Clinical Practice Guidelines for Pancreatic Cancer 2025 From the Japan Pancreas Society: A Synopsis

The Clinical Practice Guidelines for Pancreatic Cancer were first published in 2006 by the Japan Pancreas Society and have been revised in 2009, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2022. In July 2025, a newly revised version was released in Japanese.

This latest revision was developed in accordance with the Minds Manual for Guideline Development 2020, which incorporates the principles of GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) to improve clarity, transparency, and reliability of the recommendations. Patients and citizens were actively involved in both the development and implementation processes.

The guideline provides updated algorithms for the diagnosis, treatment, drug therapy, and precision medicine of pancreatic cancer, comprising 8 domains: diagnosis, surgical therapy, adjuvant therapy, radiation therapy, drug therapy, stent therapy, supportive and palliative care, and patient and citizen involvement. It includes 63 clinical questions and 99 corresponding statements, each accompanied by an evidence level, strength of recommendation, and consensus rate.

These guidelines represent the most comprehensive and standardized resource currently available in Japan for the clinical management of pancreatic cancer. This English synopsis aims to disseminate the 2025 edition of the Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Pancreatic Cancer to a global audience and highlight the Japanese approach to pancreatic cancer care.