Treatment of pancreatic carcinoma

Pancreatic carcinoma remains a significant cause of cancer death worldwide. In spite of more effective diagnostic techniques, most patients still have advanced and incurable disease when the diagnosis is made. Treatments differ depending on the extent of the disease at presentation, but accurate staging preoperatively is difficult. The Whipple procedure is now done with an operative mortality of 5% or less. More effective means of nonoperative palliation are being developed. Adjuvant therapy is still largely ineffective.