الفهرس 
SURGICAL ANATOMY OF PANCREASOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 164 |  |  |
| | | from | 164 | | |
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of death due to gastrointestinal malignancy. Despite advances in operative techniques, chemotherapy and radiation medicine, pancreatic cancer remains the gastrointestinal malignancy with the worst prognosis. Surgery is potentially curative for selected patients with local disease, and radiation therapy may significantly prolong survival in those with localized, but unresectable tumours. Pancreatic cancer is rarely cured. Improvement in the preoperative staging of pancreatic and periampullary carcinoma should mean fewer patients being subjected to a laparotomy without a realistic expectation of resection. Laparoscopy before laparotomy is the only reliable means of examining for the presence of peritoneal metastases. In the absence of peritoneal deposits, ascetic fluid or peritoneal lavage fluid can be examined. Detecting scanty malignant cells amongst reactive and degenerative mesothelial cells can be difficult.