Open AccessPancreatic cancer
Author(s) -
Murr Michel M.,
Sarr Michel G.,
Oishi Andrew J.,
van Heerden Jon A.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
ca: a cancer journal for clinicians
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 62.937
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1542-4863
pISSN - 0007-9235
DOI - 10.3322/canjclin.44.5.304
Subject(s) - medicine , pancreatic cancer , laparotomy , disease , radiation therapy , surgery , chemotherapy , cancer , general surgery , radiology
Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease for the patient and presents challenging diagnostic and management problems for the physician. A range of serologic and radiologic studies are available for evaluation and staging of this disease. However, invasive studies, including laparotomy, are often necessary to establish the diagnosis and resectability. Despite advances in diagnostic technology that have shortened the interval between onset of symptoms and definitive treatment, no appreciable impact on survival has been demonstrated conclusively. Operative resection offers the only hope for cure, but fewer than 15 percent of patients have resectable disease at the time of diagnosis. Palliative therapy, whether operative or nonoperative, can be performed with low morbidity and provides significant relief of symptoms. Combined-modality treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy prolongs survival following curative resection.