Questions about IRE?
If you have any questions about what IRE involves, speak to your doctor or nurse.
You can also speak to our specialist nurses on our Support Line.
What's in the 'IRE' section?
- What is irreversible electroporation (IRE) for pancreatic cancer?
- Who can have irreversible electroporation (IRE)?
- What does IRE for pancreatic cancer involve?
- What are the side effects of IRE?
This is general information. Treatment may vary in different hospitals and may depend on your own situation. Speak to your doctor about the treatment, what’s involved, and the risk of any side effects before you decide to have IRE.
Before treatment
You will normally have three to six months of chemotherapy before having IRE. You will then have a CT scan to check the size and position of your cancer.
What happens during treatment?
Your doctor will talk to you about how they will do the IRE.
You will have a general anaesthetic, so that you are asleep and can’t feel anything, and a drug to relax your muscles.
The doctors will place 2-6 needles around the tumour, using scans to help make sure they are in the right place. Short pulses of electricity are then passed between the needles to treat the tumour and some of the surrounding area.
Will I have to stay in hospital?
You may have to stay in hospital for a couple of days or longer. If you had IRE as part of an operation, you may need to stay in hospital for about 10 days or longer.
Check-ups after treatment
You will have a check-up after your treatment to see how you are. You will then have a CT or PET scan around one to three months later, to check how well the treatment has worked.
Speak to our nurses
Updated: September 2025
To be reviewed: September 2027