Abstract
The prevalence of pancreatic cancer has increased dramatically over the past decades. As pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect at an early stage, its prognosis is very poor. Inherited genetic factors and environmental factors are known to be the major causes of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) lesions have been established as the pre-neoplastic changes during pancreatic carcinogenesis. Detection of tumor markers and imaging examinations (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, endoscopic ultrasonography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) are effective means for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. The combination of surgical resection and adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy shows promise in prolonging the survival time of patient with pancreatic cancer.
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