Palliative care for the patients with pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most common cancers of gastrointestinal tract. Diagnosis of this cancer is sometimes preceded by pain, pruritus, thrombosis and depression. Treatment of pain does not depend only on the coeliac plexus block. In the treatment most important are well chosen opioids and co-analgesics. Pruritus, which sometimes complicates the course of disease, is being treated by stenting of the common bile duct but also drugs inhibiting serotonin uptake. In this article management of different symptoms based on their specific mechanisms has been discussed.