Innovative Approaches
The Tucker Gosnell Center for Gastrointestinal Cancer offers a collaborative and caring approach to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with confirmed or suspected pancreatic cancer. Consistently ranked as one of the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report, we provide the latest, most effective treatments including promising new therapies and many innovative approaches to clinical care. Our expertise includes:
- The region's most extensive experience performing pancreatic resections, including the Whipple Procedure.
Expertise in Diagnosing and Staging Pancreatic Cancer
Our pathologists sub-specialize in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, and are internationally recognized and consulted. They participate in weekly tumor board meetings, sharing information about each patient’s unique cancer with the entire care team to help guide treatment planning.
All members of our diagnostic radiology team are nationally recognized for expertise in using the most advanced imaging tools to diagnose and stage pancreatic cancer and to detect tumor changes.
Our imaging technologies include:
- High-speed two- and three-dimensional CT studies
- Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT)
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Intraoperative Ultrasound
- Lymphotrophic Nanoparticle Enhanced MRI (Molecular Imaging)
Other services include:
- Tumor perfusion imaging with CT and MRI
- Spectral imaging with CT
- 3D imaging for pre-surgical planning and for monitoring treatment effects
In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnostic procedures for pancreatic cancer may include the following:
- Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
- Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography
We were one of the first U.S. hospitals to offer ERCP, a minimally invasive procedure that combines X-ray and video endoscope technologies to diagnose and treat conditions of the bile ducts. We also helped pioneer cholangioscopy, a new technique in ERCP, and have introduced other novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, some of which are available at only a few other cancer centers.
Advanced Medical Therapies
For many patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, administering cancer-fighting chemotherapy may be the most effective treatment. Some new cancer drugs that are currently available or in development are designed to block mutations and pathways that cause tumor cells to proliferate. By targeting tumor gene mutations with these “smart drugs”, our doctors are beginning to understand how to eradicate malignant cells in some patients' tumors without using standard treatments like traditional chemotherapy and radiation.
Excellence in Surgical Care
The Cancer Center has one of the country's largest, most experienced pancreatic cancer surgery teams. The type of surgery performed depends on the stage of the cancer, the location and size of the tumor and the patient's health. Our surgeons perform more than twice as many pancreatic resections as other hospitals in the region. Studies indicate that such high-volume experience often results in better outcomes for patients. Types of surgery for pancreatic cancer include:
- Whipple Procedure
- Distal pancreatectomy
- Total pancreatectomy
Learn more about surgery for pancreatic cancer.
Pioneering Radiation Therapies
Our team of radiation oncologists offers a variety of state-of-the-art radiation treatments to kill cancer cells and to shrink tumors. Radiation therapy may be given alone, or in combination with surgery and chemotherapy. Our radiation oncologists use the most advanced therapies to treat pancreatic cancer, many of which are available at only a few select hospitals. Depending on the nature of a patient’s cancer, our team may suggest:
- External radiation (external beam therapy): a treatment that delivers high levels of radiation directly to the cancer cells.
- Intraoperative radiation: in which radiation is given inside the body as close to the cancer as possible. In some cases, external radiation therapy is used along with this treatment.
- Proton beam radiation: a precise form of radiation therapy designed to target tumors while helping to preserve surrounding healthy tissue
Developing Better Therapies through Research
Our research program in cancer of the pancreas is a multifaceted effort designed to better understand cancer biology, discover new therapies and improve treatment. The research program in pancreatic and all GI cancers is one of New England's largest, allowing us to bring promising new treatments to patients as quickly as possible.
Designated National Pancreas Foundation Center
The National Pancreas Foundation (NPF) has recognized Mass General as both an NPF Pancreatic Cancer Center and an NPF Pancreatitis (non-cancerous) Center. These important recognitions are given to premier healthcare facilities that focus on the multidisciplinary treatment of pancreatic cancer and acute pancreatitis, best possible outcomes and improved quality of life for patients. Learn more about the NPF recognitions.