There may be different reasons why some people can’t have treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer. This will depend on your situation. For example, you might not be physically well enough for treatments like chemotherapy.
Being told that you can’t have any treatment to control your cancer can be a shock for you and those close to you. You may have a range of emotions, but there is support available which we explain here.
If you can’t have treatment to control your cancer, you will still receive care from hospital or community teams. Community teams may include your GP, palliative care nurses, a hospice team or district nurses. They will assess your symptoms and provide treatments to help with these. They can also help you get care and support at home.
Being told you can’t have treatment to control your cancer may be upsetting. You can speak to our specialist nurses on our free Support Line to talk through how you are feeling. They can also help with questions about symptoms and the support you can get.
You will still be able to have treatments to help with any symptoms of the cancer. This might include:
If you can’t have treatment to control the cancer, you may be referred to a specialist palliative care team. They aim to help you live as long and as comfortably as possible. They can help manage symptoms, as well as supporting you and your family. If you haven’t seen a palliative care team, ask your GP or nurse if this would be helpful.
If you have been told that you can’t have treatment to control the cancer, you may want to think about your future care. This might include what care you would or wouldn’t want, and where you would like to be cared for. This is called advance care planning. This can be difficult to do, but it may help you feel more prepared and in control. We have more information about care in the last few months of life.
Sometimes pancreatic cancer can grow and spread quickly. You may want to know more about what to expect in the future. You can talk to your team at the hospital or your palliative care team. We also have information about care and support available in the last few months of life, if you want to find out more.
You can also speak to our specialist nurses on our free Support Line. They can explain what to expect, and how to get the support you need. They can also answer any questions you may have and talk through any worries.
“I’ve made a plan for the end of my life with a local hospice. I’ve arranged my funeral and my wake, and sorted out all my affairs. That’s how I want it to be. It means I can enjoy myself without focusing on the death side of things.”
“Knowing what to expect at the end would have made things a bit less stressful.”
Some people decide they don’t want to have any treatment for the cancer. This can be for lots of different reasons, and will be a very personal decision to you. You can still have palliative care to control any symptoms.
If you can, take some time to think this over and speak to your medical team, and your family and friends. Macmillan Cancer Support has more information about making treatment decisions when you have advanced cancer.
“Make the most of times when you feel well. Seeing friends, family, trips away. We even had 2 trips to Greece (with careful planning). After the inoperable diagnosis, these times kept us going.”
We have listed some of the references to the sources used to write this information. If you would like the full list of references, email us at publications@pancreaticcancer.org.uk
National Council for Palliative Care. Palliative care explained. [online] Available from: http://www.ncpc.org.uk/palliative-care-explained
Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines. Background. [online]. Available at: www.palliativecareguidelines.scot.nhs.uk/guidelines/about-the-guidelines/background.aspx
Finucane AM et al What makes palliative care needs “complex”? A multisite sequential explanatory mixed methods study of patients referred for specialist palliative care 2021 BMC Palliative Care 20 (18)
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Advance Care Planning: A quick guide for registered managers of care homes and home care services. [online]. Available at: www.nice.org.uk/media/default/about/nice-communities/social-care/quick-guides/advance-care-planning-quick-guide.pdf
Published March 2026
To be reviewed March 2029
