Principles of surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer

Once pancreatic cancer is diagnosed and after a comprehensive examination, if there are no contraindications and the clinical stage is stage 1 or stage Ⅱ, early surgical treatment is the current main treatment method, and radical surgical resection should be strived for. There are several surgical methods.

1. Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Once pancreatic head cancer is diagnosed, radical pancreaticoduodenectomy should be performed if no distant metastasis is found.

2. Tail pancreatectomy

Pancreatic body and tail cancer lesions are limited to the body and tail or local lymph nodes have metastases but can be cleared.

3. Total pancreatectomy

Indications

(1) Cancer involves the entire pancreas, but the lesion has not infiltrated the pancreatic capsule, or has only mild infiltration.

(2) The lesion infiltrates or compresses the pancreatic duct, resulting in occlusion of the caudal pancreatic duct, caudal pancreatic fibrosis, or obstructive pancreatitis.

(3) No liver metastasis or peritoneal implantation.

(4) Patients and their families’ understanding of the need for lifelong insulin injections for postoperative diabetes.