[Pancreatic cancer- a curable disease]

Pancreatic cancer is the seventh most common cancer in Switzerland associated with a dismal prognosis. Its natural course is fatal with a 3-year survival rate below 3%. Advances in diagnostic tools, tumor staging and multimodal treatment strategies resulted in an improved 5-year survival rate of over 20%. Patients presenting with pancreatic cancer significantly benefit from a multi-disciplinary treatment strategy in an experienced hepato-pancreato-biliary center. Following a comprehensive tumor staging, surgical resection associated with adjuvant chemotherapy is still the only curative therapy option. The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy is currently investigated in clinical trials. Patients presenting with advanced pancreatic cancer not eligible for curative treatment might benefit from inclusion into innovative clinical trials with novel treatment concepts.