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Imaging After Neoadjuvant Therapy

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Textbook of Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract

Response assessment with diagnostic cross-sectional imaging remains difficult after neoadjuvant therapy in pancreatic cancer. Imaging correlates of tumour transformation under neoadjuvant therapy are discussed in this chapter, together with efforts in research to overcome the specific challenges of response evaluation. So far, better understanding of histopathologic changes after neoadjuvant therapy have not translated into applicable imaging criteria for defining response and selecting surgical candidates. Currently, patients with non-metastatic borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma are brought to exploratory laparotomy in the absence of overt radiologic progression after neoadjuvant therapy. Imaging research, apart from testing morphologic criteria, is focused on defining robust functional imaging parameters for response. This chapter highlights the current role of imaging and addresses topics of future investigation.

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Gassner, EM., Poskaite, P., Jaschke, W. (2021). Imaging After Neoadjuvant Therapy. In: Søreide, K., Stättner, S. (eds) Textbook of Pancreatic Cancer. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53786-9_29

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