Treatment
You might have one of these treatments if your cancer has a (mutation) or a certain protein that helps the cancer grow. This may be as part of a .
You generally have to be quite fit and well to have some of these drugs. Your doctor will tell you if this treatment may be an option for you.
Find out more about the stages of pancreatic cancer
Doctors are increasingly testing to check for changes in genes (mutations) or certain proteins that help the cancer grow. They may look for changes in the:
neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene
or genes
changes in other genes involved in repair
They usually test a sample of your pancreatic cancer tissue from when you were first diagnosed. Or from your operation if you had one.
The results of the tests may show whether a targeted cancer drug or immunotherapy is suitable for you.
If your cancer has an NTRK gene change, there are drugs available to treat locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer when there are no other treatment options. They are:
larotrectinib (Vitrakvi)
entrectinib (Rozlytrek)
Larotrectinib is a capsule or liquid that you swallow. You have this twice a day.
Entrectinib is a capsule that you swallow. You take this once a day.
You have these medicines for as long as the treatment is working. And you are not getting too many side effects.
We have information about each of these drugs on our cancer drugs A to Z list.
Go to the cancer drugs A to Z list
Immunotherapy can help the body's natural defence system (immune system) to find and destroy pancreatic cancer cells.
Nivolumab is a type of immunotherapy called a . Checkpoint inhibitors are that block proteins such as PD-1. They work by taking the breaks off the immune system to help it attack cancer cells.
You may have nivolumab if your cancer has DNA changes called (MSI-high) or (dMMR). Only a very small number of pancreatic cancers have these changes.
Microsatellites are short, repeating arrangements (sequences) of DNA inside cells. Every time a cell divides, it makes new copies of these DNA sequences. Cells can correct any mistakes that happen in this process. Mismatch repair proteins identify and repair any mistakes made when cells make copies of DNA.
But if these mismatch repair processes are faulty, mistakes can happen when the cell divides. This causes changes in the new copies of DNA. Changes in the length of the new DNA sequence are called microsatellite instability. These changes can cause cells to grow abnormally.
Knowing if there are any of these DNA changes helps your doctor plan your treatment.
You might have nivolumab if your tests show you have either:
a high level of microsatellite instability (MSI-high)
no mismatch repair genes identified (mismatch repair deficient, dMMR)
Understanding the medical terms for some of the results is quite complicated. Your doctor or nurse will explain what it means if you have these changes in your cancer.
Targeted cancer drugs and immunotherapy drugs can cause different side effects. Some of these can be serious. Your doctor or nurse will talk to you about this. Always tell them about any side effects you have and follow the advice they give you.
Read more about the side effects of cancer drugs
Researchers are trying to find better treatments for pancreatic cancer. This includes learning more about the genetic make-up of individual cancers and developing different types of targeted drugs and immunotherapies.
They are looking at these drugs on their own or combined with other treatments.
New treatments are tested in clinical trials, so ask your doctor if there are any trials suitable for you
Last reviewed: 03 May 2023
Next review due: 03 May 2026
The main treatments for pancreatic cancer include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery and treatment to control symptoms. Find out how your doctor decides which treatment you can have.
Cancer drugs have side effects and these can vary from person to person. But there are things that you can do to help you cope.
There are many different types of cancer drugs. Some treat cancer, and others help to relieve symptoms such as sickness and pain. The type of drugs you need for your cancer depends on what type of cancer you have.
Get practical and emotional support to help you cope with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, and life during and after treatment.
Pancreatic cancer is cancer that starts in the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland that produces digestive juices and hormones. Find out about symptoms, tests you might have to diagnose it, treatment and about living with it.
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