Study of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Patients After Radical Resection of Pancreatic Cancer With Advanced Stages (T3 or N1)

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest tumor types of the alimentary system. Resection is the only curable method to treat pancreatic cancer. However, even if radical resection is achieved, the 5-year survival rate is still low because of tumor recurrence. It's reported adjuvant radiation can prolong survival and improve quality of life after surgery. For R0 (microscopic negative margin) resection patients with advanced stages (T3 or N1), the value of adjuvant radiation is still in debate. It's warranted to explore the role of adjuvant radiation for patients after radical resection of pancreatic cancer with advanced stages (T3 or N1) in large, prospective, and randomized cohorts. The application of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) makes radiation less harmful and more flexible. It is hoped that adjuvant SBRT may benefit post-operative patients with advanced stages and one day adjuvant SBRT combined with chemotherapy become the standard of care for pancreatic cancer patients.