Standard Treatment for Periampullary Cancer

Periampullary cancer is a cancer form developing near the ampulla of vater (place where the liver and the pancreas merge with the small intestine). It is often included under pancreatic cancer. Despite the fact that all forms of pancreatic cancer are considered incurable, numerous treatments are used to restrict the spreading and further proliferation of the malignant cells.

Treatments

• Surgical removal of the cancer cells, along with chemotherapy and radiation therapy are some of the most common treatment methods used to treat patients suffering from periampullary cancer.

Time Frame

• Time frame of the treatments often varies for each patient, depending on the staging of the cancer and the internal metastasis of the cancer cells. Nevertheless, radiation sessions are generally held once every week for close to a month, while chemotherapy is done once every two to three weeks for nearly two months, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Five-Year Survival Rate

• Average 5-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer (including periampullary cancer) is approximately 6 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Side Effects

• Bleeding, abdominal pain and infection are common side effects of surgery. Hair loss, vomiting, nausea and fatigue are side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Prevention/Solution

• Avoiding exposure to environmental pollutants and quitting smoking and alcohol consumption are some of the measures that the Mayo Clinic suggests in order to prevent cancer development (including periampullary cancer).