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Mesopancreas in Pancreatic Cancer: Where do We Stand – Review of Literature

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Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is associated with poor prognosis and surgery remains the main modality of treatment. Negative resection margin is an important prognostic factor for survival. Retropancreatic margin or the medial margin is the most common site of positive resection margin. Mesopancreas was proposed in analogy with mesorectum, which is considered as a fusion fascia formed embryologically during the development of pancreas. This mesopancreas lies posterior to the pancreas and contains pancreaticoduodenal vessels, lymphatics, nerve plexus and loose areolar tissue. Various technical modifications were proposed for better dissection of mesopancreas like posterior approach and artery first approach. There is an increased rate of R0 resection by these technical modifications but whether this will turn to increase in survival rates is yet to be established.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgical Oncology, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

    Ramachandra Chowdappa

  2. Department of Surgical Oncology, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

    Vasu Reddy Challa

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  1. Ramachandra Chowdappa
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Correspondence to Ramachandra Chowdappa.

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Chowdappa, R., Challa, V.R. Mesopancreas in Pancreatic Cancer: Where do We Stand – Review of Literature. Indian J Surg Oncol 6, 69–74 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13193-014-0294-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13193-014-0294-7

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