title: Does postoperative chemotherapy have a survival benefit for patients with pancreatic cancer?
abstract: In our study, we investigated whether postoperative chemotherapy improved survival in patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the pancreas. Between 1987 and 2004, 111 patients underwent pancreatic resection against invasive ductal carcinoma of the pancreas in Wakayama Medical University Hospital. Median survival time (MST) was 19.4 months, 8.6 months, and 7.2 months, in JPS Stage III (UICC Stage IIA and IIB), JPS Stage IVa (UICC Stage IIA and IIB), and JPS Stage IVb (UICC Stage IV), respectively (P < 0.01). The MST of the chemotherapy group was 12 months, and the MST of the non-chemotherapy group was 8.4 months (P < 0.05). Moreover, in JPS Stage IV (UICC Stage IIA, IIB, III, and IV) highly advanced pancreatic cancer, the MST of the chemotherapy group was 10.9 months, and the MST of the group without chemotherapy was 6.6 months (P < 0.01). Since pancreatic cancer is characterized by an aggressive tumor with a high recurrent rate, postoperative chemotherapy is effective for an improvement of survival.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaji
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terasawa
authors.forename: Shinomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ina
authors.forename: Seiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirono
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaue
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000401:mortality*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011182:Postoperative Care; D015996:Survival Rate; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D005472:Fluorouracil; D000093542:Gemcitabine