Review
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World J Gastrointest Oncol. Oct 15, 2014; 6(10): 381-392
Published online Oct 15, 2014. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v6.i10.381
Metastatic tumors to the pancreas: The role of surgery
Cosimo Sperti, Lucia Moletta, Giuseppe Patanè
Cosimo Sperti, Lucia Moletta, Giuseppe Patanè, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, 3rd Surgical Clinic, University of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy
Author contributions: Sperti C and Moletta L conceived the article and drafted the manuscript; Patanè G carried out literature review and preparation of the manuscript; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to: Cosimo Sperti, MD, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, 3rd Surgical Clinic, University of Padua, via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy. csperti@libero.it
Telephone: +39-049-8218845 Fax: +39-049-8218821
Received: December 3, 2013
Revised: August 10, 2014
Accepted: September 4, 2014
Published online: October 15, 2014
Processing time: 320 Days and 13 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Pancreatic metastases represent a rare but increasing entity among pancreatic tumors. We have reviewed the literature’s reports of the more common metastatic tumors to the pancreas, evaluating early and long-term results of surgery. Pancreatic resection may appear a safe and feasible option also in metastatic tumors, but long term survival is achieved substantially only in renal cell cancer. In other metastatic tumors, pancreatectomy may offer a good palliation in selected patients, but it is to remark that surgery is only one option in the multimodality treatment of metastatic disease to the pancreas.