title: Long-term survival in metastatic pancreatic cancer. A case report and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pancreatic cancer still remains an incurable disease. The survival rate of patients in all stages of the disease is poor. Overall median survival is 3-5 months with a 12-month survival rate of 10% and a 5-year survival rate less than 5%.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a rare case of a long-term survivor (more than 10 years) of metastatic carcinoma of the pancreas tail controlled with subsequent surgical and chemotherapeutic strategies with an acceptable performance status and quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the fifth case reported in the literature showing that long-term survival may be achieved even in advanced pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine and Pathology, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Paolo
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Spinelli
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zullo
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romiti
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Seri
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tomao
authors.forename: Evelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miele
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spalletta
authors.forename: Annarita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eramo
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Silverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomao
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors