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Pancreatic cancer: NICE issues new quality standards

NICE has issued new quality standards for the management of pancreatic cancer. The quality standards are intended to contribute to improvements in cancer staging, pancreatic cancer survival and mortality rates, the nutritional status of adults with pancreatic cancer, health-related quality of life, and patient satisfaction.

The NICE document states that:

  • Adults with suspected pancreatic cancer should be under the care of a specialist multidisciplinary team.
  • Patients with localised pancreatic cancer on CT should have staging using fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (FDG‑PET/CT) before surgery, radiotherapy, or systemic therapy.
  • Adults with resectable pancreatic cancer and obstructive jaundice should have resectional surgery rather than preoperative biliary drainage unless drainage is specifically indicated.
  • Those with unresectable pancreatic cancer should be prescribed enteric-coated pancreatin.
  • Effective interventions should be put in place to address patients’ psychological needs.

The quality standards are intended to be used in conjunction with the new guidelines on the diagnosis and management of pancreatic cancer which were published in February 2018. The standards should also be considered alongside the NICE quality standard on patient experience in adult NHS services. Consideration of NICE quality standards on suspected cancer and end of life care for adults is also advised.


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