Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the most lethal malignant cancers, ranks fifth in mortality related to cancer worldwide and tenth in Taiwan with a 5-year survival rate after resection ranging from 10 to 29%. Improvement of survival needs diagnosis of early pancreatic cancer which can be defined on the basis of resectability, size or curability. In order to define early pancreatic cancer, aiming at better surgical results, early pancreatic cancer has been sought and defined. Small PDAC is defined as a tumor ≤2 cm in size, and it is usually asymptomatic or has only non-specific symptoms. It was previously considered as an early cancer, with its diagnosis based on the TNM and Japan Pancreas Society classification defining a T1 tumor as less than 2 cm in diameter. In recent reports, lymph node metastasis, tumor differentiation, and local infiltration, but not tumor size, were deemed as the independent predictors of PDAC. Hence, small PDAC should not be regarded as an early pancreatic cancer, and aggressive management such as surgery plus postoperative chemotherapy and radiation is justified.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
