The information your doctor or nurse gives you should cover:
The hospital should tell your GP about your diagnosis and treatment.
Some people want to know whether their cancer can be cured or how long they have left to live. This is called your prognosis. You may not want to know your prognosis, but if you do, speak to your doctor. They won’t be able to give you an exact timeframe, as everybody is different. But they should be able to give you an idea of what to expect.
Treatments for pancreatic cancer include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells, and radiotherapy uses radiation to destroy them. What treatment you can have depends on whether the cancer has spread.
Your medical team should explain your treatment options in a way that you can understand.
They should talk to you about the benefits of any treatment, as well as the disadvantages and risks. They should involve you in making decisions about your care, and answer any questions or worries you have. It is up to you whether or not you have the treatment or care they recommend.
Your treatment for the cancer should start within 31 days of agreeing with your medical team what treatment you will have.
If you have any questions about your diagnosis or treatment options, you can speak to our specialist nurses on our free Support Line. They can talk you through what everything means and explain what’s involved.
Some people may not be able to have treatment for the cancer. But there are still treatments to help with symptoms. Hospital or community teams will care for you.
Community teams may include your GP, district nurses, Macmillan nurses, or a hospice team. They will be able to assess your symptoms and provide treatments to help with these. They can also help you get care and support at home. They may refer you to a specialist palliative care team.
If you are told that you can’t have any treatment to control your cancer, it can be a shock. If you or your family need support, our specialist nurses on the Support Line can talk for as long as you need.
Your doctor should tell you about any clinical trials that may be suitable for you to take part in. Clinical trials are carefully controlled medical research studies that involve people. They can be an important treatment option for people with pancreatic cancer.
Most pancreatic cancer trials are looking at new treatments, or different ways of using current treatments. Speak to your doctor about whether there are any clinical trials that might be suitable for you.
You can ask for a second opinion about what your options are. This means a different doctor, possibly in a different hospital, will review your diagnosis and treatment options.
Ask your hospital doctor or GP to refer you for a second opinion, if you want one. You don’t have a legal right to this, but most doctors will help you get one. Don’t delay your treatment while you get a second opinion, as it can take several weeks. Keep in mind that the second team’s opinion may not be any different.
Under new rules being introduced from 2024, families can ask for a second opinion if their loved one is rapidly getting worse in hospital. You may hear this called Martha’s Rule. This is different from asking for a second opinion on your diagnosis or treatment options.
After treatment for the cancer, your medical team should give you regular check-ups. You may hear this called follow-up care. The aim of follow-up is to check how well your treatment is working and to manage any side effects.
You should be given information on what to expect after treatment. Ask your doctor or nurse what your follow-up care will involve.
Updated August 2024
Review date August 2026