We have recently discovered that mast cells promote pancreatic tumorigenesis by exacerbating the cellular and extracellular signaling in the desmoplastic microenvironment. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that targeting mast cells can block the progression of pancreatic neoplasms and prolong the survival of tumor-bearing immunocompetent hosts.

Lymphoepithelial cysts are rare pancreatic lesions. This case report describes the first excision of such a lesion by laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy which is a recognized procedure for treatment of cystic pancreatic neoplasms. Our patient underwent complete excision of the lesion and has enjoyed complete resolution of his symptoms. Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy may be a suitable choice...

BACKGROUND Surgical resection for pancreatic cancer carries a 5% 5-year survival rate. Most conventional methods of imaging do not detect small pancreatic tumors and do not accurately stage pancreatic neoplasms. There is a significant impact on medical resources despite the relatively small number of patients affected. For these reasons, careful selection of patients for surgical resection is n...

Pancreatic cancer has the worst prognosis of all gastrointestinal neoplasms. Five-year survival of pancreatic cancer after pancreatectomy is very low, and surgical resection is the only option to cure this dismal disease. The standard surgical procedure is pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic head cancer. The morbidity and especially the mortality of PD have been greatly reduced. Portal ve...