Extended radical resection versus standard resection for pancreatic cancer: the rationale for extended radical resection

This clinical study was carried out to clarify the indications for extended radical resection for pancreatic carcinoma. From July 1981 to September 2003, 250 of 391 (63.9%) patients with pancreatic carcinoma underwent tumor resection in our department. Portal vein resection was performed in 171 of these 250 (68.4%) resected cases. The postoperative survival rate was studied using the operative and histologic findings. Most of the patients who survived for 2 or 3 years were in the carcinoma-free surgical margins group. The most important indication for an extended radical resection combined with portal vein resection for pancreatic cancer is the ability to obtain surgical cancer-free margins. There is no indication for an extended resection in patients in whom the surgical margins will become cancer positive if such an operation is employed.