Cancer of the pancreatic head and the periampullary region

Between 1976 and 1988, 16 patients underwent a Whipple resection or total pancreatectomy for carcinoma of the head of the pancreas, the ampulla of Vater or the distal common bile duct. Nine patients had carcinoma of the pancreas. Two of these patients are long-term survivors. The tumors in these patients were highly differentiated and localized close to the common bile duct. Four had ampullary lesions, and are all alive today. Three patients had carcinoma of the common bile duct. One of these patients is alive.