[Is it able to simplify the classifications of staging and curability for pancreatic cancer?]

This study was undertaken to simplify the classifications of the staging and curability of pancreatic cancer by the Japan Pancreas Society (JPS). A total of 461 patients who underwent surgical resection from 1968 to 1997 were analyzed in this study in accordance with our new classification of staging and curability. This staging mainly consists of three factors based on tumor extent:invasion to the retroperitoneum (rp); invasion to the extrapancreatic nerve plexus (pl); and lymph node metastasis (n). Each factor is simply judged as + (positive) or - (negative). Curability is also judged simply based on whether the presence of tumor is detected or not, and the degree of lymph node dissection is not included in curability. Our staging and curability assessment is strongly associated with survival rates after surgery. The 5-year survival rate of stage I patients is 50% and curability of A is > or = 50%. It is concluded that it is possible to simplify the classification of the staging and curability of pancreatic cancer by the JPS.