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Current Controversies in the Surgical Management of Pancreatic Cancer

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Book cover Current Controversies in Cancer Care for the Surgeon

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Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the deadliest malignancies with an extremely poor survival rate. Both environmental and hereditary factors play a role in the development of disease, and early diagnosis is difficult due to early systemic involvement of disease. Thus, a majority of patients are not surgical candidates at the time of diagnosis.

The treatment of pancreatic cancer is dependent on the stage of disease. Several controversies exist that are relevant to surgery. These include: (1) the use of diagnostic laparoscopy, (2) surgery-first versus neoadjuvant approach, (3) definition of borderline resectable, and (4) ablative therapies for locally unresectable pancreatic cancer. This chapter discusses the current principles of the management related to these topics and their variation across different centers and physicians treating pancreatic cancer.

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No relevant conflicts of interest to be disclosed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Center for Surgical Trials and Outcomes Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Ammar Asrar Javed M.B.B.S.

  2. Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 685 Blalock, 600N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Ammar Asrar Javed M.B.B.S., Kanza Aziz M.B.B.S. & Christopher Lee Wolfgang M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.

  3. Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 685 Blalock, 600N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Christopher Lee Wolfgang M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.

  4. The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Christopher Lee Wolfgang M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.

  5. The Skip Viragh Center for Pancreatic Cancer, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Christopher Lee Wolfgang M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.

  6. The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Christopher Lee Wolfgang M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.

Authors
  1. Ammar Asrar Javed M.B.B.S.
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  2. Kanza Aziz M.B.B.S.
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  3. Christopher Lee Wolfgang M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher Lee Wolfgang M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastrointestinal and Laparoscopic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA

    Katherine A. Morgan

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Javed, A.A., Aziz, K., Wolfgang, C.L. (2016). Current Controversies in the Surgical Management of Pancreatic Cancer. In: Morgan, K. (eds) Current Controversies in Cancer Care for the Surgeon. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16205-8_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16205-8_7

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