Review
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 28, 2006; 12(28): 4466-4472
Published online Jul 28, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i28.4466
Oncological problems in pancreatic cancer surgery
Akimasa Nakao, Tsutomu Fujii, Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Naohito Kanazumi, Shuji Nomoto, Yasuhiro Kodera, Soichiro Inoue, Shin Takeda
Akimasa Nakao, Tsutomu Fujii, Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Naohito Kanazumi, Shuji Nomoto, Yasuhiro Kodera, Soichiro Inoue, Shin Takeda, Department of Surgery II, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
Correspondence to: Professor Akimasa Nakao, MD, PhD, FACS, Professor and Chairman of Department of Surgery II, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan. nakaoaki@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-52-7442232 Fax: +81-52-7442255
Received: February 3, 2006
Revised: February 9, 2006
Accepted: February 18, 2006
Published online: July 28, 2006
Abstract

Despite the development of more sophisticated diagnostic techniques, pancreatic carcinoma has not yet been detected in the early stage. Surgical resection provides the only chance for cure or long-term survival. The resection rate has increased due to recent advances in surgical techniques and the application of extensive surgery. However, the postoperative prognosis has been poor due to commonly occurring liver metastasis, local recurrence and peritoneal dissemination. Recent molecular-biological studies have clarified occult metastasis, micrometastasis and systemic disease in pancreatic cancer. Several oncological problems in pancreatic cancer surgery are discussed in the present review.

Keywords: Pancreatic cancer; Extended resection; Molecular diagnosis; Micrometastasis; Adjuvant therapy