At City of Hope, we understand that pancreatic cancer treatment options should depend as much on the patient’s personal preferences as the type and stage of the disease.
That’s why your multidisciplinary team will work with you to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that’s personalized to your individual needs and goals. Treatments for pancreatic cancer may involve minimally invasive gastroenterology techniques, chemotherapy and/or interventional radiology. We combine these conventional treatments with supportive care strategies, including nutritional support and pain management. It’s all part of our commitment to putting patients at the center of their care.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) is now City of Hope®, joining forces to expand patient access to personalized, comprehensive cancer care.
At the GI Cancer Centers at each of our hospitals, our singular focus is on diagnosing and treating the disease—and supporting your quality of life. Our collaborative care team works with you to deliver quality clinical care with a patient-centered approach. For example, because of the digestive tract’s role in processing food and waste, many patients with pancreatic cancer have trouble with digestive function. Your care team may include an oncology-trained dietitian who works with you to develop a healthy and appetizing nutrition plan, to help you get the nutrients you need and to prevent malnourishment.
Your pancreatic cancer care team works all under one roof. That means you have access to state-of-the-art cancer treatments and supportive care therapies all in one place. Your team is led by a medical oncologist, and your treatment plan is coordinated by a care manager dedicated to orchestrating your schedule, communicating with the rest of your care team, getting your questions answered and helping you access your test results in a timely manner. Your care team may also include a surgical and/or radiation oncologist, an interventional radiologists, oncology nurses and a variety of supportive care clinicians.
Learn more about our approach to cancer care
Our doctors work with supportive care providers to deliver evidence-informed therapies designed to address the symptoms of your disease and the side effects of treatment. That’s what supportive care is all about: keeping you strong so you can better tolerate your treatments and maintain your quality of life. Our supportive care services include pain management physicians who offer medication and non-medicinal approaches to help you keep your pain in check, while our spiritual support and behavioral health providers can help support your mental and emotional health before, during and after treatment.
Learn more about supportive care at City of Hope
"Our job as physicians and caregivers is to provide patients with all the information about different options of treatment and encourage them to choose what’s best for them.”
Clinical trials are critical tools researchers and doctors use to determine the safety and effectiveness of new drugs and therapies. At City of Hope, we are committed to offering our patients innovative and new cancer treatments, including access to clinical trials when appropriate. These studies may offer otherwise unavailable options for qualified patients who have exhausted conventional treatment approaches or whose cancer is advanced or difficult to treat. Our cancer doctors and researchers will work with you to determine whether you qualify for a trial, if so, and help you enroll in one that’s right for you.
Learn more about clinical trials at City of Hope
We are stronger than we give ourselves credit for, and I love reminding others of that any chance I get."
