Pancreatic Cancer Treatment at VICI Healthcare — Daycare Oncology

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most challenging solid tumours to treat, not because good therapies don’t exist, but because the pancreas sits deep in the abdomen and symptoms usually arrive late. Modern combination chemotherapy, better imaging that catches smaller tumours, and targeted drugs for specific mutations have changed what is possible. At VICI Healthcare, we treat pancreatic cancer as a team—surgeon, medical oncologist, radiation specialist, nutritionist, and counsellor working together on your case from the first visit.

What is pancreatic cancer?

The pancreas is a soft, pale organ tucked behind the stomach. It has a head that sits in the curve of the duodenum (first part of the small intestine), a body that crosses the spine, and a tail that reaches over to the spleen. Two jobs run in parallel inside it. The exocrine part makes the digestive juices that break down fat and protein. The endocrine part, scattered as small islands of cells called the islets of Langerhans, makes insulin and other hormones that keep blood sugar steady.

Pancreatic cancer starts when cells in the pancreas begin to divide without control. Nine times out of ten, when an oncologist says “pancreatic cancer,” the disease is a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma—a tumour that begins in the cells lining the small ducts carrying digestive juice from the gland into the bowel. These cancer cells sit inside a thick, fibrous stroma—a kind of scar tissue that surrounds and protects them, which is one reason why drugs and the immune system both struggle to fight the disease.

The reason this cancer carries such a dark reputation is the gap between how many people are diagnosed and how few survive five years. In every published hospital series, including those from a tertiary cancer centre and a tertiary cancer centre, that gap is wider for pancreatic cancer than for almost any other common solid tumour. The hard truth is that pancreatic cancer is usually found late. Because the pancreas sits deep in the abdomen, behind layers of stomach and bowel, a tumour can grow for months without producing a single symptom you would notice. By the time jaundice, weight loss, or back pain bring a patient to a doctor, the disease has often already crept onto a nearby blood vessel or seeded the liver or the lining of the abdomen.

Main subtypes of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is not one disease. The cell of origin and the molecular pattern decide almost everything about treatment, prognosis, and what we tell a family to expect.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)

PDAC is by far the most common form, accounting for the large majority of all pancreatic cancers in adults. It begins in the lining of the small ducts of the exocrine pancreas, usually starting as a microscopic precancerous lesion called pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) that climbs from PanIN-1 to PanIN-3 over years before becoming invasive cancer. Most PDAC tumours carry a KRAS mutation, and a smaller share carry other actionable changes like BRCA1/2, PALB2, or mismatch repair defects.

Acinar cell carcinoma

Uncommon. It starts from the digestive-enzyme-making cells and sometimes presents with subcutaneous fat necrosis and joint pain. It tends to be diagnosed at a slightly earlier stage than PDAC and behaves a bit better, but it is still aggressive.

Adenosquamous carcinoma

A rare and aggressive variant showing both glandular and squamous features under the microscope. Outcomes are usually worse than typical PDAC.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (PanNETs)

Start from the islet cells and are biologically a completely different disease from PDAC. Some are functional—secreting insulin (insulinoma), gastrin (gastrinoma), glucagon, or VIP—and the patient comes in with the symptoms of that hormone rather than a pancreatic mass. Others are non-functional and picked up because of pain, jaundice, or an incidental scan. PanNETs are graded by how fast their cells are dividing (Ki-67 index): grade 1 and 2 often grow slowly over years, while grade 3 PanNETs behave much more aggressively. Treatment uses a different drug toolkit including somatostatin analogues, everolimus, sunitinib, and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy with 177Lu-DOTATATE.

Pancreatic cystic neoplasms

A group including intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN), mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCN), serous cystadenomas, and solid pseudopapillary neoplasms. Most are not cancer at the moment they are found, but some carry a real risk of turning into cancer over time, which is why they are followed closely or removed depending on size, location, and worrisome features on scan.

Inherited pancreatic cancer

About one in ten patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma carries a germline mutation in a cancer-predisposition gene. The genes most commonly involved are BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, ATM, the Lynch syndrome mismatch repair genes (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2), CDKN2A, STK11, and PRSS1. We now offer germline testing to most patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, regardless of family history, because finding one of these genes can change drug choice.

Early signs to watch for

Early pancreatic cancer hides. By the time a patient walks into a clinic with clear complaints, the tumour is usually already a few centimetres across. The signs below are what a real patient would notice:

• Painless yellowing of the skin and eyes (obstructive jaundice). When a tumour sits in the head of the pancreas, it presses on the bile duct as it runs through the gland, and bile backs up into the blood. The yellow tint usually shows in the whites of the eyes first.
• Dark, tea-coloured urine and pale, putty-coloured stools. These come with jaundice and are caused by bile blockage. They are often the change a family member notices before the patient does.
• Itching all over the body. Bile salts that have nowhere to go end up in the skin and cause an intense, generalised itch that does not respond to ordinary moisturiser.
• A dull, gnawing pain in the upper abdomen that moves through to the back. This usually means the tumour is in the body or tail of the pancreas, or that it is touching a nerve plexus behind the gland. It often gets worse when lying flat and a little better leaning forward.
• Unexplained weight loss with loss of appetite. Five to ten kilos in a few months, in someone who is not trying to lose weight, is a serious sign in any adult and a particular red flag in someone over fifty.
• New-onset diabetes after the age of fifty in a non-obese adult. Pancreatic cancer can damage the islet cells and trigger diabetes months before any pain or jaundice. We pay attention to this pattern, especially if blood sugar is rising fast and the person has lost weight.
• Greasy, foul-smelling stools that float and are hard to flush. This is steatorrhoea. It happens when the tumour blocks the duct carrying digestive enzymes into the bowel, fat is no longer absorbed, and it ends up in the toilet.
• Persistent nausea, vomiting, or a feeling of fullness after just a few bites. A tumour in the head of the pancreas can press on the duodenum and slow the stomach from emptying.
• A painful, swollen calf or sudden shortness of breath. Pancreatic cancer raises the risk of blood clots. A first-time deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism in an older adult deserves a careful look at the pancreas.
• Worsening fatigue and a vague sense of being unwell. Not specific on its own, but in combination with any of the above it should not be brushed off.
• Depression that comes on quickly, sometimes before any physical complaint. This is a recognised pattern in pancreatic cancer.

What causes pancreatic cancer and who is at risk

We do not know exactly what triggers any one person’s pancreatic cancer. We do know which factors raise the odds, and a few of them matter more in the Indian population.

Tobacco in every form

Smoking cigarettes, beedis, and hookah, and chewing tobacco and gutka, are the single biggest modifiable risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Tobacco smoking is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen for the pancreas. The risk rises with both how much and how long a person has used it. The risk falls slowly after quitting but takes years to come back near the level of someone who has never smoked. In Indian men, smokeless tobacco habits add their own contribution that the ICMR registries have tracked for years.

Alcohol and chronic pancreatitis

Long-term heavy drinking raises pancreatic cancer risk, partly through its link with chronic pancreatitis. Years of repeated inflammation in the gland increase the risk that one of the many cell divisions involved in healing makes the wrong mistake. This is true whether the pancreatitis is alcohol-related, caused by gallstones, or hereditary.

Diabetes and metabolic factors

Long-standing diabetes, especially type 2 lasting more than five years, modestly raises the risk of pancreatic cancer. The relationship runs both ways—new diabetes after fifty in a non-obese adult can sometimes be the first sign of an undiagnosed pancreatic tumour. Obesity and central adiposity also raise risk in cohort studies.

Diet and occupational factors

Diets very heavy in red and processed meat and very low in fruit and vegetables have been linked to higher risk. Long-term exposure to certain chemicals such as chlorinated hydrocarbons, some pesticides, nickel, and chromium compounds has been associated with a small rise in pancreatic cancer risk in industrial cohorts.

Family history and inherited syndromes

A first-degree relative with pancreatic cancer roughly doubles your own risk, and the risk climbs further if more than one close relative is affected. Genetic syndromes including BRCA1/2, PALB2, ATM, Lynch syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers, and hereditary pancreatitis all raise lifetime risk to varying degrees. We now recommend germline testing for almost every patient with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, regardless of family history, because the result can change drug choice and triggers screening of brothers, sisters, and adult children.

Age and sex

Pancreatic cancer is uncommon under forty. Most patients in Indian hospital series are between fifty-five and seventy-five, and men are diagnosed somewhat more often than women.

How we diagnose pancreatic cancer

The diagnostic pathway is built around two questions. First, is this really cancer and not pancreatitis or a benign cyst. Second, if it is cancer, can we cut it out, and if not, what is the best drug therapy to start.

1. History and examination. A careful history asks about jaundice, weight loss, back pain, new diabetes, family history of cancer, alcohol and tobacco use, and any episodes of pancreatitis. Examination looks for jaundice, a palpable mass, an enlarged gallbladder, an enlarged liver, ascites, and any sign of clot in the legs.
2. Blood tests. Liver function tests show an obstructive pattern with high bilirubin and high alkaline phosphatase if the bile duct is blocked. A complete blood count, kidney function, fasting glucose, and HbA1c are routine. Tumour markers CA 19-9 and, less commonly, CEA are measured. CA 19-9 is helpful but imperfect—some patients with the wrong Lewis blood group antigen do not make CA 19-9 even when they have advanced cancer.
3. Cross-sectional imaging. A pancreatic protocol multi-detector CT scan with thin slices and arterial and portal venous phases is the workhorse. This study tells us where the tumour is, how big it is, whether it touches the superior mesenteric artery, the coeliac axis, the hepatic artery, the portal vein, or the superior mesenteric vein, whether there are enlarged lymph nodes, and whether there are spots on the liver or peritoneum. MRI of the abdomen with MRCP is added when we need a clearer picture of the bile ducts and the pancreatic duct.
4. Tissue diagnosis. A diagnosis of pancreatic cancer needs a tissue sample before chemotherapy starts. The standard approach is endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided fine-needle aspiration or core biopsy of the pancreatic mass, performed by a gastroenterology team. EUS has the highest yield, the lowest complication rate, and the bonus of staging the local lymph nodes at the same sitting.
5. Molecular profiling. Once a diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma is made, we now routinely send tissue for molecular testing and the patient for germline genetic testing. We are looking for BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, ATM, mismatch repair status (MSI/MMR), KRAS subtype, NTRK fusions, NRG1 fusions, BRAF mutations, and HER2 amplification. Each of these can open a treatment door that would otherwise be closed.
6. Bile duct decompression, if needed. If the patient is deeply jaundiced and surgery is not happening this week, an ERCP with placement of a stent in the bile duct relieves jaundice, restores liver function, and makes chemotherapy safer.
7. Staging laparoscopy in selected patients. For tumours that look borderline resectable or locally advanced on scan, we sometimes look inside the abdomen with a small camera before opening the patient up. This catches small peritoneal or surface-of-the-liver deposits that no CT can see and saves a number of patients from a useless big surgery.

Stages of pancreatic cancer, explained simply

Pancreatic cancer is staged with the AJCC/UICC TNM system, eighth edition. The TNM describes the tumour size (T), lymph node involvement (N), and distant spread (M).

Stage	What this means	Typical approach
Stage IA	Very small tumour, 2 cm or less, no lymph nodes involved, no spread	Surgery is the mainstay. Adjuvant chemotherapy for fit patients improves survival.
Stage IB	Small tumour, 2–4 cm, no lymph nodes involved, no spread	Surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Aim is cure.
Stage IIA	Tumour larger than 4 cm, no lymph nodes involved, no spread	Surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Improving survival with modern regimens.
Stage IIB	Tumour of any size with 1–3 lymph nodes involved, no spread	Chemotherapy before surgery (neoadjuvant), then re-image and operate if resectable. Adjuvant chemo after surgery.
Stage III	Tumour involves 4 or more lymph nodes, or wraps major blood vessels (coeliac axis, superior mesenteric artery)	Chemotherapy and sometimes radiation. Surgery is usually not an option. Aim is good quality of life.
Stage IV	Cancer has spread to the liver, peritoneum, lungs, or distant organs	Chemotherapy and supportive care. Surgery is reserved for symptom relief. Median survival measured in months, not years.

A frank word on survival. Pancreatic cancer has the worst stage-for-stage survival of almost any common solid tumour. Five-year survival is highest for the small, node-negative tumours caught at stage IA, somewhat lower for stage IB and IIA, much lower once nodes are involved, and very low for stage IV. We give every patient the honest range, in numbers, and we never promise. We also tell them that within those averages there are real long-term survivors, especially among patients whose tumour can be removed, who tolerate adjuvant chemotherapy, and who carry a BRCA or PALB2 mutation that opens the door to PARP inhibitors.

Treatment options at VICI Healthcare

Pancreatic cancer is one of the diseases where the team around the patient matters as much as any single drug or operation. A good outcome needs a surgeon who does pancreatic surgery week in and week out, a medical oncologist who knows the modern combinations, a radiation oncologist comfortable with stereotactic body radiotherapy, an interventional radiologist for biliary drainage, a pain team, a dietician trained in pancreatic enzyme replacement, and a counsellor.

Surgery

When pancreatic cancer is found early enough that we can take it out, surgery is the only treatment that gives a real chance of cure. For a tumour in the head of the pancreas, the standard operation is a pancreaticoduodenectomy, also called a Whipple procedure. The surgeon removes the head of the pancreas, the duodenum, the gallbladder, the lower bile duct, and a small cuff of stomach, and reconstructs the digestive and biliary plumbing using three new joins. It is one of the longest and most demanding operations in general surgery. Done at high-volume centres by surgeons who do many of these every year, it is far safer than it used to be. For a tumour in the body or tail, the operation is a distal pancreatectomy, usually with removal of the spleen, and is increasingly done laparoscopically or robotically. For modern borderline resectable tumours that involve the portal vein or superior mesenteric vein, experienced centres will take out and reconstruct a segment of vein during the same operation. The trade-off is real—recovery takes weeks, some patients lose weight, develop new diabetes, or need long-term enzyme tablets with every meal. We weigh all of it against the possibility of cure, and we make the decision with the patient and the family in the room.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the spine of treatment for almost every patient with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The two regimens that have changed outcomes in the past decade are FOLFIRINOX (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin), often given as a slightly gentler modified version called mFOLFIRINOX, and gemcitabine combined with nab-paclitaxel. Both are stronger than gemcitabine alone, which was the old standard.

After surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy). In patients fit enough to tolerate it, modified FOLFIRINOX given for six months after a successful Whipple improves survival compared with gemcitabine alone. Gemcitabine plus capecitabine is another well-established option. For older or frailer patients, gemcitabine alone remains a reasonable choice.

Before surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy). For borderline resectable disease, and increasingly even for clearly resectable cases at high-volume centres, we now give chemotherapy first. The reasoning is that it shrinks the tumour, treats microscopic spread early, and lets the surgeon operate through cleaner planes. FOLFIRINOX is the most commonly used regimen in this setting.

For advanced or metastatic disease. Fit patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer are usually offered FOLFIRINOX. Patients who cannot tolerate it because of age, performance status, or comorbidities are offered gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel, which is a bit gentler. Plain gemcitabine remains an option for the frailest patients. Second-line options after progression include nanoliposomal irinotecan with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin, oxaliplatin-based combinations, and gemcitabine if it has not been used.

Targeted therapy and immunotherapy

For patients whose tumour carries a BRCA1, BRCA2, or PALB2 mutation, olaparib (a PARP inhibitor) given after platinum-based chemotherapy improves survival and is now standard. For patients with KRAS G12C mutations, sotorasib or adagrasib are new options under investigation in pancreatic cancer trials. For patients whose tumour is mismatch repair deficient or has high microsatellite instability, pembrolizumab (an anti-PD-1 immunotherapy) has shown benefit and is approved for advanced pancreatic cancer in this subset.

Radiation therapy

For locally advanced unresectable disease, combined chemotherapy and radiation (usually SBRT—stereotactic body radiotherapy—or hypofractionated IMRT) can improve local control and help with pain. For selected borderline resectable cases, neoadjuvant chemoradiation is sometimes used. At VICI Healthcare, radiation is offered as part of a careful multidisciplinary plan.

Supportive and symptom-directed care

This is not an afterthought. In pancreatic cancer it sits next to the main treatment plan from day one. Biliary drainage via ERCP-placed stents relieves jaundice and itching and lets the liver recover before chemotherapy. A coeliac plexus block—done either at EUS or under CT guidance—can give weeks to months of relief from deep back pain and cuts down opioid use. Pancreatic enzyme replacement capsules taken with every meal restore digestion, ease steatorrhoea, slow weight loss, and improve quality of life. New or worsening diabetes is common after diagnosis and after surgery; we co-manage with an endocrinologist. A dietician trained in pancreatic cancer is one of the most useful members of the team. Many patients with advanced pancreatic cancer benefit from a low dose of low-molecular-weight heparin or a direct oral anticoagulant to prevent the clots this disease is so prone to. A counsellor and sometimes a psychiatrist should be part of the team from the start, not at the end. Bringing palliative care alongside oncology from the time of diagnosis has been shown in published studies to improve quality of life.

What a day at VICI Healthcare looks like

1. Arrive and check-in (8:00–8:15 AM). You check in at the front desk, and our staff reviews your appointment and any new symptoms.
2. Pre-treatment bloodwork (8:15–8:45 AM). A nurse draws blood for liver function tests, kidney function, blood counts, and CA 19-9 if we are monitoring it. These results guide today’s treatment plan.
3. Consult with your oncologist (8:45–9:30 AM). You and your doctor review the bloodwork, discuss how you are feeling, any side effects from recent treatment, and the plan for today. This is when we answer questions.
4. Start chemotherapy or other treatment (9:30–10:00 AM). An IV nurse places a central line or peripheral IV and starts the infusion. You recline in a comfortable chair in our day-care suite.
5. Infusion period (10:00 AM–12:30 PM or later depending on regimen). Chemotherapy, targeted drug, or immunotherapy runs slowly. You can read, sleep, watch a show on your phone, or have a family member sit with you. Our nursing staff checks on you every 15–30 minutes and manages any nausea or discomfort.
6. Observation and recovery (after infusion–2:30 PM). After the infusion ends, we monitor you for 30–60 minutes to ensure no acute reactions. You have lunch or snacks provided by our dietician.
7. Discharge and go home (by 3:00 PM). You receive written instructions for home care, a list of side effects to watch for, emergency contact numbers, and a date for your next appointment. You drive or are driven home and rest for the remainder of the day.

Cost of pancreatic cancer treatment in India

Pancreatic cancer treatment spans a wide cost range, because it depends on stage, the operation needed, the chemotherapy regimen, the molecular profile, and how long therapy has to be given. The numbers below are typical ranges from Indian tertiary cancer centres. They are for guidance only. Actual cost depends on stage, protocol, hospital tariff, insurance cover, and duration. We give every family a written estimate before starting treatment.

Scenario	Treatment plan	Typical ₹ range	Duration
Resectable stage IA–IIA (head)	Pancreaticoduodenectomy at high-volume centre	₹4–8 L	10–14 days inpatient
Resectable stage IA–IIA (body/tail)	Distal pancreatectomy	₹3–6 L	7–10 days inpatient
Adjuvant after surgery	mFOLFIRINOX, six months	₹2–5 L	Six months
Adjuvant (gentler)	Gemcitabine + capecitabine, six months	₹1.5–3 L	Six months
Borderline resectable	Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX, then surgery, then more chemo	₹6–12 L	8–12 months
Locally advanced unresectable	Chemotherapy then chemoradiation or SBRT	₹4–9 L	6–9 months
Metastatic, fit patient	First-line FOLFIRINOX, then second-line options	₹2–5 L per 3 months	Ongoing as long as beneficial
Metastatic, less fit	Gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel	₹1.5–4 L per 3 months	Ongoing
BRCA-positive maintenance	Olaparib after platinum-based chemo	₹1.5–3 L per month	Until progression
MSI-high disease	Pembrolizumab, every 3 weeks	₹1.5–2.5 L per cycle	Up to 2 years
PanNET, advanced	Octreotide LAR or lanreotide, plus everolimus or sunitinib	₹50,000–2 L per month	Long-term

Three honest points about cost. First, some insurance policies cover surgery and inpatient chemotherapy generously but cover oral targeted drugs poorly. We help families read the fine print. Second, generic versions of several key drugs bring the cost down a great deal compared with branded versions, and at our centre we use quality-checked generics by default. Third, government schemes such as Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, state cancer schemes, and the Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund cover a meaningful share of pancreatic cancer treatment for eligible patients, and our counsellors help families apply.

Why patients choose VICI Healthcare

Questions patients ask us

Is pancreatic cancer always a death sentence?

No. The honest answer is that it is one of the harder cancers we treat, and stage at diagnosis matters more than almost anything else. Patients whose tumour can be cleanly removed, who finish adjuvant chemotherapy, and who do not relapse in the first two years have a real chance of long-term survival. Patients with advanced disease can still gain meaningful months and quality of life from modern combinations, especially if they carry a BRCA mutation or mismatch repair deficiency. We never quote a single number to a family, because every patient is more than an average.

How dangerous is a Whipple operation?

A pancreaticoduodenectomy is a big operation. At low-volume hospitals it carries a higher risk than most general surgery. At high-volume centres with experienced pancreatic teams, the operative mortality is now low and the major complication rate is much improved, though it is still higher than for, say, a routine gallbladder removal. The single most important thing you can do is have it done by a surgeon who performs many of these every year, in a hospital with an ICU and an interventional radiology team on site.

Will he be able to eat normally after surgery?

Eating changes after a Whipple. Most patients lose weight in the first few months, eat smaller portions, and need pancreatic enzyme capsules with every meal and snack to digest fat properly. Many recover a near-normal eating pattern over six to twelve months. A dietician trained in pancreatic surgery is one of the most useful people on the team during recovery.

Will he become diabetic after surgery?

Some patients develop new diabetes after a Whipple, and almost everyone becomes diabetic after a total pancreatectomy. We watch blood sugar closely and start treatment as needed. Many patients are managed on tablets or a small dose of insulin. We co-manage with an endocrinologist.

Why does my mother need chemotherapy after surgery if the surgeon “got it all”?

Even when a tumour looks completely removed under the microscope, microscopic cancer cells can already be travelling in the blood at the time of surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy is the treatment for those invisible cells, and several trials have shown that finishing six months of modern adjuvant chemotherapy improves the chance of long-term survival.

What is FOLFIRINOX and is it worth the side effects?

FOLFIRINOX is a combination of four drugs given through a vein every two weeks. It is stronger than older chemotherapy options and, in fit patients, it offers a real survival gain. The trade-off is more side effects, including diarrhoea, mouth sores, low blood counts, fatigue, and tingling in the hands and feet. We use a slightly gentler “modified” version, support with anti-nausea drugs and growth factors, and adjust doses to keep people on treatment. For most fit patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the trade-off is worth it.

Should every patient with pancreatic cancer have genetic testing?

Yes, and this has changed in the past few years. We now recommend germline genetic testing for almost every patient diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, regardless of age or family history. About one in ten patients will carry a mutation in BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, ATM, the Lynch syndrome genes, or another cancer predisposition gene. The result can change drug choice, and it tells us whether brothers, sisters, and adult children should be screened themselves.

My brother has BRCA. Should I be screened for pancreatic cancer?

Possibly. People with a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, especially with a family history of pancreatic cancer, may be offered enrolment in a high-risk surveillance programme that uses MRI of the pancreas and EUS at intervals. The same is true for people with PALB2 mutations, hereditary pancreatitis, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, and a few other syndromes. We can refer you to a programme.

Why does my mother need a stent before chemotherapy?

Deeply jaundiced patients have a liver that is not working properly. Chemotherapy given on top of a non-functioning liver is unsafe. A stent placed in the bile duct at ERCP relieves the blockage, lets the liver recover over a couple of weeks, and makes chemotherapy safe to start.

What is a coeliac plexus block and will it help my pain?

A coeliac plexus block is a procedure in which a doctor injects a local anaesthetic into the cluster of nerves behind the pancreas that carry pain signals from the upper abdomen. It can be done under CT guidance or during an endoscopic ultrasound. In the right patient it gives weeks to months of real pain relief and reduces opioid needs.

Are there clinical trials for pancreatic cancer?

Yes, and more every year. New KRAS inhibitors, new combinations of FOLFIRINOX with targeted drugs, vaccines aimed at KRAS-mutant cancer, and new immunotherapy approaches are all in trials at major Indian centres. We discuss trials with every patient who might be eligible. They are not a guarantee of benefit, but for some patients they open a door that standard treatment cannot.

Should we travel abroad for treatment?

For most Indian patients, the honest answer is no. The drugs we use, the staging system, the surgery, the radiation techniques, and the molecular testing are the same. The cost difference is large. A second opinion abroad can be helpful in unusual cases, and we will not stand in the way of one. For routine pancreatic cancer treatment, an experienced Indian centre offers care that meets international standards at a small fraction of the cost.

Pancreatic cancer treatment in top cities

• Pancreatic cancer treatment in Delhi
• Pancreatic cancer treatment in Gurgaon
• Pancreatic cancer treatment in Noida
• Pancreatic cancer treatment in Faridabad
• Pancreatic cancer treatment in Ghaziabad
• Pancreatic cancer treatment in Mumbai
• Pancreatic cancer treatment in Bengaluru
• Pancreatic cancer treatment in Hyderabad
• Pancreatic cancer treatment in Chennai
• Pancreatic cancer treatment in Kolkata
• Pancreatic cancer treatment in Pune

Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in top cities

• Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in Delhi
• Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in Gurgaon
• Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in Noida
• Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in Faridabad
• Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in Ghaziabad
• Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in Mumbai
• Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in Bengaluru
• Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in Hyderabad
• Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in Chennai
• Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in Kolkata
• Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in Pune

Related cancers we treat

If you have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you may also be interested in information about related gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary cancers.

Supportive care at VICI Healthcare

Pancreatic cancer treatment does not stop at chemotherapy and surgery. We offer integrated supportive care services including pain management, nutrition counselling, psycho-oncology support, physiotherapy, palliative care, and second-opinion services. Learn more about how we support you and your family through treatment and recovery.

• Pain management
• Nutrition counselling
• Psycho-oncology counselling
• Physiotherapy
• Second opinion services
• Palliative care

References

1. IARC / WHO Globocan 2022, India country profile. Cited for incidence and mortality framing of pancreatic cancer in India. Accessed 2026-04-08.
2. NCI Physician Data Query (PDQ), Pancreatic Cancer Treatment, cancer.gov. Cited for histology, symptom list, staging, and treatment overview. Accessed 2026-04-08.
3. SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Pancreatic Cancer, seer.cancer.gov. Cited for stage-stratified survival framing. Accessed 2026-04-08.
4. ICMR National Cancer Registry Programme report. Cited for Indian incidence patterns, age distribution, and urban registry trends. Accessed 2026-04-08.
5. a tertiary cancer centre evidence-based clinical guidelines for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Cited for diagnostic pathway, resectability classification, surgical approach, and supportive care. Accessed 2026-04-08.
6. a tertiary cancer centre patient education material on pancreatic and biliary cancers. Cited for symptom counselling and patient-facing language. Accessed 2026-04-08.
7. WHO ICD-11 reference, malignant neoplasms of the pancreas, block 2C10. Accessed 2026-04-08.
8. ESMO patient guide to pancreatic cancer. Cited for plain-language symptom and treatment description. Accessed 2026-04-08.
9. NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Pancreatic Cancer (summary). Cited for resectability classification, adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy in MSI-H disease. Accessed 2026-04-08.
10. NCBI / PubMed reviews on FOLFIRINOX, gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel, PARP inhibitors, and germline testing in Asian and Indian pancreatic cancer cohorts. Accessed 2026-04-08.
11. IARC monograph evidence on tobacco smoking, smokeless tobacco, alcohol, and chronic pancreatitis as pancreatic cancer risk factors. Accessed 2026-04-08.

This page provides educational information about pancreatic cancer and treatment options. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or a qualified oncologist before making any decisions about your health or cancer care. At VICI Healthcare, all content on our site is reviewed by qualified oncologists and updated regularly with the latest evidence. Last medically reviewed: 8 April 2026.