Advances in pancreatic cancer treatment

Pancreatic cancer is a major health issue, with an estimated 43,140 new cases and 36,800 deaths in the USA in 2010, making it the 10th most common cancer diagnosis and the 4th most common cause of cancer-related deaths. Prognosis is poor, with a 5-year survival of less than 5% for all stages. The emphasis of this book is on diagnostics and therapy for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), focusing on evidence-based approaches and the numerous consensus guidelines, as well as on promising future diagnostic modalities and treatment strategies. The book address disease mechanisms, individualized approaches, surgical procedures for resectable PDAC, neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment strategies and ongoing clinical trials on therapeutic strategies (including discussion of combined regimens using chemotherapy agents, monoclonal antibodies, small molecule inhibitors and cancer stroma targeting drugs). One chapter addresses the plethora of guidelines from different national and international societies and organizations, and there is a prospective view of future treatment strategies.