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Comparative Study
. 2008 Sep 3:6:95.
doi: 10.1186/1477-7819-6-95.

Clinicopathologic features and outcomes following surgery for pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma

Jun-Te Hsu  1 , Han-Ming Chen, Ren-Chin Wu, Chun-Nan Yeh, Ta-Sen Yeh, Tsann-Long Hwang, Yi-Yin Jan, Miin-Fu Chen
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Clinicopathologic features and outcomes following surgery for pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma

Jun-Te Hsu et al. World J Surg Oncol. .

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.

Conclusion: 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.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Histopathology in a patient with pancreatic tumor shows glandular adenocarcinoma foci (black arrowheads) and nests of squamous cell carcinoma (upper middle part), consistent with adenosquamous carcinoma (Hematoxylin-Eosin stain, original magnification ×100).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Cumulative survival rates of 12 patients with pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma after surgery.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Cumulative survival rates of patients with stage IIB pancreatic adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma undergoing surgical resection.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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