ESMO Patients Guide
What are the treatment options for metastatic pancreatic cancer? The aim of treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer is to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
Chemotherapy The choice of chemotherapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer varies depending on the general health status of the patient. Patients who are fit enough to withstand treatment with multiple agents are typically offered FOLFIRINOX or nab-paclitaxel in combination with gemcitabine. Patients who are less fit may be offered gemcitabine alone, or nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine if their poor health status is due to their cancer. If the cancer progresses after gemcitabine-based treatment, patients might then be treated with nal-IRI in combination with 5-FU/FA (Ducreux et al., 2015). Other treatments might be offered in clinical trials (see section ‘Clinical trials’ for more information).
Chemotherapy is the standard treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer, but not all drugs are suitable for all patients
Some patients will be unable to tolerate treatment with chemotherapy, and these patients will be offered supportive care rather than chemotherapy (see section ‘Supplementary interventions’ for more information).
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