Editorial
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World J Gastroenterol. Nov 21, 2011; 17(43): 4747-4756
Published online Nov 21, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i43.4747
Pancreatic metastases from renal cell carcinoma: The state of the art
Roberto Ballarin, Mario Spaggiari, Nicola Cautero, Nicola De Ruvo, Roberto Montalti, Cristina Longo, Anna Pecchi, Patrizia Giacobazzi, Giuseppina De Marco, Giuseppe D’Amico, Giorgio Enrico Gerunda, Fabrizio Di Benedetto
Roberto Ballarin, Mario Spaggiari, Nicola Cautero, Nicola De Ruvo, Roberto Montalti, Cristina Longo, Giuseppe D’Amico, Giorgio Enrico Gerunda, Fabrizio Di Benedetto, Liver and Multivisceral Transplant Center, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy
Anna Pecchi, Department of Radiology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy
Patrizia Giacobazzi, Giuseppina De Marco, Unit of Oncological Radiotherapy, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy
Author contributions: Ballarin R was involved in the conception of the editorial, was primary writer of the manuscript, performed manuscript editing and manuscript review; Spaggiari M, Cautero N, De Ruvo N, Montalti R, Longo C, Pecchi A, Giacobazzi P, De Marco G, D’Amico G, Gerunda GE and Di Benedetto F reviewed the manuscript and contributed to manuscript preparation.
Correspondence to: Roberto Ballarin, MD, Liver and Multivisceral Transplant Center, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, No. 71, Via del Pozzo, 41100 Modena, Italy. ballarinroberto@hotmail.com
Telephone: +39-059-4223683 Fax: +39-059-4223765
Received: April 7, 2011
Revised: June 15, 2011
Accepted: June 22, 2011
Published online: November 21, 2011
Abstract

Pancreatic metastases are rare, with a reported incidence varying from 1.6% to 11% in autopsy studies of patients with advanced malignancy. In clinical series, the frequency of pancreatic metastases ranges from 2% to 5% of all pancreatic malignant tumors. However, the pancreas is an elective site for metastases from carcinoma of the kidney and this peculiarity has been reported by several studies. The epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment of pancreatic metastases from renal cell carcinoma are known from single-institution case reports and literature reviews. There is currently very limited experience with the surgical resection of isolated pancreatic metastasis, and the role of surgery in the management of these patients has not been clearly defined. In fact, for many years pancreatic resections were associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, and metastatic disease to the pancreas was considered to be a terminal-stage condition. More recently, a significant reduction in the operative risk following major pancreatic surgery has been demonstrated, thus extending the indication for these operations to patients with metastatic disease.

Keywords: Pancreatic metastases; Renal cell carcinoma; Pancreatic surgery; Prognostic factors; Therapeutic approach; Radiological findings