Ask Dr Darren Chua any question about pancreatic cancer.
About this 'Ask the Specialist' Q&A
In this 'Ask the Specialist' Q&A, Dr Darren Chua, Consultant from the Department of Hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) and Transplant Surgery at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), a member of the SingHealth group, answers your questions on pancreatic cancer. This forum is open from 19 Jan to 19 Feb 2026. To submit your question, please email to singhealth.healthxchange@singhealth.com.sg Please allow up to two weeks for your question to be answered. We reserve the right to choose which questions to answer. You will be notified by email if your question is answered and all answers will be shown on this page. We reserve the right to close this Q&A early. |
In Singapore, pancreatic cancer is the 4th most common cause of cancer death in males and females.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the more challenging cancers to detect and treat, often because early symptoms can be subtle or easily overlooked. It is also generally aggressive.
Vast majority of pancreatic cancer pateints are aged between 50 and 80 years old, with men having a slightly higher incidence rate than women.
When the cancer progresses, some symptoms may show including:
- Fatigue and weakness
- Jaundice (yellow colouration of the skin and whites of the eyes)
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea or vomiting
- Unexplained and unintentional weight loss
- Pain or discomfort in the upper part of the abdomen
- Diarrhoea
- Indigestion or bloating
In recent years, advances in imaging, surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies have improved outcomes for selected patients.
However, many people still have questions about risk factors, warning signs, screening, treatment choices, and what to expect during care.
In this Q&A forum, don't miss this chance to ask our specialist about pancreatic cancer — from symptoms and diagnosis to current treatment approaches and supportive care.
Our specialist will provide medically accurate, easy-to-understand answers to help you better navigate this condition.
Hurry, submit your question now as this Q&A is for a limited time only!
Related articles:
Pancreatic Cancer: Is It Preventable?
About Dr Darren Chua
Dr Darren Chua is a Consultant in Hepatopancreatobiliary and Transplant Surgery at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
He graduated from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine with an MBBS (Honors) in 2015, earning a Dean's List in every academic year.
He completed his residency with the SingHealth General Surgery program in 2020, receiving his MMed (NUS) and FRCS (Edinburgh). His residency achievements include his graduation from the Singhealth Residency Leadership Program and receiving the Residency in Service Excellence (RISE) awards in 2017 and 2020.
In addition, Dr Chua was awarded the College of Surgeons Gold Medal for top performance in General Surgery exit examinations. He subsequently pursued a Master's in Clinical Investigation (MCI) from NUS in 2023 and was awarded an MOH HMDP scholarship to pursue liver transplantation under Professor Jeng Long Bin from the China Medical University Hospital in Taiwan.
Dr Chua has authored and co-authored multiple articles in various international peer-reviewed journals. He is committed in advancing minimally invasive surgery for complex liver and pancreatic resections, as well as liver and multi-organ transplantation.
Ref: F26
Stay Healthy the Easy Way
Get trusted health advice, offers and more.
Get the Health Buddy App
Get it on Google Play