Submitted by Armen Hareyan on Sep 4th, 2007
Pancreatic Cancer
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital will host a webcast featuring a mini-Whipple procedure (pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy) used to treat pancreatic cancer. The webcast, which will feature an actual procedure and panel discussion by the Jefferson Pancreatic Cancer and Related Diseases team, is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 18.
All viewers will be able to ask questions online during the surgery and physicians can earn CME credit. Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
A mini-Whipple procedure is a type of surgery used to treat pancreatic cancer when the tumor is located in the head of the pancreas. Unlike a "classic Whipple procedure in which the lower part of the stomach, all of the duodenum and the head of the pancreas are removed, this modified resection preserves the entire stomach, the pylorus and several centimeters of the upper duodenum. The procedure will be performed by internationally known pancreas specialist and Chair of Surgery at Jefferson University Hospital, Charles J. Yeo, M.D., F.A.C.S.
"For patients, there are no oncologic downsides to the mini-Whipple, but there are plenty of upsides, including preservation of the entire stomach and pylorus, a shorter hospital stay and fewer complications, explained Dr. Yeo. "We target a post-operative stay of less than one week and achieve this goal with most patients.
This real-time webcast will feature the procedure and include an interactive panel discussion with Dr. Yeo and various members of the Jefferson Pancreatic Cancer and Related Diseases team including specialists in research, anesthesia, gastroenterology and radiology. Viewers will have the opportunity to ask questions online during the webcast.
Pancreatic cancer, the fifth-leading cause of cancer death in this country, takes some 30,000 lives a year. The disease is difficult to treat, particularly because it is frequently detected after it has spread to other areas on the body. Only four percent of all individuals with pancreatic cancer live for five years after diagnosis, and approximately 25 percent of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer who undergo successful surgical removal of their disease live at least that long.
But recent figures give new hope; for those who live for five years after surgical resection, some 55 percent will be alive at least another five years.
According to Dr. Yeo, new imaging techniques, improved early detection and screening of high-risk groups, and new therapies on the horizon have begun to change the way pancreatic cancer is viewed. "We ,, re actually making great progress when it comes to pancreatic cancer, he says.
Source:
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital 