World’s First Successful ViKY Robot-assisted Surgery For Pancreatic Tumors Mar 28, 2009
27, 2009) This month Fox Chase Cancer Center performed the world's first successful minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy using the ViKY system's revolutionary robotic, compact laparoscope holder ... Typically with minimally invasive procedures, like a laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy, surgeons use both hands to manipulate the surgical tools and need an assistant to manipulate the endoscope a thin, lighted tube equipped with a camera that allows the surgeon to view the surgical field ...... (Science Daily)
Obesity Associated With Worse Outcomes After Pancreatic Cancer Surgery Mar 23, 2009
"We identified a subset of obese patients (BMI greater than 35) who were at 12-fold risk of lymph node metastasis compared with non-obese patients (BMI of 35 or less). The estimated disease-free and overall survival rates were decreased in the obese patients, and the risk of cancer recurrence and death after pancreatectomy [removal of the pancreas] was nearly twice that in non-obese patients," the authors write ... Fleming et al. Influence of Obesity on Cancer-Related Outcomes After... (Science Daily)
Obesity Tied to Poor Pancreatic Cancer Surgery Outcomes Mar 20, 2009
"The estimated disease-free and overall survival rates were decreased in the obese patients, and the risk of cancer recurrence and death after pancreatectomy (removal of the pancreas) was nearly twice that in non-obese patients," the researchers wrote. "Cancer recurrence was observed in 95 percent (19 of 20) of patients in the group with a BMI of more than 35 vs. 61 percent (161 of 264) of all other patients.". (MEDLINEplus)
Ginsburg's Pancreatic Cancer Hasn't Spread to Lymph Nodes, High Court Says Feb 14, 2009
Such procedures -- called a distal pancreatectomy -- come with a more favorable prognosis, he said. Speech Today. (Bloomberg -- US)
Surgical Technique Enables Extirpation Of Benign Tumors Of The Pancreas Feb 12, 2009
It is the highest number of patients operated on using laparoscopic central pancreatectomy and that has been published in scientific literature worldwide ... The results of the laparoscopic central pancreatectomy have been excellent, according to Doctor Rotellar, and can even exceed those achieved by open surgery ... This is why laparoscopic central pancreatectomy is not suitable for tumours of poorer prognosis where it is paramount to operate radically in order to avoid a future regeneration of... (Science Daily)
Ginsburg Faces Tough Battle Against Pancreatic Cancer Feb 8, 2009
Given the length of the hospital stay (seven to 10 days) and the location of the tumor, she probably underwent a distal pancreatectomy (removal of the end of the pancreas) and likely had her spleen removed as well, Sasson said. The tumor was apparently found during routine testing that was part of an annual physical. (U.S. News & World Report)
