Whipple Operation for Pancreatic Carcinoma: Japanese Experience

Abstract

Whipple operation for carcinoma of the periampullary malignant disease has become a safe operation with less than 5% postoperative mortality [1, 2]. Whipple operation results in fairly good survival in patients with carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater or carcinoma of the distal bile duct. Five-year survival rates in such patients have been reported to be between 30% and 50% [3, 4]. However, Whipple operation does not produce survival benefits in patients with carcinoma of the pancreas, for whom the 5-year survival rate is less than 10% [5]. Although complete removal of the tumor by surgery is the only curative treatment and provides a chance of long-term survival for patients with carcinoma of the pancreas, the majority of surgeons do not choose extended radical Whipple operation. The present study was done to determine the effectiveness of surgical treatment of extended radical Whipple operation for pancreatic cancer.