IMPORTANCE OF SURGICAL STAGING IN PATIENT S WITH CANCER OF THE EXOCRINE PANCREAS

A retrospective analysis of 64 patients with adenocarcinoma of the exo crine pancreas was carried out to determine the impact of stage of the disease and surgical treatment on survival. Significant differences ( p < 0.05) were observed in the survival rates of stage I (36%), stage II (12%), stage III (15%) and stage IV (0%). Patients with pancreatect omy had better prognosis (32%) than those with palliative procedures ( 11%) (p < 0.025). The presence of positive lymph nodes in patients wit h tumor resection didn't show significant differences on survival. Sur vivors showed a short prodome of symptoms (< 3 weeks) and a resected n eoplasm (p < 0.025).