Ductal carcinoma of the distal pancreas

Thirty-six patients with ductal carcinoma of the distal pancreas treated between January 1981 and April 1995 were retrospectively reviewed. Tumours were located in the body in 13 patients (36.1%), body and tail in 11 patients (30.6%) and tail in 12 patients (33.3%). All patients were grouped using the TNM staging system (I, 8.3%; II, 5.5%; III, 33.3%; IV, 52.8%). Distal gland pancreatectomy and splenectomy were performed in 10 patients, with a resectability of 27.8%. The overall operative mortality of distal gland cancers was 8.3%, with 0% and 11.5% operative mortality in the pancreatectomy group and non-pancreatectomy group, respectively. Overall operative complication rate was 16.7%, comprising 40% from the resection group and 7.7% from the non-resection group. The overall one-, two-, three-, four- and five-year survivals for ductal carcinoma of the distal pancreas were 6.9%, 3.5%, 3.5%, 3.5% and 3.5%, respectively. In the resectable group, the mean and median survival time was 9.7 months and 3.1 months, respectively, and the one-, two-, three-, four- and five-year survival rates were all 11%.