Evaluation of neoadjuvant therapy for pancreatic cancer: is it the best choice?

Abstract

Currently the treatment strategy of pancreatic cancer has shifted from the mode "surgery first" to multidisciplinary team. More and more evidences have revealed that neoadjuvant therapy will help to increase the R0 resection rate, reduce the recurrence rate, and improve the prognosis of the patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, neoadjuvant therapy is also recommended for resectable pancreatic cancer patients with high risk factors of tumor recurrence. In this article, the current controversy and research progress of neoadjuvant therapy for pancreatic cancer are reviewed and commented in order to deepen the understanding of the hot topic in clinial surgeons. Key words: Pancreatic neoplasms; Resectablity; Neoadjuvant therapy; Multidisciplinary team; Efficacy