At Riverside Health, you have an entire cancer care team fighting for you – with diagnosis and treatment expertise for any stage of pancreatic cancer. Your multidisciplinary team of clinical experts includes all specialists that are involved in your care. Through case conferences, also called tumor boards, your team works together to determine the best treatment for every aspect of your pancreatic cancer diagnosis, treatment and support.
With a combination of advanced diagnostic and treatment protocols, your Riverside pancreatic cancer team will provide expert imaging for diagnosis and pancreatic cancer staging, including:
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
- Endoscopic ultrasound- (EUS)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- PET Scan
- Ultrasound
Advanced treatments for pancreatic cancer
After the diagnosis of your type and stage of pancreatic cancer, you will first see a surgical oncologist to determine which type of surgery is appropriate, based on the location, size and extent of cancer. We provide many advanced treatments for our patients with pancreatic cancer, including stereotactic radiosurgery. Our experts use this advanced technology to provide extreme precision and low toxicity, targeting cancer cells while avoiding healthy tissue. Our state-of-the-art Stereotactic Radiosurgery Center at Riverside currently treats more patients in Virginia than any other center.
For pancreatic cancer treatment, your team will rely on a range of options, perhaps a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. For surgical interventions, our surgery team offers several types of pancreatic surgeries to match your specific cancer needs, including:
- Distal Pancreatectomy
- Total Pancreatectomy
- Whipple Procedure
Immunotherapy is available at Riverside, extending lives and improving the quality of life for our patients. Our team will provide the resources and support you need for any stage of pancreatic cancer, including medication or procedures to reduce or relieve any pain or discomfort you may be experiencing. Patients also have access to research and clinical trials through our academic medical center partnership with VCU Health and affiliations with pharmaceutical partners.
Understanding pancreatic cancer
Your pancreas is a vital organ, releasing enzymes for digestion and hormones that manage your blood sugar. Given these essential functions, pancreatic cancer can be challenging to detect in the earliest stages because you may not experience symptoms. If you have any unexplained abdominal pain or bloating, loss of appetite or diabetes concerns, talk to a Riverside specialist to understand what may be causing your issues.
You may be aware of some pancreatic cancer risk factors such as a family history of the disease or chronic inflammation of your pancreas, called pancreatitis. Other risk factors include diabetes or general risk factors, such as smoking and obesity. A combination of risk factors such as obesity due to an unhealthy diet with uncontrolled diabetes can significantly elevate your risk. We can help identify the cause of your concerns and help you identify any elevated risks. Together, we’ll help you through expert diagnosis, a treatment plan based on input from the entire pancreatic cancer care team - and on to recovery.
Learn more about pancreatic cancer care at Riverside
At Riverside cancer care, we provide complete care and support, including patient navigators, to help you through any aspect of cancer care. We were one of the first organizations in the nation to add patient navigators to the cancer team – because we know you need support in addition to a best-in-class standard of care. For any aspect of pancreatic cancer, including advanced diagnostics, surgery, infusion therapy, radiation therapy or clinical trials, we’ll get through it together. Please contact our team for more information on how we can help.