Pancreatic Cancer

Can Pancreatic Cancer Be Cured With Surgery in India

Pancreatic cancer has a reputation for being untreatable. That is not the whole picture: when the tumour is found while it is still resectable, surgery offers a genuine chance of cure. This short explains when that is possible.

When surgery can be curative

Surgery is the only treatment that can remove pancreatic cancer completely. Whether it is an option depends far less on the size of the tumour than on where it sits and whether it has spread.

• Resectable disease. The tumour is confined to the pancreas and clear of the major blood vessels behind it.
• Whipple procedure. For tumours in the head of the pancreas - the most common operation, removing the pancreatic head, duodenum, bile duct and gallbladder.
• Distal pancreatectomy. For tumours in the body or tail, usually together with removal of the spleen.
• Borderline-resectable disease. Sometimes made operable by chemotherapy first, then reassessed with fresh imaging.

What decides whether you can be operated on

• Whether the tumour involves the superior mesenteric artery, coeliac axis or portal vein.
• Whether there is spread to the liver, peritoneum or distant lymph nodes.
• Whether you are fit enough for a long operation and a demanding recovery.

Why patients travel to India for this surgery

• High-volume HPB units. Outcomes in pancreatic surgery depend heavily on how often a unit performs it, and the major Indian centres operate at volume.
• Short waiting times. Weeks matter with pancreatic cancer, and scheduling delays are usually short.
• Cost. A Whipple procedure typically costs a fraction of the equivalent in the US or UK.

Whether surgery can cure pancreatic cancer is decided case by case, on current imaging. The only way to know where you stand is to have a recent CT or MRI reviewed by a hepatopancreatobiliary surgeon.