Treatment options for pancreatic cancer
An overview of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and clinical trials for pancreatic cancer — and the support that runs alongside treatment.
Treatment for pancreatic cancer depends on the stage of the cancer and whether surgery is possible, on test results, on your overall health, and on your goals. Decisions are usually made with a multidisciplinary team, and a plan often combines more than one type of treatment over time.
Two guides explain the information treatment decisions rest on: stages and surgical assessment, and testing, including biomarker and inherited genetic testing.
This page is general information, not medical advice.
Surgery
Surgery may be an option when the cancer can be removed and a person is well enough for a major operation. Our guide explains how surgical suitability is assessed, the main operations — the Whipple procedure, distal pancreatectomy, and total pancreatectomy — and what recovery may involve.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses drugs to destroy cancer cells or slow their growth, and it reaches the whole body. It may be given before surgery, after surgery, or as the main treatment when surgery is not possible. The specific drugs and schedule depend on the cancer, your health, and prior treatment, and your team will explain what each course is intended to achieve.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses focused high-energy beams to damage cancer cells in a specific area. It may be used in selected situations to treat pancreatic cancer or relieve symptoms, sometimes alongside chemotherapy. Your team can explain whether it has a role in your treatment plan.
Targeted therapy
Targeted therapies act on specific changes found in a cancer. Whether one applies depends on the findings of biomarker and genetic testing, so not everyone is eligible. See what biomarker testing looks for and inherited genetic testing.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer. For pancreatic cancer, it may be considered in selected situations, including when tumour testing identifies deficient mismatch repair — or dMMR — or high microsatellite instability, called MSI-H. Your care team can explain whether your results make an immunotherapy discussion appropriate.
Clinical trials
Clinical trials study new treatments or new uses of existing ones. Taking part is a research decision, not a guaranteed alternative treatment — a trial may or may not help you directly, and eligibility criteria are specific. Ask your team whether any trial fits your situation. The Foundation advocates for more and fairer trial access in Canada: see our policy priority on equitable access to clinical trials.
Support during treatment
Treatment is only one part of living with pancreatic cancer. These guides cover the support that runs alongside it:
- Nutrition and digestion with pancreatic cancer
- Palliative care and symptom support
- Financial support during pancreatic cancer
- Emotional & mental health support
- Caregivers Hub
Questions to ask your care team
- What is the goal of the treatment being recommended?
- Which options apply to my stage and test results, and which do not?
- What side effects should I expect, and how are they managed?
- How will we know whether treatment is working?
- Are there clinical trials I should consider?
- Who coordinates my care, and whom do I contact with problems?
Sources
- Canadian Cancer Society — Treatments for pancreatic cancer
- U.S. National Cancer Institute — Pancreatic cancer treatment
Last reviewed: October 24, 2026