title: Clinicopathologic features and outcomes following surgery for pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) is a rare pancreatic malignancy subtype. We investigated the clinicopathological features and outcome of pancreatic ASC patients after surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 12 patients with pancreatic ASC undergoing surgical treatment (1993 to 2006) were retrospectively reviewed. Survival data of patients with stage IIB pancreatic adenocarcinoma and ASC undergoing surgical resection were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Symptoms included abdominal pain (91.7%), body weight loss (83.3%), anorexia (41.7%) and jaundice (25.0%). Tumors were located at pancreatic head in 5 (41.7%) patients, tail in 5 (41.7%), and body in 4 (33.3%). Median tumor size was 6.3 cm. Surgical resection was performed on 7 patients, bypass surgery on 3, and exploratory laparotomy with biopsy on 2. No surgical mortality was identified. Seven (58.3%) and 11 (91.7%) patients died within 6 and 12 months of operation, respectively. Median survival of 12 patients was 4.41 months. Seven patients receiving surgical resection had median survival of 6.51 months. Patients with stage IIB pancreatic ASC had shorter median survival compared to those with adenocarcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aggressive surgical management does not appear effective in treating pancreatic ASC patients. Strategies involving non-surgical treatment such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or target agents should be tested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan. hsujt2813@adm.cgmh.org.tw
authors.forename: Jun-Te
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Han-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ren-Chin
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chun-Nan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Ta-Sen
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Tsann-Long
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Yi-Yin
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.forename: Miin-Fu
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chen