Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a devastating and malignant disease,with a five year survival rate of less than 5％.Despite our improvement of surgical techniques and adjuvant medical therapy,most patients with pancreatic cancer have a dismal prognosis.The poor outcome of this tumor is associated with a high degree of drug resistance.Recently,the emerging knowledge of the molecular basis of pancreatic cancer may provide new avenues to get better prognostication for individual patients based on the molecular profile of obtained tissue by a biopsy or from resected specimens.So some novel drugs targeting signal pathway both within cancer cell and cancer microenvironment are undergoing preclinical.This article reviews the different targeted approaches in pancreatic cancer.

Regional arterial intra-chemotherapy (RAIC) was an effective method of combined therapy for pancreatic carcinoma, which could elevate the regional con-centration of anticancer agents for sufficient dosage in pan-creas, reduce the systemic adverse events, increase the toler-ation of chemotherapy.It could also increase the concentra-tion of anticancer agents in regional lymph node of pancreas, thus decrease the lymph node metastasis.The mechanism of RAIC for pancreatic cancer and the impact for lymph node metastasis needed to be further investigated.

PET/CT is a useful method which combines metabolic and anatomic imaging. It has already a-chieved good results in differential diagnosis of pancreatic malignant disease, evaluating therapeutic effect, monitoring tumor recurrence and metastasis. This article will summarize the clinical utilization of PET/CT in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Objective To identify the types of pulmonary complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy,and to discuss the prevention and management of these complications.Methods Clinical data of 165 cases of pancreaticoduodenectomy in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed.Pulmonary complications were identified,therapeutic effects were observed.Results The incidence rate of pulmonary complications was 19.4％ ( 32/165),case-fatality rate was 6.25％ (2/32),two patients died from pneumonia,respiratory failure and ARDS.Complications mainly included pneumonia 13.9％ (23/165),pleural effusion 4.2％ (7/165),atelectasis 3.6％ (6/165),pneumothorax 1.8％ ( 3/165 ),respiratory failure 2.4％ (4/165) and ARDS 1.2％ (2/165).Conclusion Pulmonary complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy are not rare,especially for pulmonary infection and most are hospital acquired pneumonia.To understand rules and particularity of respiratory physiopathological changes after pancreaticoduodenectomy is very important for patients to safely pass over the perioperative period.

Objective To assess the value of multi-slice computed tomography angiography (MSCTA) in the preoperative detection of aberrant hepatic arteries in patients scheduled to undergo pancreaticoduodenectomy.Methods Patients with pancreatic and peri-ampullary tumors were preoperatively studied using contrast-enhanced abdominal CT angiography (CTA).The results on hepatic arterial anatomy were compared with those obtained from digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and on surgical findings.Results Eighty-one patients were included into this study.DSA was carried out in 29 patients to evaluate tumor resectability,and 66 patients received surgery.Anomalous hepatic arteries were detected in 17 (21％) patients on CTA.Thirteen (16.0％) patients had a single arterial variant,and 4 (4.9％) patients had two arterial variants.One patient each was seen in the Michels type Ⅳ,Ⅶ,and Ⅷ respectively,while 2 patients each were seen in the Michels type Ⅲ and Ⅴ respectively.Five patients were diagnosed as the Michels type Ⅵ,and four as the Michels type Ⅸ.One patient demonstrated a rare variant which was not included into the Michels classification.MSCTA had an accuracy of 100％,a sensitivity of 100％,and a specificity of 100％.Regarding the traceability scores of hepatic arterial segment,there were no statistically significant differences between MSCTA and DSA.Conclusions MSCTA is an effective imaging tool to assess arterial anatomical variation around the pancreatic head.It is non-invasive,and it provides valuable information on the peri-pancre atic vascular anatomy before pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Objective To confirm the main pathway of chemokine-chemokine receptor which mediates the accumulation of regulatory T cell ( Treg) in pancreatic cancer .Methods The concentrations of protein of FOXP3 and chemokines of CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, CCL17, CXCL8 in human and mouse pancreatic cancer and adjacent normal pancreatic tissue were measured by the method of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The receptor of chemokine CCL5 (CCR5) in human and mouse pancreatic cancer were determined by the immunofluorescent stain .Results The concentration of FOXP 3 protein in human pancreatic cancer and adjacent normal pancreatic tissue as (487.5 ±534.1) and (162.6 ±42.0) pg/mg, respectively, while they were (84.6 ±54.1) and (14.4 ±7.6) pg/mg, respectively in mouse.The concentration of FOXP3 protein were significantly higher in pancreatic cancer than those in adjacent normal pancreatic tissue .The concentration of CCL2 in human pancreatic cancer and adjacent normal pancreatic tissue as (76.9 ±37.5), (40.8 ±25.5) pg/mg, and the concentration of CCL3 as (38.0 ±22.6), (21.3 ±16.5) pg/mg, and the concentration of CCL5 were (390.2 ±158.5), (59.1 ±22.8) pg/mg, and the concentration of CCL17 as (7.2 ±2.0), (4.1 ±2.4)pg/mg, and the concentration of CXCL8 as (9.3 ±5.5), (6.3 ±5.2)pg/mg.The concentration of CCL2, CCL5, CCL17 in pancreatic cancer was significantly higher than those in adjacent normal pancreatic tissue (P<0.05).The concentration of CCL2 in mouse pancreatic cancer and adjacent normal pancreatic tissue as (77.9 ±30.5), (43.6 ±16.6) pg/mg, and the concentration of CCL3 was (27.4 ±18.2), (14.0 ±4.5)pg/mg, and the concentration of CCL5 was (302.2 ±55.8), (64.5 ±30.3) pg/mg; and the concentration of CCL17 was (4.4 ±1.4), (2.2 ±1.0)pg/mg;and the concentration of CXCL8 was (55.1 ± 55.1), ( 93.4 ±7.3 ) pg/mg.The concentration of CCL2, CCL5, CCL17 in pancreatic cancer were significantly higher than those in adjacent normal pancreatic tissue , and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05).The level of FOXP3 in pancreatic cancer was positively correlated with the concentration of chemokine CCL 5 both in human and mouse pancreatic cancer .Immunofluorescent staining indicated that the FOXP3 +cells also expressed CCR5.Conclusions The CCL5-CCR5 is the main chemokine-chemokine receptor pathway mediating the accumulation of Treg cells in pancreatic cancer .

Objective To explore the clinical significance of ? catenin expression in pancreatic carcinoma.Methods The immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the expression of ? catenin in the specimens of 46 patients with pancreatic carcinoma and the results were statistically analyzed. Results The abnormal expression rate on the membrane was 54.3%, the poorer the differentiation, the higher the abnormal expression rate. The levels of the cases in whom metastasis occurred were much higher than those without metastasis. The abnormal cytoplasm expression rate was 21.7%,which had not significant correlation with the clinical indexes, such as staging, tumor size, grading and metastasis. In 23 patients who accepted intervention chemotherapy before operation, the cytoplasm expression rate in those with tumor mass smaller was 0, which was evidently lower than that of those without tumor mass change (33.3%). Moreover, the abnormal membrane and cytoplasm expression rates had remarkable concordance (63.0%).Conclusion The abnormal membrane expression of ? catenin may accelerate metastasis, and the abnormal expression of ? catenin in cytoplasm may result in cell proliferation.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of pancreatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Methods We reported a case and reviewed the medical literature on pancreatic malignant GIST. We searched the Pubmed and main domestic database. The clinical data of the reported cases were studied, and their predictive factors for postoperative recurrence and metastasis were analyzed. Results Between January 1980 and July 2010, 16 cases of pancreatic GIST were reported. There were 7 males and 9 females, with a median age pf 56.5 (31-72)years. The clinical symptoms were nonspecific. The main presentation was upper abdominal pain or discomfort. A preoperative diagnosis was suspected on radiological examination. The tumor mainly appeared as a well-defined solid-cystic mass. Irregular enhancement appeared in the circumferential and solid portion of the tumor on enhanced CT scan sequences. The pancreatic and biliary ducts were rarely dilated. Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology (EUS-FNA) was helpful in preoperative diagnosis. Of the 15 surgical patients, 14 underwent complete resection, while the remaining received cyst-jejunostomy. A correct diagnosis was made on histopathology and immunohisto-chemistry. On a mean follow up of 21 months (range, 1-60) in 14 patients, all patients were alive.Recurrence or metastasis occurred in 4 patients with tumors of high malignant potential. On univariate analysis, the only significant predictor for adverse outcome was mitoses≥10/50 HPF. Conclusions Pancreatic GIST is a rare tumor of relatively low malignant potential. It has a better prognosis than ductal adenocarcinoma. It is important to arrive at a correct diagnosis and treat the tumor with radical resection. Aggressive surgical resection is potentially curative. Imatinib is recommended in the treatment of patients with tumors with high malignant potential.

Objective To survey the biliary flora in patients with obstructive jaundice due to pancreatic head cancer,also the multiple factors which affect the positive findings of bile culture in these patients.Methods The information of 65 patients with obstruetive jaundice due to pancreatic head eancer,who admitted to surgery in Huashan Hospital from Oetober 2007 to October 2008 were reviewed retrospectively.The factors which may potentially affect the detection of bile pathogen in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice were studied with univarite analysis and muhivariate analysis,including age,history of biliary surgery,yellow stained time,serum alanihe aminotransferase level,serum bilirubin level,CA19-9 level,tumor size,site of obstruction,with or without clinical manifestations of biliary infection,and APACHE Ⅱ score.Results Twenty-five positive cultures happened in 65 bile samples (38.5％),including 21 strains of Gram-negative baeilli (72.4％),6 strains of Gram-positive bacteria (20.7％),and 2 strains of fungi (6.9％).Univariate analysis showed that the relevant factors which may affect the rate of positive bile culture in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice were age,history of biliary surgery,biliary obstruction site,biliary tract infection symptoms and APACHE Ⅱ score.Multivariate analysis showed that age,history of biliary surgery,biliary obstruction site and APACHE Ⅱ seore were independent risk factors.Conctusion Age,history of biliary surgery,biliary obstruction site and APACHE Ⅱ score were independent risk factors which led to positive findings of bile cultures in patients with obstructive jaundice due to pancreatic head cancer.

Objective To describe the hemodynamic characteristics of normal pancreas and pancreatic tumors by 64 slices helical CT perfusion imaging, to evaluate the role of CT perfusion in the diagnosis of pancreatic tumors. Methods Perfusion CT scan was performed in 149 patients, including 36 patients with normal pancreas, 105 patients with pancreatic tumors and 8 patients with duodenal papillary carcinoma. The parameters including blood flow (BF) ,blood volume (BV) and permeability surface area product (PS) were measured. Results The mean value of BF, BV and PS of normal pancreas were (135.24±48.36) ml· min-1·kg-1, (200.55±54.96)ml/kg and (49.75±24.27) ml·min-1·kg-1, respectively. Pancreatic carcinoma has a lower BF, BV and PS,whieh were 31.77±19.36 ml·min-1· kg-1, (66.84±39.49)ml/kg and (37.64±27.14) ml·min-1·kg-1, respectively. The aforementioned parameters in pancreatic cysts were close to zero. The parameters in pancreatic carcinoma were significantly lower than those in normal pancreas(P<0.05); the BF and BV in duodenal papillary carcinoma were significantly lower than those in normal pancreas(P<0.05), while the value of PS was not significantly different from that in normal pancreas; the aforementioned parameters in pancreatic cysts were significantly different from those in normal pancreas(P <0.01). Conclusions In perfu sion CT, normal pancreas was an organ with symmetrical BF,BV and PS. Pancreatic carcinoma was a tumor with low perfusion and decreased PS. Duodenal papillary carcinoma had decreased BF and BV with no significant change in PS. Pancreatic cyst had no blood perfusion. The 64 slice helical CT peffusion imaging was invaluable in differential diagnosis of pancreatic tumors.