Treatment FAQs

This section aims to provide  answers to some frequently asked questions about treatment. Where possible, medical opinion has been sought to provide an answer but often the answers come from patients and caregivers themselves. These answers should not be relied on as a medical opinion and expert advice should be sought.

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  Question: Am I at increased risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT)?

  A venous thrombosis is a blood clot which forms inside a vein abnormally, blocking the vessel and reducing or preventing blood blow. It often occurs in deep veins, and this is known as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT).Find out more

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  Question: What is a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) and how are they invovled in my care?

  The multi-disciplinary team (MDT) is a specialist multi-professional team who make decisions together about how someone diagnosed with pancreatic cancer is to be looked after during the course of their illness. The team will consist of CORE members, and other associate members.Find out more

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  Question: What is a full blood count?

  The full blood count is an important test for anyone on chemotherapy. The test looks at four important components in the blood -haemoglobin level, white cell count, neutrophil count and platelet level. All of these are produced in the bone marrow. Find out more

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  Question: What is a stent and how is it used to relieve jaundice?

  Sometimes it is necessary to insert a plastic or metal mesh tube into the bile duct to keep a good flow of bile and relieve the symptoms of jaundice (see note 1) in patients with pancreatic cancer. These tubes are called biliary stents - after Dr Stent who first used these small tubes. Find out more

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  What happens when you start chemotherapy?

  The first thing to remember before commencing chemotherapy treatment is that you need to sign a consent from, which is your agreement to undergo the treatment. At this point, you can ask any unanswered questions and discuss any concerns with your oncology team.Find out more

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  Common questions when undergoing chemotherapy

  Cytotoxic chemotherapy is a type of drug treatment used in the treatment of cancer. It can be given either intravenously, or in tablet form. It works on tumour cells, but also on normal body cells, especially those which divide rapidly. It is normally given in “cycles” - 2, 3 or 4 weekly cycles are the most common. Within each cycle, there may be more than one “dose” of chemotherapy.Find out more