Laparoscopy for pancreatic cancer: does it benefit the patient?
The findings in 73 patients undergoing laparoscopy for pancreatic cancer have been reviewed. The procedure was performed immediately prior to a proposed laparotomy which was undertaken in 51 patients. In this subgroup, 42 patients were correctly staged as having incurable/inoperable disease by laparoscopy but only four out of nine patients judged to be resectable were found to be operable at laparotomy. Laparoscopic target biopsy/fine needle cytology of the primary or its secondary deposits confirmed the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in 61 out of 65 patients (92%). Whereas the majority of hepatic deposits visualized by laparoscopy had been detected by the prelaparoscopic imaging tests, peritoneal and omental deposits were only identified by laparoscopy. Laparoscopy is a useful procedure in the staging of patients with pancreatic cancer and establishes the diagnosis of advanced disease thereby, obviating a laparotomy in all those patients in whom surgical palliation is not indicated. The procedure should be performed in those patients in whom a laparotomy is contemplated.
Cuschieri
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Department of Surgery, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, U.K.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology