Treatment
You might have one of these treatments if the cancer has a gene change (mutation). Or if it has a certain protein that helps the cancer grow. Doctors test the cancer to find out if it has any of these changes. Knowing this helps them recommend the best treatment for you.
Testing the cancer to see what treatment is best for you is a type of personalised medicine.
Find out more about personalised medicine
Your doctor might check the cancer for changes to a gene called neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK).
They may also test the cancer for other changes to genes including:
or genes
genes called RAS
genes involved in repair
They usually test a sample of the pancreatic cancer tissue (biopsy) from when you were first diagnosed. Or from the cancer if you had an operation to remove it.
The results of the test may show whether a targeted cancer drug is suitable for you. Unfortunately, only some people with pancreatic cancer that has certain gene changes or proteins may benefit from these treatments.
You also have to be quite fit and well to have some of these cancer drugs.
Your doctor may recommend a targeted cancer drug called larotrectinib (Vitrakvi) if:
the pancreatic cancer has an NTRK gene change
the cancer is locally advanced or metastatic
there are no other treatment options
In Scotland they may recommend entrectinib (Rozlytrek) instead. This is also a targeted cancer drug.
Larotrectinib is a capsule or liquid that you swallow. You take it twice a day. Entrectinib is capsules that you swallow. You take them once a day.
You have these medicines for as long as the treatment is working. And you are not getting too many side effects.
We have information about these drugs on our cancer drugs A to Z list.
Go to the cancer drugs A to Z list
If there are other proteins or gene changes in the pancreatic cancer, your doctor will talk with you about which is the best treatment. Which treatment you have depends on a number of factors. But it may be a targeted cancer drug or an immunotherapy. This may be as part of a clinical trial.
Targeted cancer drugs and immunotherapy can cause different side effects. Some of these can be serious. Your doctor or nurse will talk to you about this.
Everyone is different and side effects can vary from person to person. The side effects you may have depend on:
which cancer drugs you have
whether you have it alone or with other drugs
the amount of the drug you have (the dose)
your general health
A side effect may get better or worse during the course of your treatment. Or more side effects may develop as the treatment goes on.
Immunotherapy may cause inflammation in different parts of the body. This can cause serious side effects. They can happen during treatment, or some months after treatment has finished. In some people, these side effects could be life threatening.
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist give you advice about the drugs you are taking and tell you what to look out for.
They will give you a telephone number to call urgently if you think you have any side effects. They can advise you and give you medicines to help with some of the effects.
Always tell your doctor or nurse about any side effects you have and follow the advice they give you.
Read more about the side effects of cancer drugs
Researchers are trying to find new and better treatments for pancreatic cancer. This includes learning more about the genes and proteins of individual cancers. They hope to develop more targeted drugs and immunotherapies for cancers with certain proteins or gene changes.
They are looking at using these drugs on their own or combined with other treatments.
New treatments are tested in clinical trials, so ask your doctor if there are any trials suitable for you
Last reviewed: 17 Aug 2026
Next review due: 17 Aug 2029
The treatments for pancreatic cancer include chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and treatment to control symptoms. There are lots of factors your doctor takes into account when recommending the best treatment for you.
Cancer drugs have side effects and these can vary from person to person. But there are things that you can do to help you cope.
There are many cancer drugs and cancer drug combinations. Search for the one you are looking for to understand more about how it works, how you have it, the side effects and other important information.
There is practical and emotional support available to help you cope with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, and life during and after treatment.
Pancreatic cancer is cancer that starts in the pancreas. Find out about the pancreas and how it works.
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