Carcinoma of the pancreas and biliary tree remain one of the most dreadful oncological diagnoses.

Precise management of patients with potentially precancerous pancreatic cystic lesions is crucial so that the development of pancreatic carcinoma is prevented. Identification of sufficiently sensitive and specific biomarkers for a pancreatic carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma would be of a very high value especially when rising incidence of pancreatic carcinoma is taken into account.

Early diagnosis of cancerous neoplasms, delivered by an endoscopist (using endoscopic techniques including EUS/FNA, FNB, and ERCP with spyglass), in combination with a tailored surgical and oncological approach should be available to every patient if this is clinically appropriate. Effective collaboration between the gastroenterologist and the oncologist needs to be set up so that the palliation, including endoscopic interventions (insertion of biliary and pancreatic stents and coeliac plexus block), can be provided accordingly to a patient with a carcinoma of pancreas or biliary ducts.

We welcome original research and review articles describing current knowledge on precancerous and cancerous lesions of pancreatobiliary origin or randomized controlled trials. Gastroenterologists with excellent knowledge on epidemiology, early endoscopic diagnosis, and endoscopic treatment and oncologists who have experience in up-to-date tailored approaches to patients with pancreatobiliary cancer diagnoses are particularly encouraged to submit to this special issue.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Pancreatic carcinoma, precancerous lesions
• Pancreatic carcinoma, risk factors, incidence, endoscopic diagnosis, management of complications, and endoscopic palliation
• Current tailored surgical and oncological treatment of pancreatic carcinoma
• Cholangiocarcinoma, precancerous lesions
• Cholangiocarcinoma, epidemiology, endoscopic diagnosis, and treatment (including endoscopic palliation)
• Contemporary tailored oncological treatment of cholangiocarcinoma