World journal of surgery
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World journal of surgery · Mar 2003
Long-term results of partial pancreaticoduodenectomy for ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head: 25-year experience.
The prognosis of patients who undergo resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with curative intention is generally poor unless they have early-stage disease. Based on our 25-year experience, the results of 194 patients after a standardized Kausch-Whipple resection for adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head were analyzed and the prognostic factors were evaluated. Between 1972 and 1998 a total of 221 patients were diagnosed for ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head, and 194 of them subsequently underwent a standardized Kausch-Whipple resection. ⋯ In the case of a curative resection, the presence of lymph node metastases is of prognostic relevance. In view of considerable surgical morbidity and mortality, resection for cancer of the pancreatic head is the only option if the lesion is resectable. We concluded that surgical treatment is "as good as it gets," as extended techniques have not proved to produce better results.