Is arterial infiltration still a criterion for unresectability in pancreatic adenocarcinoma?

ABSTRACT

As surgical resection remains the only hope for cure in pancreatic cancer (PC), more aggressive surgical approaches have been advocated to increase resection rates. Venous resection demonstrated to be a feasible technique in experienced centers, increasing survival. In contrast, arterial resection is still an issue of debate, continuing to be considered a general contraindication to resection. In the last years there have been significant advances in surgical techniques and postoperative management which have dramatically reduced mortality and morbidity of major pancreatic resections. Furthermore, advances in multimodal neo-adjuvant and adjuvant treatments, as well as the better understanding of tumor biology and new diagnostic options have increased overall survival. In this article we highlight some of the important points that a modern pancreatic surgeon should take into account in the management of PC with arterial involvement in light of the recent advances.