The role of radiation for pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignancy with a high recurrence rate even after curative-intent resection. Improvements in survival have not been achieved in the last 25 years thus highlighting the need for effective multimodal treatment strategies. The role of radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer remains ill-defined due to historical lack of a standard definition of resectability, and the use of antiquated radiation delivery techniques and chemotherapy regimens. Current level I data regarding neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for resectable and borderline resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are limited to 2 randomized controlled trials and several retrospective studies and suggest that it may lead to an increased likelihood of a margin-negative resection and certainly allows for improved patient selection for pancreaticoduodenectomy when compared to upfront surgery. In the adjuvant setting, data are similarly lacking but suggest that chemoradiotherapy may be beneficial for patients at high risk of locoregional recurrence. Here we review existing data regarding the role of radiation in PDAC.