Pancreatic cancer and periampullary malignancies are widely regarded as among the most formidable challenges in modern medicine. In recent years, however, the progress achieved by Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) has drawn growing attention across Asia, offering a clinically grounded and academically credible model for reference.

To date, the TVGH pancreatic team has published more than 130 peer-reviewed papers related to pancreatic surgery, including over 30 studies focused specifically on minimally invasive pancreatic procedures. Their research findings have been presented in more than one hundred national and international scientific meetings. In addition, the team has contributed to the pancreaticoduodenectomy chapter of Pancreas Cancer and has been invited to participate in the formulation of international guidelines for minimally invasive pancreatic surgery. These milestones reflect not only academic productivity, but also the recognition of TVGH as a reference center shaping practice standards in pancreatic cancer care across Asia.

A key factor underpinning TVGH’s consistent treatment quality is its extensive surgical experience. The institution has performed more than 2,000 pancreatic cancer operations, encompassing both conventional open surgery and robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD). Of these, over 700 cases were completed using robotic assistance. This high procedural volume has enabled the standardization of surgical workflows and the refinement of perioperative management, resulting in greater predictability in postoperative recovery. Accumulated experience has translated into improved operative stability, with reduced blood loss, lower complication rates, shorter hospital stays, and decreased mortality compared with traditional open approaches. Collectively, these gains have contributed to improved overall survival outcomes.

Beyond surgery alone, TVGH has advanced a multimodal treatment strategy that integrates a domestically developed combination chemotherapy regimen, SLOG, with carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT). This approach has allowed a subset of patients whose tumors were initially deemed unresectable or borderline resectable to achieve sufficient tumor regression to permit surgical intervention. The ability to convert previously inoperable disease into resectable cases represents a meaningful shift in the therapeutic landscape of pancreatic cancer.

Comprehensive care at TVGH extends well beyond the operating room and pharmacologic treatment. Its strength lies in coordinated, multidisciplinary collaboration. Surgical teams work in close integration with medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pharmacists, and specialized nursing staff. Through this structured, team-based model, TVGH has succeeded in reducing overall treatment-related mortality to below 2 percent, a benchmark that underscores the impact of systematic coordination rather than isolated technical excellence.

Taken as a whole, the treatment of pancreatic and periampullary cancers at TVGH does not rely on a single technology or a single “star” department. Instead, it is the result of deliberate integration across surgery, medical oncology, radiation therapy, imaging, nuclear medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and nutritional care. Each discipline plays an essential role within a coherent clinical framework. This integrated model has generated value that is not only influential but also potentially reproducible in other healthcare systems. Ultimately, it offers patients—both in Taiwan and internationally—the prospect of longer survival accompanied by a better quality of life.