ADJUVANT THERAPY FOR PANCREATIC-CANCER

Although the morbidity and mortality of pancreatic resection for cance r has been remarkably reduced during the last 20 years, there has been little change in long-term survival. Based on experience in the treat ment of locally unresectable but nonmetastatic pancreatic cancer, adju vant therapies have been devised that do have an impact on survival. T he number of pancreatic resections remains low, however. To increase t he number of pancreatic resections that might be performed, phase II n eoadjuvant trials are under way in several centers. Even if successful , they will have little effect on the proportion of patients with panc reatic cancer who are cured. New, innovative treatments must be explor ed.