get a serious diagnosis such as pancreatic cancer, you may want to get a second opinion before moving forward.

Patients from all over the world look to our consultants for this valuable information. We offer second opinions regardless of whether you seek treatment with us. Our team will review your previous test results, confirm your diagnosis and provide treatment recommendations. Not able to travel to London? We can also offer second opinions through a virtual visit.

Paying for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment at Cleveland Clinic London

Cleveland Clinic London’s payment options include private medical insurance or self-pay services. If you would like to pay in instalments, our partner Chrysalis Finance is here to help you spread out the cost of your care through an instalment plan.

What’s Next?

When you need care for pancreatic cancer, you want quick bookings and expertise. At Cleveland Clinic London, we offer both. Our team works to get you in for an evaluation and surgical treatment as quickly as possible. Once in, our expert consultants guide you through the best options and answer all your questions. Collaborating with other consultants, we personalise your experience. Throughout it all, we’re by your side — supporting you and providing the best possible care, when you need it most.