Pancreatic cancer - current management.
BACKGROUND
Pancreatic cancer remains a common and lethal cancer with a median survival of approximately 6 months.


OBJECTIVE
This article discusses the current management of pancreatic cancer, both potentially curative and palliative treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical resection of the primary tumour is only possible in about 10% of cases as many patients have locally advanced or metastatic disease at the time of presentation. For the majority of patients, treatment is palliative and may include surgical treatments or endoscopic or percutaneous stenting to relieve obstructive jaundice or gastric obstruction, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or interventional radiological techniques. Adequate pain relief and treatment of pancreatic insufficiency are important components of treatment.
Thomson
Benjamin N J
BN
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria. ben.thomson@petermac.org
Banting
Simon W
SW
Gibbs
Peter
P
D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D010188:Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D017219:Gastric Outlet Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D041781:Jaundice, Obstructive / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods