Pancreatic Cancer Surgery

If the cancer hasn’t spread beyond the pancreas and nearby lymph nodes, surgery may be an option to remove the tumor and keep it from spreading. If the cancer has spread, surgery can’t stop it – but it may help ease symptoms.

The pancreas is located behind the stomach, between the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) and the spleen, and in front of the spine. It helps your body digest food and control blood sugar. The pancreas has several parts: the head and uncinate process (right side), the neck, and the body and tail (left side). All or part of the pancreas may be removed depending on the location of the tumor. Our expert multidisciplinary team will discuss your unique case and determine if surgery is the right option for you.

Types of Pancreatic Cancer Surgery

Our surgical oncologists are experts in treating pancreatic cancer. Using a variety of techniques, our surgeons will offer the best available approach. Types of pancreatic surgery include:

Distal pancreatectomy. Your surgeon removes a portion of the left side of the pancreas (neck, body or tail), along with the mass (or lesion) and nearby lymph nodes. Very often the spleen is also removed. No surgical reconstruction is needed.
Pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure). Your surgeon removes the right side of the pancreas (head and uncinate process), along with the duodenum, gallbladder (if still in place), a portion of the bile duct and often a portion of the stomach. The removed tissue will contain the mass (or lesion), nearby lymph nodes and any stent that has been placed. To restore digestive function, three new connections are made between the small bowel and the pancreas, the bile duct and the stomach.
Total pancreatectomy. Your surgeon removes both the right and left sides of the pancreas (as described above), along with the mass (or lesion), nearby lymph nodes and any stent (if present). To restore digestive function, two new connections are made – one between the small bowel and the bile duct, and the other between the small bowel and the stomach.

Minimally Invasive (Robotic) Surgery

At Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, all of these operations can potentially be performed using minimally invasive surgery (MIS). This approach includes both laparoscopic surgery and robotic-assisted surgery.

With MIS, instead of one large incision on the upper abdomen (traditional open approach), the surgeon makes multiple small (1 cm) incisions in the abdominal wall. Through these incisions, a magnified camera and specialized tools are used to perform the same pancreatic surgeries (as described above) that would be done with an open approach.

Compared to traditional (open) surgery, MIS causes less pain and promotes faster recovery. As a result, patients can often leave the hospital and feel back to normal sooner. This also means cancer patients can get additional treatments (if needed), such as chemotherapy, sooner.

We are one of only a few centers in North Carolina to offer this innovative procedure.

Your surgeon will determine whether a traditional or MIS approach is best based on the specific details of your diagnosis.

Pancreatic Cancer Center of Excellence

Wake Forest Baptist is designated as a Pancreatic Cancer Center of Excellence by the National Pancreas Foundation (NPF). We are one of only 108 in the country and one of only five in North Carolina to hold the designation, which recognizes health care facilities devoted to providing the best multidisciplinary, patient-centered treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Learn more about the Pancreatic Cancer Center designation.

Research and Clinical Trials

As part of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, our patients have access to clinical trials—investigational treatments that help advance our understanding of fighting and curing cancer. Many of these trials are only available right here at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, and our physicians and staff will help you decide if choosing that pathway to treatment is right for you.

Providers

Support Services

Cancer is a complex journey for patients and families. Before cancer, life had challenges; now they may seem insurmountable. Anxieties about health, keeping up with daily activities and maintaining important, critical relationships are common for all cancer patients and their families.

Our patient and family support services are here to help our patients so they know they have someone experienced to count on when they need it. We are here to make a difference – not just in your cancer outcome – but in the moments along the way, so you and your loved ones know there is always someone to help.

For an appointment with one of our counselors in the Cancer Patient Support Program or the Psychosocial Oncology Program, please call 336-713-6954.

For questions about the Cancer Survivorship Clinic, please call 336-713-1736.

Insurance

Insurance Accepted

This chart is a list of the most common health insurance plans we accept. This list is subject to change. Please check your individual plan to confirm their participation and the coverage allowed.

Due to the different physician groups and hospitals within the Wake Forest Baptist system, physician services and hospital services are billed separately. Please remember that health insurance coverage varies, so some services may not be covered.

If you don’t see your plan or you have questions, please call our Customer Service Center at 877-938-7497. We will do our best to work with you and your plan.

Key

WFUHS - Wake Forest University Health Sciences (professional services)
NCBH - North Carolina Baptist Hospital (Includes Davie)
LMC - Lexington Medical Center
CHC - Cornerstone Healthcare
Wilkes - Wilkes Regional Medical Center
HPR- High Point Regional
N/A - Not applicable to services provided at facility and/or CHC
NC -Not Contracted, very low to no volume for facility and/or CHC

Wake Forest Baptist Health Managed Care/MA Contracts - April 2024

AETNA CONNECTED NC ACA/Exchange: Accepted at all locations

AETNA NC PREFERRED+: Accepted at all locations

AETNA (PPO & HMO): Accepted at all locations

AETNA MEDICARE: Accepted at all locations

AETNA WHOLE HEALTH: Accepted at all locations

ALIGNMENT HEALTHCARE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE: Accepted at all locations

AMBETTER OF NC: Accepted at all locations

AMERIHEALTH CARITAS NEXT ACA/Exchange: Accepted at all locations

BCBSNC (PPO & HMO): Accepted at all locations

BCBS HIGH PERFORMANCE (NATIONAL NETWORK): Accepted at all locations

BLUE LOCAL WITH ATRIUM HEALTH: Accepted at all locations

BLUE MEDICARE: Accepted at all locations

BLUE VALUE: Accepted at all locations

CAROLINA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and CHC (not applicable to services provided at LMC, Wilkes and High Point)

CIGNA: Accepted at all locations

CIGNA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and High Point (not applicable to services provided at LMC, CHC and Wilkes)

CIGNA HEALTHSPRING MEDICARE ADVANTAGE: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH, LMC, CHC and High Point (not applicable to services provided at Wilkes)

CIGNA LIFESOURCE (TRANSPLANTS): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not applicable to services provided at LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

CRESCENT PPO (ASHEVILLE): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

DEVOTED HEALTH (MEDICARE ADVANTAGE): Accepted at all locations

DIRECT NET: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH, LMC, Wilkes and High Point (not contracted, very low to no volume for CHC)

FIRST HEALTH NETWORK: Accepted at NCBH, LMC, Wilkes and High Point (not contracted, very low to no volume for WFUHS and CHC)

FIRSTCAROLINACARE (PINEHURST, NC): Accepted at NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for WFUHS, LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

GATEWAY HEALTH ALLIANCE (VIRGINIA): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

HEALTHGRAM (formerly PRIMARY PHYSICIAN CARE): Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and LMC (not contracted, very low to no volume for CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

HEALTHTEAM ADVANTAGE: Accepted at all locations

HUMANA CHOICECARE: Accepted at all locations

HUMANA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE: Accepted at all locations

LIBERTY ADVANTAGE (MEDICARE ADVANTAGE): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not applicable to services provided at LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

MAGELLAN (BEHAVIORAL HEALTH): Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and CHC (not applicable to services provided at LMC, Wilkes and High Point)

MEDCOST: Accepted at all locations

MEDCOST ULTRA: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH, LMC, Wilkes and High Point (not applicable at CHC)

PHCS/MULTIPLAN: Accepted at NCBH, CHC, LMC and High Point (not contracted, very low to no volume for WFUHS and Wilkes)

OPTUMHEALTH (TRANSPLANTS - APPLICABLE TO NCBH/WFUHS ONLY): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not applicable to services provided at LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

PREFERRED CARE OF VA INC: Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

SOUTHERN HEALTH SVCS (COVENTRY-PPO ONLY): Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and CHC (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, Wilkes and High Point)

TWIN COUNTY (VIRGINIA): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

UNITED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH, CHC and High Point (not applicable to services provided at LMC and Wilkes)

UNITED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT PROGRAM (WFUHS ONLY): Accepted at WFUHS (not applicable for services provided at NCBH, LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

UNITED HEALTHCARE: Accepted at all locations

UNITED HEALTHCARE ESSENTIALS ACA/EXCHANGE: Accepted at all locations

UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE: Accepted at all locations

VA CCN: Accepted at all locations

WELLCARE (MEDICARE ADVANTAGE): Accepted at all locations

LMC ONLY: Contracts specific to support Lexington employer groups, low volume
NATIONAL PROVIDER NETWORK/MEDICAL RESOURCES

CHC ONLY: Contracts specific to support CHC
TRICARE

Key

WFUHS - Wake Forest University Health Sciences (professional services)
NCBH - North Carolina Baptist Hospital (Includes Davie)
LMC - Lexington Medical Center
CHC - Cornerstone Healthcare
Wilkes - Wilkes Regional Medical Center
HPR- High Point Regional
N/A - Not applicable to services provided at facility and/or CHC
NC - Not Contracted, very low to no volume for facility and/or CHC

Referring Physicians

At Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, we understand the importance of referrals. Our physician liaisons partner with referring physicians in our community and beyond to provide information on our physicians and clinical services.

Contact the Physician Liaisons

MyAtriumHealth