Multidisciplinary management of resectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head

Abstract

Although surgery is considered the only treatment to offer patients with localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma a chance of cure, resection alone is rarely sufficient for long-term survival. High rates of postoperative recurrence and subsequent disease-related mortality have, over the past two decades, encouraged the study and use of multimodality strategies that include adjuvant systemic chemotherapy and radiation. These modalities have been utilized both preoperatively and postoperatively with encouraging results. Moreover, their use has led increasingly to the development of institutional multidisciplinary groups with a focused interest in the care of patients with pancreatic malignancy, which have become responsible for the diagnosis, staging, treatment, follow-up and study of these patients. We review the rationale for the use of and the outcomes that may be achieved through the use of a multidisciplinary approach to patients with resectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head.

Keywords::

• adjuvant therapy
• borderline resectable
• chemoradiation
• chemotherapy
• neoadjuvant therapy
• pancreatic cancer
• pancreaticoduodenectomy
• resectable

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.