Treatment

Radiotherapy

• Like chemotherapy, radiotherapy also aims at destroying and/ or limiting the growth of cancerous cells.

• The medium used is high energy rays that target the cancerous cells or the region where the cancer has developed. Radiotherapy is used as adjuvant therapy and now some studies have come up with encouraging results of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy to shrink and facilitate complete removal of the tumor.¹³
• The most common technique uses a machine or an external device as the source of radiations, and the patient is exposed to a particular type and strength of radiations for a specific time.
• Radiotherapy is given alone or with chemotherapy to make it more effective and prevent the progression and recurrence of pancreatic cancer.
• Radiotherapy like chemotherapy is also given in cycles and the patient may have to go to the hospital or health center for 5-6 days in a week. Usually the patient does not require staying in the hospital and can go home after the therapy session is over.
• The usual side effects of radiotherapy are weight loss, tiredness, skin reactions- itching, redness or dryness, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation and increase in susceptibility to infection. Most of the side effects occur during therapy and continue for some period after the therapy, but can be managed with proper care, precautions and medicines.
• The patient should discuss with the doctor about any abnormalities or discomfort experienced during or after therapy.

Advanced techniques

• Intraoperative radiotherapy: An advanced technique uses radiotherapy during surgery and is called as 'Intraoperative radiotherapy' (IORT). In this technique, a high dose of radiation is given at the site of cancer using few beams of radiation after the tumor is removed surgically.
• Brachytherapy: This technique introduces radioactive material sealed in fine tubes or needles at the site of tumor or cancer. Endoscopic ultrasound is used to guide the procedure. IORT and brachytherapy are considered when the tumor is locally advanced.