If cancer of the pancreas spreads to the liver chemotherapy may help to reduce symptoms but cannot cure the cancer. The two most commonly used chemotherapy drugs are fluorouracil, (5FU) and gemcitabine. For some people these treatments may have a small effect on survival, on average prolonging life by a few months. But, for most people, the main benefit is improving quality of life.
When using a treatment to improve quality of life it is important to weigh up the possible benefits and disadvantages before deciding on whether to go ahead. Chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer can cause side effects such as feeling sick, skin rashes and increased risk of infection. It usually also involves a certain amount of inconvenience such as regular blood tests and trips to hospital.
One method doctors use to help them decide who might benefit from chemotherapy is assessing how much help a person needs to carry out daily tasks. The medical term for this is performance status. A commonly used to scale to measure performance status is is the Karnofsky scale.
Generally speaking the fitter a person is the more likely they are to cope with chemotherapy and benefit from it. Someone who is more unwell may struggle to cope with side effects and is less likely to have an improved quality of life with chemotherapy.
If your mum has been offered chemotherapy her doctors have decided that she has a reasonable chance of getting some benefits from it. But this doesn't mean she should have it if it doesn't feel right for her. Only your mum can decide this.
If she chooses not to have chemotherapy there are other treatments she can have to help control symptoms. Commonly used supportive treatments include digestive enzymes (Creon), painkillers and anti-sickness medicines.
Your mum may also find it helpful to know what support there is in her local area. Her GP or specialist can advise her about this. In many parts of the UK there are specialist nurses, often called Macmillan nurses, who can visit you in your home. They have expert knowledge in symptom control and can also offer emotional support and practical advice.
It is a good idea for your mum to talk things through with her doctor. They can help her to weigh up the possible benefits and side effects of treatment. Whatever she decides her doctors will continue to give her the best possible care.