Presentations from the dietetic management and pancreatic cancer

• 09.00 – 09.05: Welcome and introduction – Rachel Richardson, Pancreatic Cancer Specialist Nurse, Pancreatic Cancer UK
• 09.05 – 09.15: Lived experience video
• 09.15 – 10.05: Nutritional assessment – Rebekah Lord, Senior Specialist HPB Dietitian, University Hospitals Leicester
• 10.05 – 10.15: Break
• 10.15 – 11.30: Nutritional management – Ciara O’Beirne, Upper GI & HPB Surgical Dietitian, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
• 11.30 – 11.40: Break
• 11.40 – 12.25: Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy – Sarah Jeffrey, HPB Dietitian, Manchester Royal Infirmary
• 12.25 – 12.30 Close

There is a short Q&A session at the end of each presentation.

Nutritional assessment:

• Overview of cachexia, sarcopenia, malnutrition and frailty
• Malabsorption and how this impacts on cachexia, sarcopenia, malnutrition and frailty
• Factors affecting nutritional status
• How to assess nutritional status – calculating nutritional requirements and functional tests and tools
• Assessing for vitamin deficiency
• Prehabilitation

Nutritional management:

• Managing appetite loss
• Diet fortification and oral nutritional supplements
• Enteral feeding
• Stent dietary advice
• Surgery – including pre- and post-surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
• Bile acid malabsorption (BAM) / Bile acid diarrhoea (BAD)
• Dumping syndrome
• Introduction type 3c diabetes and how it impacts on nutrition

Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) and pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT):

• PEI – Causes, consequences, symptoms and diagnosis
• PERT – Who needs it, what it does, how to take it effectively and titrating the dose; focus on enteral feeding, troubleshooting and differential diagnosis; Signposting to PERT shortage guidance

This session is suitable for all healthcare professionals treating and supporting people with pancreatic cancer, no matter your level or role. It is particularly relevant for dietitians and nursing roles, including student dietitians and nurses.

Chair

Rachel Richardson
Specialist Pancreatic Cancer Nurse, Pancreatic Cancer UK
Rachel has worked in many varied roles within the NHS for 20 years including cardiothoracic intensive care, acute stroke, clinical audit, cancer service improvement and hospital discharge liaison. Rachel’s most recent post in the NHS was as an Upper GI Nurse. Rachel then joined Pancreatic Cancer UK at the end of 2017 and her time in the nursing team has enabled her to develop her knowledge and expertise in pancreatic cancer. Rachel’s day to day role is working alongside our other specialist nurses on our support service, supporting patients and family members impacted by this devastating disease.  Rachel has a keen interest in complex symptom management for this patient group with the aim of maximising day to day quality of life.

Speakers

Rebekah Lord
Senior Specialist HPB Dietitian, University Hospitals Leicester
Rebekah graduated from the University of Surrey and has been working as a Specialist HPB Dietitian for 5 years. She has worked in various HPB centres across the country, including in Manchester and Coventry. Rebekah joined the team in Leicester in February 2023 and her current role supports people with pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis. Rebekah is extremely passionate to provide high quality, specialized guidance to improve the nutritional status and quality of life of people with pancreatic disease.

Ciara O’Beirne
Upper GI & HPB Surgical Dietitian, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Ciara graduated from Cardiff Metropolitan University in 2021. Her first role was in Velindre Cancer Centre as an oncology dietitian. Her current role is an Upper GI and HPB surgical dietitian based in University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff. Ciara has specialist interests in pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and enteral feeding.

Sarah Jeffrey
HPB Dietitian, Manchester Royal Infirmary
Since graduating in 2022, Sarah has worked at Manchester Royal Infirmary in a range of dietetic roles, including as a band five and now a rotational band six. For the past year, She has worked within the HPB surgical team, building understanding of pancreatic cancer, the treatment pathway and the holistic approach needed for this patient group.