Evolving Treatment Paradigms for Pancreatic Cancer

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is an extremely aggressive tumor which is supposed to become the second deadliest malignancy in 2030. For a long time the possibilities to treat this complex disease were very limited.

SUMMARY

In the last years the development of new chemotherapeutic regimens has led to a better outcome in the ad-juvant, neoadjuvant, and palliative setting. Furthermore, progress in sequencing technologies has enabled a detailed investigation of the genetic alterations, mutational burden, expression pattern, and stroma composition in pancreatic cancer and led to the identification of subtypes of this disease.

MESSAGES

This analysis will increase our understanding of tumor heterogeneity and hopefully translate into new potential targets, biomarkers, and the development of individual therapeutic approaches in the future.

Pancreatic, periampullary and biliary cancer with liver metastases: Should we consider resection in selected cases?

AIM

To analyse the safety and efficacy of curative intent surgery in biliary and pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

An extensive literature review was performed using MEDLINE, Google Scholar and EMBASE to identify articles regarding hepato-pancreatoduodenectomy or resection of liver metastasis in patients with pancreatic, biliary tract, periampullary and gallbladder cancers.

RESULTS

A total of 19 studies were identified and reviewed. Major hepatectomy was undertaken in 391 patients. The median overall survival for pancreatic cancer ranged from 5-36 mo and for biliary tract/gallbladder cancer, it was 8-38 mo. The 30 d mortality rate was only 1%-9%. Overall Survival was significantly better for patients, who had good response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, underwent metachronous liver resection and who had intestinal type tumours.

CONCLUSION

Resection of liver metastases in pancreatic and biliary cancers may provide survival benefit without compromising safety and quality of life in a very select group of patients. These data may be utilised to formulate selection criteria that may allow future investigation of resection in the era of more effective systemic therapy.