Interdisciplinary consultation

The first contact between a patient and the Pancreatic Cancer Center takes place within the framework of an interdisciplinary consultation. In this consultation you will receive information by an experienced surgeon specialized in pancreatic surgery and also by a medical oncologist about the treatment options in your particular case. If you have been referred by an oncologist, a gastroenterologist or another hospital, it is possible in most cases for treatment to be performed in close co-operation between external physicians and institutions.

For comprehensive advice and treatment, you as the patient thus have full access not only to the entire service spectrum of the University of Freiburg Medical Center, but also to that of the Freiburg Tumor Biology Center.

The treatment needs of pancreatic tumors are complex and require structured and exact diagnosis and treatment. Patients are often uncertain and confused, especially in the case of diffuse, newly occurring pancreatic tumours. In many cases, it is not easy to determine straightaway the tumor whether the tumor is benign or malignant.

The International Pancreatic Cancer Center has made it its task within the framework of a joint surgical and medical-oncological treatment concept by specialists in the treatment of these tumors to provide a comprehensive interdisciplinary treatment concept to all patients, irrespective of the stage of their disease.

In principle, the treatment of pancreatic carcinoma can take place in three possible treatment arms:

  • Treatment arm A (Surgery)
  • Treatment arm B (Pre-treatment and surgery)
  • Treatment arm C. (Chemotherapy and supportive therapy)

Treatment arm A (Surgery)

Treatment arm A (Surgery) includes patients with a primarily operable pancreatic carcinoma or with a diffuse lesion expansion in the pancreas. In these cases, surgery is generally performed, and if the tumor is malignant anticancer drugs are administered either by your own oncologist or by oncologists at the CCCF (Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg) / ZGT (Center for gastrointestinal tumors) or at the Tumor Biology Center.

Treatment arm B (Pre-treatment and surgery)

Treatment arm B (Pre-treatment and surgery) includes patients with locally advanced tumors that on the diagnosis on admission cannot be safely removed because important vessels in the abdominal cavity are affected by the tumor. If there is the expectation that the tumor will reach an operable stage after pre-treatment, the tumor is pre-treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy once the diagnosis has been histologically confirmed in accordance with a study protocol. The decision on pre-treatment is taken in a joint meeting of all disciplines involved within the framework of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg. All of these cases require the histological confirmation of the tumor through a tissue sample that is acquired either by needle biopsy or laparoscopy.

Treatment arm C. (Chemotherapy and supportive therapy)

Treatment arm C (Chemotherapy and supportive therapy) is for patients with pancreatic cancer that has spread or is locally inoperable or for patients with recurrent pancreatic cancer. Patients in this treatment arm are treated in the Tumor Biologiy Center or the CCCF (Comprehensive Cancer Center / ZGT (Center for gastrointestinal tumors) at the University of Freiburg Medical Center.

Competent answers 

Consultation and advice in the Interdisciplinary Consultation

Surgical and medical experts in the treatment of pancreatic cancer work hand in hand in the Interdisciplinary Consultation to answer your questions.