Pancreatic cancer: the surgeon's point of view

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) is not only one of the most common gastrointestinal tumors, but also the most lethal. Give a comprehensive and up-to-date panorama on pancreatic cancer with a surgical focus. A critical search was performed in Medline focusing on recent relevant publications, renowned authors, high impact publications and a preference for surgical literature in English. In this article we review PA epidemiology, some aspects of molecular biology, clinical presentation, work-up, staging and current treatment options. Patients affected must be studied appropriately and referred to specialized centers for surgical treatment, when indicated, in order to offer them the best chance for cure. Breakthroughs in management will probably include prevention, early diagnosis and molecular therapy.