Pancreatic Cancer 

Rapid Appointments

Receiving a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer means every second counts as diagnosis generally means the disease has reached an advanced stage. Geisinger understands the necessity of rapid treatment and strives to ensure a multidisciplinary team of specialists evaluate each patient within one week of diagnosis.

Team Approach to Treatment

Initially, a specialist will place a stent in the patient’s bile duct to help keep it open, offering a quick treatment option to relieve jaundice and other symptoms. Each patient’s diagnosis and health history is discussed in a conference attended by a number of cancer specialists. The patient is then seen within one day by surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists. These specialists collaborate to determine the best treatment plan for the patient, and to develop the best treatment schedule.

Laparoscopic Pancreatectomy

If surgery is recommended, the patient will be scheduled quickly. Geisinger is the only facility in the region with surgeons who perform laparoscopic pancreatectomy, the cutting-edge surgical approach for pancreatic cancer. This procedure offers the following:

• Smaller incisions
• Shorter hospital stay
• Faster recovery
• Less pain

High-Volume Center

Geisinger treats a high volume of patients with pancreatic cancer. According to most nationally published studies, this equates to better patient outcomes as more volume leads to more highly skilled medical teams. However, despite the high volume of patients treated at Geisinger, the entire team is available 24 hours a day to answer questions and provide the compassionate care patients battling cancer deserve.

SpyGlass Technology Detects Pancreatic Cancer Sooner

At Geisinger, the latest technologies are used to diagnose pancreatic cancer. SpyGlass technology, used by trained gastroenterologists, can detect pancreatic cancer earlier and with increased certainty. Diagnosis at earlier stages means treatment can begin sooner, leading to better hope for a cure.