[Surgical treatment of pancreatobiliary carcinoma in the elderly]

Between January, 1980 and December, 1992, 256 patients underwent resection of pancreatobiliary carcinoma. Sixty eight of these patients were more than 70 years old and are the subject of this review. The morbidity rate for pancreatic cancer patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy was 50%. The five years survival rate was 15%. The morbidity rate for biliary cancer patients undergoing major resection was 40%. The five year survival rate was 40%. The data presented demonstrate that extended operation for pancreatic cancer should not be performed in the elderly patients but major resection for biliary cancer can be performed, even in elderly patients, with a low but somewhat increased mortality risk. Methods of estimating risk factor for elderly patients are required.