Do you want to wait with chemotherapy until there are complaints, or start metastatic pancreatic cancer immediately after the diagnosis? Many patients struggle with this dilemma. This is a radical choice for both patients and doctors, also because no research has yet been conducted into the consequences of this choice. Dr. Simone Augustinus supervises the study in order to provide more clarity in this difficult situation. The aim is to achieve a better quality of life for patients. The study is made possible by the Delta Plan on Pancreatic Cancer, a close collaboration between the 15 nationally involved pancreatic cancer hospitals that are united in the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Group (DPCG), the Maag Lever Darm Stichting (MLDS) and patient platform Living With Hope.
Most deadly cancer
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly cancers. Every year, nearly 3,000 Dutch people die from this disease. In the past 30 years, significant progress has been made in survival for almost all cancers. Unfortunately not with pancreatic cancer. In metastatic pancreatic cancer, life expectancy is generally short: an average of six months after diagnosis. Chemotherapy can extend life expectancy to about eleven months. For many patients, that is the reason for choosing this.
No complaints at the time of diagnosis
But what if the patient has no complaints at the time of diagnosis? Dr. Simone Augustinus: ‘The quality of life is particularly important in the diagnosis of metastatic pancreatic cancer. If there are no complaints yet, chemotherapy can significantly deteriorate the quality of life. The research must show whether we can give patients a good number of months without chemotherapy, while this does not affect life expectancy. The fact that the study, which will run for two years and in which some 200 patients will participate, will provide clarity about quality of life and survival chances is a win.
By: Nationale Zorggids
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