Abstract
Background: The aim of this study was to establish the implications of a normal pancreatogram in patients with pancreatic cancer.
Methods: We reviewed all ERCP done at our institution for the period 1983–92 and studied 62 of 727 patients who had a diagnosis of pancreatic (n= 416) or biliary (n= 311) cancer but a normal pancreatic duct.
Results: Thirty of the 62 patients had pancreatic cancer. In 15 cases, the ERCP diagnosis was incorrect, and in 19 cases, Santorini's duct was not visualized. Other imaging revealed a pancreatic head mass in 25 patients (2.5–>7 cm). Only three patients had resectable tumors; another eight underwent laparotomy. Five had bypass surgery, 10 required biliary stenting, and nine had no treatment. Four patients died in hospital, and eight were lost to follow-up. In the remaining 18 patients, median survival was 7 months (range, 1–30 months).
Conclusion: A normal pancreatogram does not exclude the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, nor does it confer a better prognosis.
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Received: 4 September 1997/Accepted: 24 October 1997
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Hewitt, P., Beningfield, S., Bornman, P. et al. Pancreatic carcinoma . Surg Endosc 12, 867–869 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004649900731
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004649900731