Letters
Digestive system diseases
Volume 197 - Issue 1

Pancreatic cancer: surgical management and outcomes after 6 years of follow-up

Author:  Andrew A Thomson

Med J Aust 2012; 197 (1): 30. || doi: 10.5694/mja12.10841
Published online: 2 July 2012
To the Editor: Speer and colleagues’ recent article concerning pancreatic cancer outcomes makes sobering reading.1 Notwithstanding the results of surgery being in line with other case series, they found a somewhat high rate (nearly 40%) of positive resection margins in patients undergoing surgery with curative intent. The authors also cite evidence from other studies indicating benefit from a small number of surgeons each performing a ...
Download PDF (128 KB)
Share: Share on Blue Sky Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share by email

To the Editor: Speer and colleagues’ recent article concerning pancreatic cancer outcomes makes sobering reading.1 Notwithstanding the results of surgery being in line with other case series, they found a somewhat high rate (nearly 40%) of positive resection margins in patients undergoing surgery with curative intent. The authors also cite evidence from other studies indicating benefit from a small number of surgeons each performing a large volume of resections.

I would also argue for super-specialisation on the part of the other treating specialists; in particular, radiologists, nuclear medicine specialists, oncologists, radio-therapists and gastroenterologists. Rapid collection and evaluation of high-quality data regarding patients with pancreatic cancer are important if complications related to their treatment are to be avoided. Mandating multidisciplinary meetings, as occurs in Western Australia, may be useful, although the value of such meetings very much depends on the commitment, expertise and, to some extent, personality of the participants.

Speer et al’s study is a salutary reminder that, despite our expanded knowledge base and advances in surgery and other therapeutic modalities, pancreatic cancer remains a cruel disease with an appalling prognosis. The least we can do for these patients is to avoid complications related to their therapy.

View this article on Wiley Online Library

More like this

Digestive system diseases Research 18 August 2026 Open Access

Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer With Liver-Only Metastases: A Retrospective Cohort Study Integrating Prospectively Collected Real-World Clinical and Molecular Data From an Australian National Database (2009–2024) to Guide Treatment Planning

Savio G. Barreto, Christos S. Karapetis, Shahid Ullah, Matthew Burge, Susan Caird, Angus Campbell, Azim Jalali, Ross Jennens, Muhammad A. Khattak, Belinda Lee, Stephanie H. Lim, Shehara Mendis, Louise Nott, Timothy J. Price, Jeremy D. Shapiro, Jeanne Tie, Javier Torres, Colin Williams, Rachel Wong, Vanessa Wong, Peter Gibbs

Digestive system diseases Guideline summary 20 October 2025 Open Access

Clinical practice guidelines for hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance for people at high risk in Australia: summary of recommendations

Jacob George, Nicole L Allard, Stuart K Roberts, Leon A Adams, Jane Davies, Behzad Hajarizadeh, Jennifer H MacLachlan, Suzanne E Mahady, Rosalie Altus, Catherine Brown, David C Fry, Belinda Greenwood‐Smith, Natali Smud, Patricia C Valery, Nafisa Yussf, Kate Broun, Denise Campbell, Karen Canfell, Chelsea Carle Harrison, Victoria Freeman, Paul Grogan, Catherine Holliday, Suzanne Hughes, Anna Kelly, Cathelijne Kemenade, Claire Latumahina, Amanda McAtamney, Megan Varlow, Joachim Worthington, Susan Yuill, Eleonora Feletto

View more