My mom was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had a stent placed. We are now looking at where to go for surgery. What should we be looking for was we decide on where to get her care?
Academic Title: Clinical Assistant Professor
Director, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Board Certifications:
Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
After a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, the next step is to determine if surgical resection is feasible. This is usually achieved by obtaining a 3-dimensional CT scan to assess the major blood vessels surrounding the pancreas as well as for evidence of disease that has spread beyond the borders of the pancreas.
If surgery is feasible, then patients and their family should seek surgeons and institutions that do a high volume of pancreatic surgery. The medical literature has clearly shown that the outcome of pancreatic surgery is closely linked to the number of pancreatic surgeries performed. Jefferson has dedicated pancreatic surgeons and performs more pancreatic surgeries than any other institution in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.