Wagh Mihir S., Draganov Peter V. (eds.) Pancreatic Masses Advances in Diagnosis and Therapy

Springer, 2016. — 334 p. — ISBN: 978-3-319-19676-3.It is our distinct pleasure to present this book on pancreatic mass lesions and an honor to have the opportunity to work with world-renowned experts in this field. To begin, let us explain the two main reasons for putting this book together. As you know, pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest of cancers and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. At the same time, imaging studies are identifying pancreatic masses more frequently, not all of which are neoplastic. Furthermore, these neoplasms are often associated with varying levels of malignant potential. Recently, there have been great advances in our understanding of pancreatic diseases, diagnostic capabilities, and treatment options. In this ever-changing world of sophisticated technological innovations and scientifi c progress, we thought it would be best to get a 360° view on pancreatic mass lesions and present a concise, yet thorough text for clinicians taking care of patients with these diseases.
This book is divided into four sections that cover the different types of pancreatic mass lesions, their diagnosis, treatment, and recent advances. Each chapter in these sections includes an abstract highlighting the salient features described in that segment of the book. We have incorporated illustrations and photographs to provide the reader with a visual understanding of key concepts, and diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, including radiographic images and endoscopic and surgical photos. We have presented relevant data and summarized their fi ndings to help the clinician manage patients with these lesions. Finally, we have included recent advances in cytopathology, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and other novel and innovative therapeutic strategies.
We are grateful to our panel of distinguished contributors, true international experts in this fi eld, from America, Europe, and Asia, spanning various disciplines, including gastroenterology, interventional endoscopy, radiology, oncology, radiation oncology, and surgery. We extend a special thanks to our publishers (Springer), who helped bring our ideas to a tangible reality.