2016 Volume 31 Issue 6 Pages 791-798
Revision concepts and major revision points of the seventh edition of Japanese classification of the pancreatic cancers were reviewed. The Japanese classification of pancreatic cancer was released in the seventh edition of the General Rules for the Study of Pancreatic Cancer by the Japan Pancreas Society (JPS) in July 2016. The principal points of revision are as follows: (1) definition of the parts of the pancreas, (2) T categories: consistency with those of the UICC seventh edition and reappraisal of the anatomy of the extrapancreatic nerve plexuses, (3) N categories: classification based on numbers of lymph nodal metastasis among the regional lymph nodes; N1a: metastasis in 1 to 3 regional lymph nodes and N1b: metastasis in 4 or more regional lymph nodes, (4) Staging system: consistency with those of the UICC seventh edition, and (5) histopathological classification which is consistent with the WHO classification. The following new items have been added: (1) diagnostic guidelines of tumor extension and lymph node metastasis based on multi-detector CT (MD-CT), (2) objective criteria defining resectability status based only on findings from MD-CT, (3) cytopathology guidelines, and (4) criteria of histological response to drug therapy and/or radiotherapy. The revised seventh edition of JPS pancreatic cancer classification focuses on establishing consistency to UICC (seventh edition), while maintaining the originality of JPS classification.
