Synopsis
Most patients with pancreatic cancer will present with metastatic or locally advanced disease. [1–3] Unfortunately, the majority of patients with localized disease will recur even after multi-modality therapy including surgical resection combined with neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy. As such, pancreatic cancer patients arrive at a common endpoint where decisions pertaining to palliative care come to the forefront. This chapter summarizes surgical, endoscopic and other palliative techniques for relief of obstructive jaundice, relief of duodenal or gastric outlet obstruction, and relief of pain due to invasion of the celiac plexus. It also introduces the utility of the palliative care triangle in clarifying a patient’s and family’s goals to guide decision-making and choose “the right treatment, for the right patient, in the right setting.”