It may come back in the pancreas or in another part of the body. Treatment option overview How islet cell cancer is treated There are treatments for all patients with islet cell cancer. Surgery is the most common treatment of islet cell cancer. The doctor may take out the cancer and most or part of the pancreas. Lymph nodes in the area may also be removed and looked at under a microscope to see if they contain cancer.
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body. Hormone therapy uses hormones to stop the cancer cells from growing or to relieve symptoms caused by the tumor. Hepatic arterial occlusion or embolization uses drugs or other agents to reduce or block the flow of blood to the liver in order to kill cancer cells growing in the liver. Treatment by type Treatment of islet cell cancer depends on the type of tumor, the stage, and the patient's overall health.