Adenocarcinoma of the pancreas: Factors influencing outcome after pancreaticoduodenectomy - The Johns Hopkins experience

RESECTION OF adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas via pancreaticoduodenectomy can now be performed safely in many centers. Patients treated by successful resection have the potential for extended disease-free survival or cure. Factors predictive of long-term survival from data collected from recent experience at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions are reviewed in this article. These factors are related to patient and tumor characteristics, perioperative considerations, and use of postoperative combined modality therapy. Advances in our understanding of the molecular genetics of pancreatic cancer may lead to development of new techniques for early detection of these tumors, and with such advances, the possibility of improved survival and cure rates.