[Adenocarcinoma of the exocrine pancreas: management and therapeutic hopes].
BACKGROUND
Pancreatic carcinoma is a major public health concern, as it kills more than 6,000 people each year in France.


BACKGROUND
The main risk factor demonstrated by concordant case-control studies is cigarette smoking. Pancreatic carcinoma is generally diagnosed at an advanced stage. Results of radical surgery are still poor. In most of the reported series, less than 25% of the patients survive at five years.


CONCLUSIONS
Postoperative radiochemotherapy slightly increases the hope of cure. In locally advanced tumors, radiochemotherapy, sometimes preoperative, allows some patients to survive more than two years. Though results of palliative chemotherapy remain very poor, some clinical benefit has been observed in randomized trials comparing this treatment with the currently best supportive treatment.
Caudry
M
M
Service de cancérologie, hôpital Saint-André, Bordeaux, France.
Bonnel
C
C
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005472:Fluorouracil