The author made a clinical observation on 82 cases of pancreatic cancers who had been admitted to the ward of the Department of General Surgery, Pusan National University Hospital from 1957 till 1972.
The results obtained were as follows
1. The peak incidence occurred in the fourth and fifth decades (65%) and males predominated in a portion of 3 : 1.
2. The most predominant complaints of the patients on admission in order of frequency were jaundice (88%), dull pain 68%, weight loss 56%, anorexia 51%.
3. On laboratory studies liver functions were more or less damaged in over half of 82 cases tested and serum amylase were elevated in 40%. On X-rays C-loop widenings were noted in 34.4%.
4. Histological examination of material obtained at operation revealed 78 cases of adenocarcinoma, 2 cases of the cystadenocarcinoma and 2 cases of the sarcoma.
5. Pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed in 26 cases who had 22 cases of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas head, 8 cases of adenocarcinoma of the distal common bile duct, and 2 cases of the adenocarcinoma of the ampulla vater. Among palliative biliary intestinal bypass procedures cholecystojejunostomy was performed on 11 cases and gastrojejunostomy on 7 cases.
6. After these radical procedures the average survival time was 16.1 months. Among bypass procedures average survival time after cholecystojejunostomy was 12.5 months.
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