Ductal pancreatic cancer

In a prospective study of 587 patients tumor resection was possible in 138 (23.5%). Only 91 (65.4%) had been classified as R0-resections. Since 1982 subtotal duodenopancreatectomy has been the preferred method for treating pancreatic head cancer. Operative mortality for the whole series was 6%, for subtotal duodenopancreatectomy only 2%. The 5-year-survival rate for all patients was 2.9% with a mean survival of 4 months. For tumor resection it was 11%, for R0-resection 16%. However, in stages I and II the 5-year-survival was 46% and in stage III with a solitary lymph node metastasis, 30%.