Managing symptoms in pancreatic cancer: GI symptoms
This was the first session in our series on managing symptoms in pancreatic cancer, where we looked at the variety of GI symptoms your pancreatic cancer patients may experience. This free, virtual educational session explored nausea and vomiting, and constipation and diarrhoea, looking at the causes and impact of these symptoms.
We provided guidance for managing these symptoms, as well as considered the wider impact of these symptoms on our patients’ quality of life. Our specialists also discussed further GI-related symptoms common with pancreatic cancer, including bloating, steatorrhea and gastric outlet obstruction.
This session provided practical tips and information on further support, as well as featured lived experience and a dedicated Q&A session, to ensure health professionals felt confident and equipped to offer the best support to their patients.
This event is part of a series taking place throughout September and October. Find out more about the upcoming sessions on fatigue, pain and emotional & psychological wellbeing.
"Excellent and informative session. Looking forward to the other sessions in this 4-part series"
Agenda
- 9.00 – 9.05: Welcome & introduction, Rachel Richardson, Specialist Pancreatic Cancer Nurse, Pancreatic Cancer UK
- 9.05 – 10.05: Managing GI symptoms in pancreatic cancer, Benjamin Huntly, Pancreas Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- 10.05 – 10.25: Q&A
- 10.25 – 10.30: Close
Additional resources
- Take our free CPD-accredited course on symptom management.
- Learn more about the Pancreatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland and the Association of Upper GI Surgery of Great Britain and Ireland which were discussed in the session, and find out how you can become a member.
- Read the UK guidelines for the management of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency.
Learning Objectives
- Increase your knowledge and understanding of GI-related symptoms with pancreatic cancer
- Understand more about the causes of nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhoea and how these symptoms impact your patients
- Grow your confidence in caring for and supporting patients with nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhoea
- Develop an understanding of wider GI-related symptoms your pancreatic cancer patients may experience, including bloating, steatorrhea and gastric outlet obstruction
- Gain practical tips and guidance on how to adapt your support throughout a patients’ treatment journey
Who is this session for?
This session is suitable for all health professionals working closely with people with pancreatic cancer. It is particularly relevant for the following roles:
- UGI /HPB CNSs
- Community Nurses and District Nurses
- Ward Nurses
- Primary Care Staff
- Palliative care teams
- Allied Health Professionals
- Doctors
Our speakers
Chair
- Rachel Richardson, Specialist Pancreatic Cancer Nurse, Pancreatic Cancer UK
Speaker
- Benjamin Huntly, Pancreas Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Which ACCEND Capabilities in Practice does this course support?
Our events are mapped to the ACCEND framework. Find out more about ACCEND.
This event supports the following ACCEND Capabilities in Practice:
- 1. 5 Recognise the wider impact that symptoms of cancer, often persistent, can have on individuals, their families and those close to them
- 5. 5 Progress care, recognising that reducing symptoms, restoring and maintaining function and independence, and improving quality of life all form clinical outcomes and meaningful goals of treatment
- 6. 1 Provide information and advice appropriate to the needs, priorities and concerns of individuals
- 7. 4 Access information from a range of resources, and use them to meet the individual needs of service users, translating clinically related topics into language which is understandable both for individuals to self-manage effectively and for the development of patient information
- 8. 5 Have a knowledge of the range of services available to support people across the care pathway and how to refer/sign-post to them with awareness of when it would be appropriate to refer back to treating centres, including for emergency presentations
- 15.10 Understand a range of options available other than drug prescribing (e.g. not prescribing, promoting self-care, advising on the purchase of over-the-counter medicines)
- 17. 5 Promote the importance of a healthy diet and nutritional requirements to reduce the impact of cancer-related symptoms
- 18. 1 Recognise common symptoms and oncological emergencies
- 18. 2 Assess and recognise treatment-related and disease related symptoms relevant to own area of practice screen for all these symptoms
- 19. 2 Distinguish between symptoms and intervene to ensure individuals are on the appropriate care pathway, for example treatment related, late effects, recurrence, progression
- 19. 4 Provide specialist interventions and advice to support symptom management including complex symptoms arising from cancer, cancer treatment and late effects
- 20. 6 Identify the need for additional clinical and professional support such as referral, second opinion
- 22. 3 Understand and utilise the evidence of best practice to inform own practice
- 24. 2 Engage in self-directed learning, critically reflecting on practice to maximise advanced clinical skills and knowledge, as well as own potential to lead and develop both care and services locally and regionally.
