Treatment
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells and stop them from growing, targeted at a specific area of the body. Your doctor will determine whether radiation is appropriate as part of your treatment plan.
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Radiation
Why Radiation Is Used
Radiation may be used before surgery to shrink a tumor, after surgery to destroy remaining cancer cells, to treat locally advanced tumors near critical blood vessels, or to relieve pain and other symptoms when surgery is not possible.
Radiation
What to Expect
Your radiation oncologist reviews your case, answers questions, and performs a physical exam.
A planning CT maps the tumor and nearby organs so you are positioned precisely the same way for every session.
The team designs your personalized treatment plan. This typically takes 1–2 weeks.
Each session takes about 30 minutes (10 minutes of actual radiation). You lie still; you will not see, feel, or hear the radiation.
Radiation
Side Effects
Common Side Effects
Fatigue, nausea, decreased appetite, loose stools, skin irritation in the treated area, and weight loss. Rare effects include intestinal damage or bile duct strictures. Your care team monitors throughout treatment.
Get an Expert Evaluation
Treatment planning for pancreatic cancer involves close coordination between surgical, medical, and radiation oncology teams.