Staging laparoscopy for pancreatic cancer using intraoperative ultrasonography and fluorescence imaging: the SLING trial

This prospective trial revealed the additional diagnostic value of staging laparoscopy with contrast-enhanced intraoperative ultrasonography and indocyanine green-fluorescence imaging, detecting radiologically occult liver metastases and other occult metastases effectively for patients with high-risk resectable or borderline resectable pancreatic cancer. The 2-year survival rate of patients without occult metastasis was significantly better than that of patients with occult metastasis. These favourable results for patients without occult metastasis indicate that an enhanced screening strategy and modern multidisciplinary treatment may improve the outcome even of patients affected by high-risk advanced pancreatic cancer. State-of-the-art staging worth the effort