For patients with pancreatic cancer, two endoscopic procedures play an important role in diagnosis and treatment:
ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASOUND (EUS)
Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) offers a deeper view of the layers of the GI tract than traditional endoscopy. During the procedure, a gastroenterologist can evaluate abnormalities such as growths found on a CT scan or an MRI. EUS is able to gather more information about the growth and collect tissue samples that help determine if the patient has cancer and can also help determine the extent of disease.
The procedure can also be performed as a way to screen for pancreatic cancer in patients who are considered high risk due to a family history or who may carry a gene that predisposes them to develop pancreatic cancer.
ENDOSCOPIC RETROGRADE CHOLANGIOPANCREATOGRAPHY (ERCP)
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) helps diagnose and treat problems in the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas. For patients with pancreatic cancer, ERCP helps deliver treatment such as inserting a stent— a small tube made of plastic or metal—to alleviate a bile duct blockage and help improve jaundice (a condition that causes yellowing of the skin and eyes).
“Both EUS and ERCP are highly specialized procedures that require the endoscopist to have special training. Patients undergo moderate sedation, but most have the procedures as an outpatient and can go home the same day,” says Eric Shen, MD, who is board certified in gastroenterology and the Co-Director of the Center for Digestive Health.