Pancreatic Cancer
Treatment in Malaysia
At Onco Life Centre, our team takes a personalized approach to treating pancreatic cancer. We focus not only on treating the disease, but also on supporting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of our patients every step of the way.
The pancreas is a pear-shaped gland located between the stomach and the spine. It is made up of 2 major components:
The exocrine component is made up of ducts and small sacs and makes enzymes that are released into the small intestine to help the body digest food, particularly fats.
The endocrine component is made up of islets of Langerhans and makes specific hormones like insulinoma, glucagonoma, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP).
Why Choose Onco Life Centre?
Expertise You Can Trust, Innovation You Can Count On
Over 20 Years of
Experience
Our highly-qualified consultant oncologists boast extensive experience treating a vast array of cancers. Their training at prestigious institutions in Australia and the UK ensures exceptional expertise that you can trust.
Collaboration with
Leading Genomics Experts
For complex cases, our oncologists collaborate with leading genomics specialists in the US. This ensures access to the latest treatments for all cancer types.
Unmatched
patient experience
You and your healthcare experience are at the centre of what we do at Onco Life Centre. Our core values of Empathy, Dedication, Professionalism and Service Quality have driven us since our earliest days.
Treatment Methods
Pancreatic cancer is treatable. In order to tailor your treatment plan, our pancreatic cancer oncologists at Onco Life Centre will review factors such as your pre-existing medical conditions, your overall health and nutritional status, as well as potential treatment side effects. When detected at an early stage, pancreatic cancer has a much higher chance of being successfully treated. However, there are also treatments that can help control the disease for patients with advanced stage pancreatic cancer to help them live longer.
Surgery for pancreatic cancer includes removing all or part of the pancreas,depending on the location and size of the tumor in the pancreas. A key goal of surgery is to have clear margins. Only about 20% of patients with pancreatic cancer are able to have surgery because most pancreatic cancers are first diagnosed when the disease has already spread. Surgery for pancreatic cancer may be combined with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy, called adjuvant therapy. These treatments may sometimes be used before surgery to shrink a tumor. This is called neoadjuvant therapy.
External-beam radiation therapy is the type of radiation therapy used most often for pancreatic cancer. Chemotherapy may be given at the same time as radiation therapy because it can enhance the effects of the radiation therapy, which is called radio sensitization. Combining chemotherapy and radiation therapy may occasionally help shrink the tumor enough so it can be removed by surgery.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells, usually by stopping the cancer cells ability to grow and divide. A chemotherapy regimen usually consists of a specific number of cycles given over a set period of time. There is usually a rest period in between cycles. There are generally more side effects when 2 or more drugs are used together.
Combination treatments are usually best for patients who are able to carry out their usual activities of daily living without help.
For pancreatic cancer, chemotherapy may be described by when and how it is given. First-line chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer is generally the first treatment used for patients with either locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer. Second-line chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer is used when treatment does not work or stops working to control cancer growth.
Sometimes, first-line treatment does not work at all, which is called primary resistance. Or, treatment may work well for a while and then stop being effective later, which is sometimes called secondary or acquired resistance.
Targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer is a treatment that targets the cancers specific genes, proteins or the tissue environment that contributes to cancer growth and survival. This type of treatment blocks the growth and spread of cancer cells while limiting damage to healthy cells.
To match your pancreatic cancer disease with the most effective treatment, our oncologist at Onco Life Centre may run tumor profiling tests to identify the genes, proteins, and other factors in your tumor. EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor blocks the effect of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, and this helps to block cancer growth and spread.
Please click here to learn more about Targeted Therapy
Immunotherapy drugs called checkpoint inhibitors can be used for patients whose pancreatic cancer cells have tested positive for specific gene changes, such as a high level of microsatellite instability (MSI-H), or changes in one of the mismatch repair (MMR) genes.
PD-1 inhibitor targets PD-1, a checkpoint protein on immune system cells called T cells, that normally helps keep these cells from attacking normal cells in the body. By blocking PD-1, this immunotherapy drug boosts the immune response against pancreatic cancer cells, and is highy likely able to shrink the tumor.
Please click here to learn more about Immunotherapy
Treatment By Stage
Guiding Your Personalized Treatment Journey
Potentially curable pancreatic cancer (resectable and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer)
Removal of the tumor and nearby lymph nodes if there are no signs that the disease has grown beyond the pancreas or spread to other parts of the body.
Chemotherapy, with or without radiation, to try to shrink the tumor and increase the chance of curative surgery.
Adjuvant chemotherapy usually starts within 8 weeks after surgery, based on how quickly a patient recovers. The option to use radiation therapy after surgery.
Locally advanced pancreatic cancer
Chemotherapy with a combination of drugs can be used depending on each patients situation and overall health. Radiation therapy may be used, most often after chemotherapy if the cancer has not spread beyond the pancreas.
If the disease worsens during or after first-line treatment, options may include a different line of chemotherapy.
Metastatic pancreatic cancer
If cancer spreads to another part in the body from where it started, doctors call it metastatic cancer. Your treatment plan may include a combination of the treatments discussed above. Talk to our oncologists about your first and second line treatment options, which can heavily depend on your overall health and preferences.
Palliative care will also be important to help relieve symptoms and side effects. For most patients, a diagnosis of metastatic cancer is very stressful and, at times, difficult to bear. Patients and their families have opportunities to talk about the way they are feeling with our oncologists, nurses, counselors, or join our psychosocial program and support group.
Transparency You Can Trust
At Onco Life Centre, we understand the financial burden associated with Pancreatic cancer treatment. We are committed to transparency and will provide you with a personalized cost estimate during your initial consultation. Here is an estimate:
Chemotherapy:
At Onco Life Centre, the cost for treating pancreatic cancer using chemotherapy for most of our patients is around MYR4,000 per cycle.
Targeted Therapy:
Adding in Targeted Therapy can go up from MYR6,000, depending on the specific type of targeted therapy drug used.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy can range from MYR10,000 and above depending on the specific type and dosage of immunotherapy drug used.
Types of pancreatic cancer
There are several types of pancreatic cancer, depending on whether the cancer began in the exocrine or endocrine component. Rarely, other types of cancer can begin in the pancreas, such as lymphoma and sarcoma.
Exocrine tumors
Adenocarcinoma is the most common type of exocrine tumor. Rare types of exocrine pancreatic tumors include acinar cell carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, colloid carcinoma, giant cell tumor, serous cyst adenoma, signetring cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma.
Endocrine tumors
These are also called pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) and make up 1% of pancreatic cancers. A PNET can be functioning or non-functioning. A functioning PNET is named based on the hormone produced such as insulinoma, glucagonoma and VIPomas
Your Journey
Start Your Recovery
Our dedicated Patient Navigator will assist you with appointment scheduling. Contact us at +6012-3993260 (Call or Whatsapp ).
First Consultation
On appointment day, bring along all the medical reports and your identity documents, ie. identity card or passport. Our team will help you organize the medical reports for our oncologist to review. Our oncologist will discuss the treatment plan with you. Tele-consult is available for overseas patients.
Treatment Day
Come to our center on an agreed date and time for the treatment. Our team will take good care of you. You will be discharged on the same day. Yes, you will get to go home after every treatment visit as no overnight admission is required.
Stay on Track
Our dedicated patient navigator will be following up with you post treatment to check on your condition, to ensure that you are doing well. You will receive a reminder message on your phone for the next appointment date.
Credentials You Can Trust
Ministry of Health Malaysia
Onco Life Centre is fully licensed as an Oncology Consultation and Treatment Centre (License No: 931401-00214-03/2024)
DR. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE
MBBS (MELB), FELLOW RACP (AUS)
DR. JOSEPH KANIANTHRA JOSEPH
MBBCH, BAO (IRE), MRCP (UK)
I have been coming to OncoLife centre with my mother. She is under the care of Dr Christina since diagnosis and has been on targeted therapy and is doing well. Dr Christina Ng has been guiding my mum through her treatment and is quick to suggest changes if needed. She is also very ready to hear our concerns and will always take our preference into consideration. Communication with the staff is good and we can readily ask them questions at any time. The atmosphere of the clinic is also pleasant which makes waiting around not such a chore. Parking is readily available in the building. Overall, Onco Life is very patient centred and I am very thankful to Dr Christina and her team for the support they have given my mum and the family.
My mother was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer about 6 months ago at a hospital in KL. We were all very scared, worried and felt very lost at the same time. A friend suggested that we seek advice from Dr Christina Ng at Onco Life Centre. During our first consultation, Dr Christina had explained patiently to us that my mother has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and it has spread to her liver and lung. She had suggested for my mother to promptly start on combination chemotherapy. We were initially worried about chemotherapy side effects. Dr Christina had explained to us that she would carefully select drugs which my mother would likely tolerate well. Much to our surprise, my mother was very well & energetic throughout her chemotherapy course. After 3 months of chemotherapy, she did a CT scan which showed a significant reduction in all tumor deposits in pancreas, liver, lungs & peritoneum. We are grateful towards Dr Christina Ng & her Team for giving us a great hope.
My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer more than one year ago. He started treatment at another hospital but his condition worsened and he became fully dependent on oxygen support over 6 months. That was when we became very anxious and worried. We wanted to seek a second opinion and thus found Dr Christina Ng at Onco Life Centre. Dr Christina immediately adjusted his immunotherapy treatment protocol whilst actively treating his worsening infection. After 4 months under the care of Dr Christina, his condition has improved significantly and he is now totally off oxygen support. We are grateful that he is being given a new lease of life.
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