Updated: 1 day ago
Medically reviewed by Dr Eric Wang- ChinaCureLink Team
KEY TAKEAWAYS |
• Ask a pancreatic surgery team to assess whether surgery is possible. • For metastatic disease, ask gastrointestinal oncology to compare treatment options. • Bring your pathology, original scans and treatment history to the review. • Confirm the campus, interpretation, written estimate and follow-up plan before traveling. |
Introduction
If you’re comparing hospitals in China for pancreatic cancer, start with the decision you need help making. For a possible operation, look for a pancreatic surgeon who can review your scans with radiology and oncology. For cancer that has spread, prioritize a medical oncology team that can compare drug regimens and arrange follow-up. Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University and the Chinese PLA General Hospital are three options to investigate.
This guide focuses on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are a different diagnosis and generally require a different treatment plan.
Table of Contents
How stage changes the treatment plan
For resectable cancer, surgery and chemotherapy are often parts of the same plan. For borderline resectable disease, the team may recommend chemotherapy first and repeat imaging before deciding about surgery. For locally advanced cancer, systemic treatment is usually central, with selected patients reassessed after treatment. For metastatic disease, treatment generally focuses on controlling the cancer and symptoms.
Ask the team to explain the exact stage, whether the tumor contacts major blood vessels, and which finding could change the recommendation. If care involves a hospital stay or several cycles of treatment, ask how the hospital and your home oncology team would divide follow-up and manage side effects.
Recent research from China
A randomized, open-label phase II study published in January 2026 compared NALIRIFOX with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel in Chinese patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Median progression-free survival was 7.6 months and 3.7 months, respectively. This endpoint measures time before the cancer worsens or the patient dies. It does not measure how much longer an individual will live. The regimens have different side effects, and the study does not establish access at the three hospitals in this guide.
What to send before you book travel
Share your pathology report, recent CT or MRI reports and original DICOM images, prior treatment names and dates, recent blood tests, and a brief summary of symptoms or complications. Ask whether the hospital can review them remotely, which service should see you, and whether an interpreter can join. Request an itemized estimate and a written plan for urgent problems and follow-up. If you are already receiving treatment, coordinate timing with your oncology team before changing or delaying it.
How ChinaCureLink can help organize a specialist review
ChinaCureLink can help organize your records and coordinate a specialist review. Ask for written confirmation of the reviewing team, timing, interpretation and costs before making travel plans.
Three pancreatic cancer hospitals in China and their specialists
These hospitals are starting points for a second opinion. A specialty listing cannot tell you which team has better outcomes for someone with your diagnosis. Compare the proposed treatment plan, the team that would deliver it and the arrangements for follow-up.
Peking Union Medical College Hospital — Beijing
The hospital’s Pancreatic Surgery service treats malignant and nonmalignant pancreatic diseases. The hospital also describes a multidisciplinary consultation pathway that brings pancreatic surgery together with other specialties. Consider this service if you need a second opinion on whether the tumor can be removed or whether treatment should start before surgery.
Dr. Yupei Zhao
Chief physician · Pancreatic Surgery
Works on pancreatic disease and helped establish the hospital’s pancreatic cancer care pathway.
Dr. Junchao Guo
Chief physician · Pancreatic Surgery
His hospital profile lists pancreaticoduodenectomy, distal pancreatectomy and laparoscopic surgery.
Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University — Shanghai
Shanghai · Pancreatic Surgery
Fudan University describes a pancreatic surgery team that leads the hospital’s multidisciplinary pancreatic tumor program and performs both minimally invasive and complex pancreatic operations. A review can help clarify whether a surgical plan should be coordinated with chemotherapy or other treatment.
Dr. Liang Liu
Pancreatic Surgery
Fudan University identifies him as a leader of the hospital’s pancreatic surgery service.
Dr. Wenchuan Wu
Chief physician · Pancreatic Surgery
Fudan University documents his team’s work on complex pancreatic duct reconstruction.
Chinese PLA General Hospital, First Medical Center — Beijing
The First Medical Center’s hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery department documents laparoscopic and robotic work in this specialty. If a minimally invasive operation is proposed, ask the team to explain why that approach fits the tumor’s location, its relationship to major blood vessels and your overall health.
Dr. Rong Liu
Chief physician · Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery
His institution’s journal documents his work in laparoscopic and robotic surgery for hepatobiliary and pancreatic tumors.
Dr. Minggen Hu
Chief physician · Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery
His profile lists laparoscopic and robotic surgery for hepatobiliary and pancreatic conditions, including pancreatic cancer.
Get a Second Opinion Before You Fly to China
For suitable cases, ChinaCureLink can then coordinate an online consultation with the specialist to discuss the technical treatment details directly. The purpose is to help the patient understand which treatment option and which specialist center may be most appropriate before making an international treatment decision.
These patient stories describe general care coordination experiences. They do not establish pancreatic cancer outcomes.
What Patients Say About ChinaCureLink & Medebound HEALTH
FAQs about pancreatic cancer hospitals in China
Which hospital should I contact first?
For a surgical second opinion, contact the pancreatic surgery or hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery team. For metastatic disease or a second opinion on chemotherapy, ask to be routed to a gastrointestinal medical oncologist and check whether the case can be discussed by a multidisciplinary team.
Can I get a second opinion without traveling?
Ask whether the service accepts remote record review. Send the original imaging files as well as the written reports. A remote opinion may still need to be confirmed by an examination or updated imaging.
Does a robotic Whipple procedure improve cancer outcomes?
The hospital should explain why the approach is appropriate for your case. The surgical plan depends on anatomy, tumor extent and team experience. The use of a robot alone does not establish better cancer outcomes.
Can international patients join a pancreatic cancer trial in China?
Ask the specific study site whether it is recruiting and whether you meet the eligibility, consent and follow-up requirements. A published study does not confirm current recruitment.
Prepare your next step
Start with your records and the decision you want the specialist to clarify. Request a written summary of the treatment options and follow-up plan before arranging travel.
Sources and further reading
National Cancer Institute. Pancreatic Cancer Treatment (PDQ).
Fudan University. Zhongshan Hospital pancreatic surgery and multidisciplinary team.
PLA military portal. First Medical Center hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery department.
Gao et al. Chinese randomized phase II trial of NALIRIFOX. Nature Communications, 2026.
About ChinaCureLink
ChinaCureLink helps patients across the world access the best cancer treatment at China's top hospitals, without the delays, language barriers, and administrative confusion that typically come with seeking care abroad.
We connect patients directly with China's top cancer hospitals, ensuring that from the first case submission through to treatment and follow-up, every step is guided, translated, and coordinated by a team experienced in cross-border patient care.
ChinaCureLink is proudly affiliated with Medebound HEALTH — founded by US physicians, with over 10 years of experience and more than 3,000 patients served worldwide, Medebound HEALTH is recognized by Forbes and it is one of the most trusted patient cross-border concierge service company across North America and the Asia Pacific.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical or financial advice. Treatment eligibility, protocols, and costs vary by individual case — confirm specifics with a coordinator and treating physician before making any decisions.
