Published online May 10, 2011. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v2.i5.225
Revised: March 8, 2011
Accepted: March 15, 2011
Published online: May 10, 2011
Recent advances in surgical treatment for pancreatic cancer have been remarkable. Pancreatoduodenectomy is a standard surgical procedure for cancer of the pancreatic head, and is now indicated even for elderly patients over 80 years of age. Pancreatoduodenectomy with combined resection of the peripancreatic vessels has improved survival, but extended resection including lymph nodes is considered to have no extra survival benefit. Furthermore, laparoscopic resection procedures including pancreatoduodenectomy, distal pancreatectomy, enucleation and central pancreatectomy can now be performed safely. Neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy using gemcitabine may further improve the surgical outcome. An understanding of the oncological aspects of pancreatic cancer and the development of surgical techniques and chemotherapy may further contribute to improving the outcome of surgery for pancreatic cancer.