Pancreatic cancer
Overview
In Cyprus, pancreatic cancer is the seventh most prevalent type of cancer. It rarely occurs before the age of 40, and more than half of the cases of pancreatic adenocarcinoma occur in people over 70 years old. Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of death from cancer in the United Kingdom, and the third most common in the United States. Factors that increase your risk of developing pancreatic cancer include smoking, obesity, diabetes, and certain rare genetic conditions.
Diagnosis
Symptoms for pancreatic cancer often don’t occur until the disease is at an advanced stage. If you’re concerned about pancreatic cancer, or are considered high risk, contact one of our specialists for a consultation.
Pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed through a combination of medical imaging techniques such as an ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) scan, blood tests, and through a obtaining and analysing a tissue sample during a biopsy. These biopsies are used to confirm the diagnosis and to classify the stage of the cancer, from early (stage I) to late (stage IV).
To decide whether a tumor can be surgically removed, your medical team may recommend further imaging, such as a computed tomography (CT scan) and an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). In some cases your medical team may recommend magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET / CT), or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. A biopsy performed through fine needle aspiration, often guided by endoscopic ultrasound, may be used to confirm the diagnosis, but a histologic diagnosis is usually not necessary prior to removing the tumor through surgery.
The most common form of pancreatic cancer (adenocarcinoma) is typically characterized by moderately to poorly differentiated glandular structures when examined microscopically. Additionally, several molecular markers can be identified and used for screening, for follow-up and / or to help guide your medical team when proposing your specialized treatment plan.
Treatment
Every step in the diagnostic procedure helps the GMI team tailor each treatment plan to each patient, taking into consideration your individual case and personal preferences. To determine the best course of action each patient’s case is discussed in a multidisciplinary tumor board where several experts from our team come together to create your comprehensive treatment plan.
A determining factor in how treatment will proceed is whether your tumor is something our medical team decides if it is surgically removable or not. Surgical resection is the only cure for this type of cancer. Whether surgical resection is possible or not, depends on how much the cancer has spread, the exact location of the tumor, and how the tumor relates to the major blood vessels which pass by the pancreas. An additional factor in this evaluation is your general health, though age is not an obstacle to surgery.
Your medical team is next likely to propose chemotherapy and /or radiotherapy as part of your treatment plan, regardless of if surgical removal of the tumor is possible. For cases where the cancer remains localized, a dedicated team of surgeons or radiation oncologists will eradicate the tumor using the most modern treatment options. For cases where the cancer is at a more advanced stage, our Medical Oncology team will propose the best treatment plan for each patient, which will include the newest regimen of systemic therapies like chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and / or immunotherapy.
Why GMI
At the GMI German Oncology Center, a dedicated team of internationally acclaimed physicians guides each pancreatic cancer patient through their entire journey, from their diagnostic work-up to their treatment and post-treatment care.
The GMI team will never offer a simple “one size fits all” approach to any patient. We believe each patient’s case is as individual as they are and strive to find the best solution for each of our patients, taking their specific case and diagnosis, their lifestyle, and choices into account.
We believe each of our patients is more than their diagnosis. That’s why our dedicated paramedics team supports pancreatic cancer patients on their journey by offering more than just expert medical care. We offer psychological help, integrative oncology services (including yoga classes, and acupuncture) and have a GMI Patient Advocacy Program.
Adhering to our passion for innovation, and desire to progress the medical field, the GMI German Oncology Center both initiates and participates in several clinical trials in which the most modern and advanced treatment concepts are tested.
