Our specialist gastroenterologists at The Physicians’ Clinic have international expertise in managing pancreatic and biliary tract cancers. You’ll have access to on-site imaging facilities and state-of-the-art endoscopy units, meaning that any diagnostic procedures can be performed quickly and efficiently without delays. Throughout your treatment, your dedicated consultant remains closely involved in your care, working alongside a wider, multidisciplinary team to ensure you have a wealth of expertise and experience to call on.
The pancreas is an organ that produces digestive enzymes and lies close to the gallbladder, which stores bile produced by the liver. Both organs share a common duct that empties into the small intestine.
Cancers in these areas are serious because they are often difficult to detect early and may not cause symptoms until the disease has advanced.
Around 10,500 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year in the UK. Almost half of all new cases are diagnosed in people aged 75 and over, with a slight male predominance. Pancreatic cancer is extremely rare in people under 40.
Early-stage pancreatic cancer usually causes few or no symptoms, making early diagnosis challenging. As the disease progresses, symptoms can include:
While these symptoms are common and can be caused by many other conditions, anyone experiencing them should seek medical attention promptly.
The bile ducts are a network of tubes that carry bile – a digestive fluid made by the liver – to the gallbladder and small intestine. This system, known as the biliary tract, helps our bodies to digest fats and remove waste from the body. Problems in these ducts, including cancer, can affect digestion and lead to other symptoms.
Bile duct cancer is much rarer than pancreatic cancer, with around 3,100 cases diagnosed annually in the UK. It’s more common in older adults and slightly more prevalent in men.
There are two main types:
Symptoms may not appear until the disease is advanced, and can include:
Because these cancers share symptoms with other conditions, such as gallstones, diagnosis can be challenging. Investigations may include:
Surgery offers the best chance of cure, but unfortunately fewer than 20% of pancreatic cancers are suitable for surgical removal. With bile duct cancer, that figure is even lower.
When surgery isn’t possible, treatment focuses on symptom management. This often involves inserting a stent into the bile duct using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). During this procedure, performed as a day case, you’ll be sedated while a flexible telescope is passed gently through your mouth into the duodenum to relieve blockages.
Chemotherapy is also often recommended when surgery is not an option.
Research into developing new diagnostic tests that can detect these cancers at an earlier stage is ongoing. When identified in time, a combination of surgery and tailored radiotherapy or chemotherapy can improve outcomes and help extend survival, offering our patients the best possible chance for a positive result.