Resectable and Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Role of the Radiologist and Oncologist in the Era of Precision Medicine

Abstract

The incidence and mortality of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma are growing over time. The management of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma involves a multidisciplinary team, ideally involving experts from surgery, diagnostic imaging, interventional endoscopy, medical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, geriatric medicine, and palliative care. An adequate staging of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and re-assessment of the tumor after neoadjuvant therapy allows the multidisciplinary team to choose the most appropriate treatment for the patient. This review article discusses advancement in the molecular basis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, diagnostic tools available for staging and tumor response assessment, and management of resectable or borderline resectable pancreatic cancer.

Keywords

• pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
• pancreatic neoplasm
• computed tomography (CT)
• magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)