UPMC Hillman Cancer Center is part of the UPMC family.

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Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

UPMC Hillman Cancer Center brings together a diverse team of specialists to care for people at every stage of this complex disease.

Because of the highly variable nature of pancreatic cancer, we:

  • Design treatment programs that serve the unique needs of each person.
  • Consider not just the stage or type of cancer but also factors that affect your well being.
  • Work closely as a team to make sure the focus is on you — not your disease.

With more than 60 locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and western New York, you can find high-quality care close to home.

UPMC Hillman Cancer Center is the only cancer center in the region recognized by the National Cancer Institute as a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Your prognosis will depend on:

  • Your diagnosis.
  • Your overall health.
  • How well your pancreatic cancer care team expects your treatment plan to work.

Our team will develop an individualized plan of care with the goal of giving you the best outcome possible.

Our team has expert knowledge and skill in treating cancers of the pancreas.

We care for people with:

  • Exocrine pancreatic cancer (adenocarcinoma)
  • Ampullary and bile duct cancer
  • Benign pancreatic disease
  • Cysts and cystic neoplasms
  • Duodenal polyps and cancers
  • Locally advanced pancreatic cancer
  • Metastatic pancreatic cancer
  • Neuroendocrine tumors (islet cell tumors)

We also treat cancers of the:

  • Pancreasdistal esophagus
  • Stomach
  • Bile ducts
  • Duodenum
  • Small intestine

Our goal is to deliver complete pancreatic cancer care at every step, from diagnosis through treatment and follow-up.

Depending on the treatment approach, your team may include specialists in:

  • Surgical oncology: Cancer surgeons can remove the tumor, relieve symptoms, or prevent complications.
  • Medical oncology: Medical oncologists use drug treatments, biological therapies, and regional perfusion.
  • Radiation oncology: Radiation therapy uses electron beams to kill cancer cells.
  • Pathology: Pathologists can diagnose pancreatic cancer by studying tissue samples.
  • Gastroenterology: Gastroenterologists may order tests for people experiencing digestive issues that lead to in a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. They also may play a role during treatment.
  • Pain management: This includes specialists in physical and emotional pain who will work with you to achieve pain relief.
  • Palliative care: Our palliative and supportive care team members will work with you and your family for symptom management, family support, psychosocial care and spiritual care. They also help with discharge planning and integrate inpatient services with outpatient and home-based programs.

Find a pancreatic cancer specialist at UPMC.

Your individual treatment program may include one or more of these approaches:

If you're able to take part in a clinical trial, you may receive access to treatment that is unavailable elsewhere.

Because we treat the whole patient — not just the disease — UPMC Hillman Cancer Center offers supportive services.

Supportive care can enhance your treatment program and aid in healing. It can also help you cope with the physical and logistical demands of pancreatic cancer treatment.

You and your family members may meet with experts in:

UPMC Hillman Cancer Center’s Pancreatic Cancer Program includes research of new detection and treatment methods, along with clinical trials, many of which are not available elsewhere.

Through research, our experts work to better understand and treat pancreatic cancer and to develop ways to detect pancreatic cancer earlier, when it can be easier to treat.

Contact Us About Pancreatic Cancer Care

To learn more about pancreatic cancer care or to make an appointment, you can:

Doctors and nurses talking at a conference table

Pancreatic Specialty Care

Our multidisciplinary team of experts at Pancreatic Specialty Care care for patients who have an advanced form of cancer or metastatic cancer, or those who want a second opinion.

Learn more about Pancreatic Specialty Care.