Pancreatic and Liver Cancer Surgery
Pancreas Surgery
Surgical removal of pancreatic cancer when there is no spread to other organs is the only chance of possible cure. Pancreatic surgery can be difficult, with some patients denied the chance of possible cure when surgery is performed by surgeons not experienced at complex pancreatic surgery. This is particularly the case with cancers arising in the uncinate process of the pancreas, adjacent to major blood vessels. Population studies from the USA show that high volume pancreatic surgeons regularly achieve better results than those performing fewer pancreatic operations, regardless of the level of experience. Dr Nikfarjam currently performs 25-30 pancreatic resections per annum.
Liver Biliary Surgery
Certain patients with primary and secondary liver tumours and can potentially be cured with surgery. Outcomes of patients with colon cancer spread to the liver in particular have improved dramatically in recent years with aggressive surgery and chemotherapy. Patients who may have been told that their tumours cannot be removed are evaluated through a multidisciplinary setting and are sometimes found to actually be good candidates for surgery. With better chemotherapy, imaging and surgical techniques, a patient's tumour that was previously thought not to be removable can sometimes be surgically removed and with excellent results.
