Interventional radiology and the pancreatic cancer patient.

Patients with pancreatic cancer have a dismal prognosis. This article reviews the role that interventional radiology can play in managing postoperative complications and in patient palliation, particularly with an obstructed biliary system. In addition, options for cytoreduction are discussed, including chemoembolization, radioembolization, and thermal ablation. The final option reviewed is irreversible electroporation, which is being explored as a technique to allow patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer to be converted to surgical candidates.