[Outcome of 268 patients with pancreatic carcinoma treated surgically]

From January 1st 1987 to December 31st 2001, 268 patients (pts) with the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma had undergone surgery at Surgical Clinic of University Hospital Rijeka. Pts were of both sexes: 154 males (57%) and 114 females (43%). The mean age of pts at the time of operation was 66 +/- 11.4 years. 36 pts (13.4%) underwent curative resection, while 198 pts (73.9%) underwent palliative operation. At 34 pts (12.7%) explorative laparotomy and biopsy were preformed. Overall 30-days postoperative mortality was 12.3% (33 pts). 44 pts (16.4%) developed postoperative complications. Mean overall survival after surgery was 5.8 months. Pts who underwent curative resection survived significantly longer (median 24.2 months) than pts with palliative surgery (median 5.4 months). 8 pts (2.98%) survived more than two years after surgery. Lymph node involvement, distant metastases and postoperative complications were predictors of significantly worse survival.