Technical advances in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fiducial placement for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Chavalitdhamrong, Disaya; DiMaio, Christopher J; Siersema, Peter D; Wagh, Mihir S

Radiation therapy has an important role in the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer and can be used alone or in conjunction with surgery and/or systemic chemotherapy. Because of the challenge of delivering an accurate and optimal radiation dose, image-guided radiation therapy can be used to improve targeting. Fiducial markers can be placed in the tumor and used for localization in patients undergoing image-guided radiation therapy. The safety and feasibility of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided placement of fiducials has been assessed and reported for the management of pancreatic cancer. We herein review the technique, efficacy, and safety profile of EUS-guided fiducial placement. In addition, we highlight recent advances and technological upgrades in EUS-guided fiducial delivery systems for pancreatic cancer most relevant to practicing gastroenterologists and interventional endoscopists.