Role of Preoperative Multislice Computed Tomography to Predict the Risk of Pancreatic Fistula After Whipple's Operation.

pancreatic cancer has ranked the 11th most common cancer in the world and seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Worldwide incidence and mortality of pancreatic cancer correlate with increasing age and is slightly more common in men than in women(1).

There are many risk factors for pancreatic cancer, such as age, tobacco smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, obesity, low physical activity, chronic pancreatitis, long-standing type 2 diabetes, ABO blood type, and family history(2).

Pancreatic cancer is mainly divided into two types of pancreatic cancer: pancreatic adenocarcinoma, which is the most common (85% of cases) arising in exocrine glands of the pancreas, and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PanNET), which is less common (less than 5%) and occurs in the endocrine tissue of the pancreas.Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer often don't occur until the disease is advanced(3).

Upon progression of the tumor, it manifests as a gradual onset of non-specific symptoms including jaundice, weight loss, light-colored stools, abdominal pain and fatigue(4).

Treatment for pancreatic cancer depends on the stage and location of the cancer as well as on your overall health and personal preferences. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are traditionally used to extend survival and/or relieve the patients' symptoms. However, for advanced-stage cancer cases, there is still no definite cure(5).