The challenge of treating older patients with pancreaticobiliary malignancies

Pancreatic and biliary tract cancers are aggressive malignancies. They commonly present with metastatic or unresectable disease. Those that do present with resectable cancer have high rates of recurrence. Despite recent advances in surgical technique, chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimens, they are associated with poor survival outcomes. These cancers represent an exception to the trend of improved overall survival evident in most malignancies in recent decades. Depending on the goal of treatment, active management of pancreatic and biliary cancers involves surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, either alone or in combination.
Source: Current Problems in Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Source Type: research