Developments in the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer continues to represent a significant challenge for the medical community. In the UK, it is the 10th most common cancer, with over 7,300 new cases diagnosed in 2004.1 In the US, an estimated 37,170 new cases were diagnosed in 2007.2 The outcome of pancreatic cancer remains poor: five-year survival rates are dismal, even in cases presenting with early-stage disease, ranging from 3% in the UK to 5% in the US.3,4 Surgery represents the only curative option for these patients, but is feasible in only 10–15% of patients. Multimodality approaches have been investigated in an attempt to improve long-term surgical outcomes. For the overwhelming majority of patients who present with either locally advanced disease or disseminated disease, the dominant treatment option is systemic therapy. In this article we review current advances in the management of pancreatic cancer.