Survival rate according to stages of pancreatic cancer

Choi, Kwang Ho; Choi, Sang Yong; Suh, Sung Ock; Kim, Young Chul

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In Despite of progress in diagnostic technique, early diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is still difficult. It has low resectability and poor prognosis. Cancer staging are to aid in planning treatment and in predicting prognosis. The Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (UICC) classification and Japanese Pancreatic Society (JPS) classification are used for the staging system of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Though these staging systems are still evolving, there are some discrepancy in the prognosis between two staging systems. METHOD: To investigate these discrepancies we researched the survival rate of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma according to each staging system. Between 1983 to 1995, a total 52 patients underwent resective surgery for pancreatic adenocarcinoma were studied.
RESULTS
In stage classification, the rate of stage I and II in UICC classification (46.2%) was more higher than in JPS classification (23.1%)(p<0.05). The 3 year survival rate of stage I was significantly higher than other stages in UICC classification. But in the survival curves, UICC classification did not reflect difference between stage II and III. In JPS classification, survival rates and curves differed according to the four stages. On T category (tumor invasion or size), the survival rate decreased as tumor invasion was increased in both classifications. In UICC classification, the 3-year survival rate was significantly higher in the patients of stage N0 than in the patients of N1 (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
The UICC system is simple, but it does not fully predict prognosis. The JPS system is well in predict of prognosis, but it has a disadvantage of complexities. Continuing efforts are necessary to establish a more practical, proper, and universal staging system for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.