Pancreatic Cancer — Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment in Lucknow
Pancreatic cancer is a serious condition that demands specialist hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) expertise. While it can be challenging to treat, surgery offers a real chance of cure for patients whose cancer is detected before it has spread — which is why prompt, expert assessment of suspicious symptoms matters.
Dr Sandeep Kumar Verma treats pancreatic cancer in Lucknow at Medanta, performing complex operations such as the Whipple's procedure within a fully supported, multidisciplinary programme.
What is pancreatic cancer?
The pancreas is a deep-seated organ that produces digestive enzymes and hormones such as insulin. Cancer most often arises in the head of the pancreas, where it can block the bile duct and cause painless jaundice. Because the pancreas sits among major blood vessels and other organs, surgery here is among the most demanding in all of medicine and is best done in high-volume centres.
Symptoms to watch for
- Painless yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice), with dark urine and pale stools
- Pain in the upper abdomen, sometimes spreading to the back
- Unexplained weight loss and loss of appetite
- New-onset diabetes or worsening of existing diabetes
- Nausea and a general feeling of being unwell
Causes & risk factors
- Smoking
- Long-standing diabetes and chronic pancreatitis
- Obesity and dietary factors
- A family history of pancreatic cancer in some cases
- Increasing age
How it is diagnosed
- Contrast CT scan — central to diagnosis and assessing operability
- MRI / MRCP and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with biopsy
- Blood tests including the CA 19-9 tumour marker
- Multidisciplinary review to decide the best sequence of treatment
How pancreatic cancer is treated
For cancers confined to the pancreas, surgery offers the best chance of cure. A cancer of the head of the pancreas is treated with the Whipple's procedure (pancreaticoduodenectomy); cancers in the body or tail are treated with a distal pancreatectomy. Chemotherapy is often given before or after surgery to improve the outcome.
Not every pancreatic cancer is operable, and honesty about this matters. Where surgery is not appropriate, other treatments can control the disease and relieve symptoms such as jaundice. Dr Verma plans each case in a multidisciplinary tumour board and performs these complex operations within Medanta's high-dependency surgical environment.
When to see a GI surgeon
- Painless jaundice — yellowing of the eyes or skin — needs urgent assessment
- Upper-abdominal or back pain with weight loss
- New diabetes with weight loss in an older adult
Pancreatic Cancer: common questions
Is pancreatic cancer always inoperable?
No. While pancreatic cancer is serious, a significant number of cancers are caught while still confined to the pancreas and can be removed surgically with a real chance of cure, often combined with chemotherapy. Whether surgery is possible depends on the stage, which is why prompt, specialist assessment is so important.
What is the Whipple's procedure?
The Whipple's procedure (pancreaticoduodenectomy) is the operation used for cancers of the head of the pancreas. It removes the head of the pancreas along with nearby structures and reconstructs the digestive connections. It is a major operation that is performed safely in experienced, high-volume centres such as Medanta.
Concerned about pancreatic cancer?
Dr Sandeep Kumar Verma offers clear assessment and expert treatment. Book a consultation for personalised advice.