About | Side Effects | Does It Hurt | Radioactivity | Treatment Frequency | What You Can Do | Types of Treatment | Next Steps
Radiation therapy is a safe and effective treatment for pancreatic cancer and other types of cancer.
Key Facts
- A controlled dose of radiation is focused on the tumor to kill the cancer cells while minimizing exposure to the surrounding tissue.
- Radiation therapy can be used to reduce a tumor's size before surgery and to kill any remaining cancer cells after surgery.
- Radiation therapy can also be used as a treatment when surgery is not an option.
For more information, to schedule an appointment, or to refer a patient, please contact the Pancreas Center at Columbia at (212) 305-9467 or complete our online appointment request form.
What Is Radiation Therapy?
Radiation therapy is a treatment that uses cutting-edge technology to deliver controlled doses of high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. It may be used alone or in combination with other treatments, such as chemotherapy or surgery.
Radiation therapy can be used to:
- Shrink tumors prior to surgery to make them easier to remove
- Destroy any remaining cancer cells after surgery
- Relieve pain and other symptoms
- Slow the growth of cancer in advanced stages
What Are the Side Effects of Radiation Therapy?
Though the radiation therapy targets the tumor in your pancreas, some radiation still passes through other areas of the body and can irritate nearby organs like the stomach or intestines. As a result, you may experience side effects, including:
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Skin rashes and changes
Fortunately, these side effects are typically mild and go away on their own. At the Pancreas Center, you can work with our knowledgeable nutritionists and dietitians to manage these side effects and learn what to eat and what not to eat.
Does Radiation Therapy Hurt?
Radiation therapy is painless. The procedure does not involve any sedation or anesthesia—you won't feel anything when you receive the treatment.
Will I Be Radioactive?
No, the radiation passes through your body.
How Often Will I Receive Treatment?
The number of treatments you'll need will vary based on factors like the type of radiation therapy used, the stage of your cancer, and any other existing health issues. With very precise high-dose radiation therapy, treatment can include as few as five sessions given over a week to two weeks. When necessary, treatments can be delivered on a daily basis over a period of three to five weeks.
What Can I Do While I'm Undergoing Radiation Therapy?
Patients can typically come to their treatments by themselves and continue working full-time.
Types of Radiation Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)
Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a highly precise type of treatment strategy. It uses advanced imaging technologies and a sophisticated computer guidance system to deliver a high dose of radiation to a specific target in the body over just a few sessions. SBRT is particularly effective in treating small tumors or lesions and is often used as an alternative to surgery.
What Are the Benefits of SBRT Over Conventional Radiation Therapy?
With conventional radiation therapy, treatment is administered in relatively small doses over several weeks. SBRT can usually be given in far fewer daily sessions and has been shown to provide better outcomes and cause fewer side effects.
SBRT specialists can design the dose to match the shape of the tumor. This makes SBRT an attractive option for patients with inoperable tumors or elderly patients who aren't candidates for surgery.
Dr. David Horowitz
"SBRT allows us to see the tumor clearly and deliver high doses of radiation very precisely. We can pinpoint the tumor's exact location, target it effectively, and reduce the number of visits required." – David Horowitz, MD
What Is CyberKnife?
While researching treatment options for your pancreatic cancer, you may have heard about CyberKnife. CyberKnife is a brand name for devices that deliver stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for patients with diseases like pancreatic cancer. While CyberKnife is well-known and aggressively marketed, it is just one of several devices used to deliver targeted high-intensity radiation doses.
Columbia radiation oncologists work with different SBRT devices from a company called Varian, the largest manufacturer of radiation oncology equipment in the field. Varian's top-of-the-line Edge SBRT devices employ a number of technological innovations that we feel offer the best results for our patients.
Varian Vs. CyberKnife: Which Is More Effective?
When it comes to effective and accurate radiation therapy, devices like Varian Edge and CyberKnife deliver remarkably similar results. What matters most is the skill of the radiation oncology team administering your treatment. At Columbia, our specialists have experience treating even the most complex tumors while minimizing side effects and helping you stay at your best during your treatment journey.
Adaptive Radiation Therapy (ART)
Adaptive radiation therapy (ART) is a personalized approach to cancer treatment that delivers radiation using state-of-the-art imaging techniques and real-time monitoring of the tumor. ART is unique because it measures day-to-day changes to your anatomy to allow for more precise and effective treatments.
ART is used to treat aggressive, hard-to-reach tumors by ensuring that the most intense dose of radiation targets the cancer while minimizing exposure to the surrounding healthy tissue, reducing side effects like fatigue and nausea.
Dr. David Horowitz
"When you're dealing with a tumor in the pancreas, you need to consider the other important organs like the bowel and stomach that are nearby. With adaptive radiation therapy, we can have the highest degree of confidence when delivering effective doses of radiation because we know exactly where things are." – David Horowitz, MD
Why Is It Important to Track Body Changes During Radiation Therapy Treatments?
Your body can change dramatically throughout your treatment for pancreatic cancer. Tumors in the pancreas affect digestion, and radiation therapy can reduce your appetite or your ability to keep food down. Your body can change even from day to day—you may gain or lose significant weight, for example—meaning your anatomy around the tumor is also changing. By tailoring the dosage and delivery to match your exact condition, side effects to healthy organs are limited while accurately targeting the tumor.
Who Is a Candidate for ART?
Radiation can be combined with other forms of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy or surgery. ART and other types of radiation therapy can help patients who:
- Are surgical candidates but have a tumor near major blood vessels — Because blood vessels aren't sensitive to radiation, radiation therapy can be used before surgery to try to shrink the portion of the tumor around the blood vessels. This approach can help make surgery more likely to be successful.
- Are not candidates for surgery because of other medical issues or because the tumor cannot be removed – In these cases, a nonsurgical approach using radiation is used to kill the cancer. ART can help shrink painful tumors and improve quality of life.
- Have had surgery but may still have microscopic tumor cells present – Radiation therapy can "clean up" the surgical site to ensure that all the cancer gets removed.
How Does ART Make Specific Assessments of Someone's Anatomy?
ART uses special imaging equipment and sophisticated computer algorithms to create a 3D map of your tumor and surrounding anatomy. This map is used to deliver precise doses of radiation to specific areas at different angles by rotating the machine around your body without ever touching you.
How Effective Is ART?
Current studies indicate that ART can improve survival rates for pancreatic cancer patients, and more research is underway. ART uses exciting new technology and is rapidly improving, so greater refinement, accuracy, and effectiveness is expected in the future.
Next Steps
Because of the complexities of providing accurate and effective radiation treatments, working with an experienced team at a specialized cancer treatment center is essential. The Pancreas Center at Columbia is a leading multidisciplinary program for pancreatic cancer, with a history of providing the highest level of care and support for even the sickest patients.
Our seamless collaboration between radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and surgeons is key to delivering the most effective care. Pancreatic cancer is a challenging disease that often requires combining different strategies, and this integrated approach works best.
For more information, to schedule an appointment, or to refer a patient, please contact the Pancreas Center at Columbia at (212) 305-9467 or complete our online appointment request form. We accept a number of insurance plans, and our team can help confirm your coverage.