Endoscopic Palliation of Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract

Palliation of cancer-related symptoms in pancreatic cancer is becoming increasingly important. The most common symptoms are biliary obstruction, duodenal obstruction, and abdominal pain. Recent advances in endoscopic techniques allow stents to be placed to relieve biliary and duodenal obstruction. As patients live longer with biliary stents, knowledge of management of partially occluded stents is becoming increasingly important. Endoscopy can also assist in the management of tumor bleeding with endoscopic hemostasis, and palliation of pain with celiac plexus blocks. This chapter reviews the growing role of endoscopic techniques in palliation of pancreas-cancer-related symptoms. This edition first published 2013 © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Limited.