Borderline resectable pancreatic cancer and the role of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy

Abstract

Borderline resectable pancreatic cancer is now recognized as a distinct clinical entity. In these cases, neoadjuvant treatment could maximize the potential for an R0 resection and avoid R1/R2 resections. In fact, by analyzing, the current literature is evident that approximately one-third of initially borderline resectable pancreatic tumors may undergo successful resection following neoadjuvant therapy. However, the enormous difficulties in achieving a consensus and the variability in therapeutic algorithms have delayed progress in establishing strong evidence-based practices for diagnosis and treatment. In addition, the absence of a unique definition of borderline resectable pancreatic cancer remains a great obstacle for planning a therapeutic strategy and surgical decision-making. If on the one hand, we can finally say that the presence of only few prospective trials generates no strong data to support a specific neoadjuvant therapy regimen in borderline resectable pancreatic cancer, on the other hand, there are many studies on patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer who receive neoadjuvant therapy that can enjoy an R0 resection with similar outcomes to up-front resectable disease.

Keywords: Chemoradiotherapy; Neoadjuvant therapy; Pancreatic cancer.