The Surgical Management of Pancreatic Cancer

The surgical standard of care for the treatment of pancreatic cancer is pancreaticoduodenectomy or pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancers of the head, uncinate process, or neck and distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy for pancreatic cancers of the body or tail. Resections are performed with the goals of negative margins and minimal blood loss, and referral to high-volume centers and surgeons is encouraged. However, 5-year survival after curative resection still remains at less than 20%. In an effort to improve survival and extend the limits of resectability, many centers have attempted extended lymphadenectomy and vascular reconstruction.