Surgical treatment of early gastric carcinoma

From January 1965 until December 1982, early gastric carcinoma cases comprised 765 of 2,235 curative resections and 17 of 620 noncurative resections, for a total of 782 cases. The rate of lymph node metastasis for mucosal carcinoma was 1.2%, and that for submucosal carcinoma was 18.2%. Gastrectomy with removal of the second-group lymph node proved adequate for submucosal carcinoma. The five-year survival rates for mucosal carcinoma and for submucosal carcinoma were 94.9% and 93.6% respectively. The rate of recurrence of mucosal carcinoma was 0.6%, against 2.5% for submucosal carcinoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy is necessary to obtain improved surgical results for submucosal carcinoma. Important factors affecting the recurrence of submucosal carcinoma are lymph node metastasis, macroscopic findings and histological findings. Ten out of 17 cases of noncurative resection had cancer cells at the resection margin, caused by inadequate resection.     

Cancer of the pancreas. 50 years of surgery

The course of 196 patients with proven carcinoma of the pancreas seen at Yale New Haven Hospital from 1972 to 1982 was analyzed. Only 73% of the patients were preoperatively expected to have cancer of the pancreas. The patients who underwent resection had the longest mean survival but also the longest total hospital stay. Twenty-seven patients survived 1 year or more, but nonresected patients constituted 81.5% of this group. The only 5-year survivor did not undergo resection. Forty-seven percent of patients who survived 1 year and had not undergone gastroduodenal bypass, developed duodenal obstruction. It was not possible to identify a subset of patients with a favorable prognosis. A review totaling approximately 37000 patients, of whom 4100 had undergone resections, revealed only 156 survivors, 12 of whom had not been resected, for an overall survival rate of only 0.4%. No author had more than 3.4% of the total number of patients as 5-year survivors.     

Significance of lymph node metastases in the surgical management of pancreatic head carcinoma.

Recent reports have demonstrated a reduction in the morbidity and mortality of pancreatic resections and improvement in the 5-actuarial survival for patients with resected ductal adenocarcinoma. However, the prognosis for patients with lymph node metastases remains uncertain. The purpose of this study is to determine if the presence of lymph node metastases influences the survival in patients with otherwise potentially curable pancreatic head carcinoma. Between January 1974 and December 1995, 340 patients with pancreatic carcinoma, including 238 patients with pancreatic head tumours, were evaluated and treated in our Department. Seventy-seven (32.3%) patients with pancreatic head carcinoma underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. Ages ranged from 40 to 76 years, with a mean age of 61 years. Fifty patients were male, twenty-seven were female. The overall postoperative mortality rate was 5.2% (4 patients) and morbidity was 23.4%. Median survival following resection was 17 months (range 0 to 79). The estimated 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival were 68.8%, 48.1%, 23.4% and 18.2%, respectively. There were 14 five-year survivors. Of the 77 patients, 25 (32.5%) had negative lymph nodes. The median and 5-year survival in these node-negative patients were 33 months (range 5 to 79) and 40%, respectively. Whereas the median survival and 5-year survival in 52 patients with lymph nodes metastases were 14 months (range 0 to 61) and 7.7%, respectively (P<0.0001). There were 4 five-year survivors in the group of patients with lymph node metastases; in 2 patients was performed extensive lymph node dissection (R2) and in other 2 patients R1 procedure. In the patients with lymph node metastases undergoing R1 resection (n = 39), the 1-, 2- and 5-year survival rates were 48.7%, 23.1% and 5.1%, respectively. Whereas in the patients with positive lymph nodes undergoing R2 resection (n = 14), the 1-, 2- and 5-year survival rates were 92.9%, 64.3% and 14.3%, respectively (P<0.02). As expected, tumour size and margin status in specimen proved to be two significant factors predicting survival. Pancreatoduodenectomy can be performed with low operative mortality. Lymph nodes metastases are found in 67.5% of patient undergoing resection. Pancreaticoduodenectomy offers good palliation for patients with lymph nodes metastases and encouraging long-term survival rates as well as a chance for cure in patients with negative lymph nodes and negative margins of resection.     

Analysis of 50 cases of solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas: Aggressive surgical resection provides excellent outcomes

IntroductionThis study reports the clinicopathological characteristics and the perioperative and long-term treatment outcomes after aggressive surgical resection in solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas performed at a high volume center for pancreatic surgery in India.Materials and methodsWe analyzed a prospectively maintained database of the patients operated for SPT at Tata Memorial Hospital, India over a period of 11 years from February 2007 to February 2018.ResultsFifty consecutive patients operated for SPT, during the study period were included. The median age at presentation was 24 years. Majority of the patients (43/50) were female (86%). Disease was predominantly localized in the head and uncinate process of pancreas (66%). Median tumor size was 7.7 cm (Range 1.6–15 cm). Tumor extent was radiologically defined as borderline resectable or locally advanced in 48% (n = 24) patients. Forty-six major pancreatic resections were performed, which included 10 (21%) vascular resections, 2 synchronous liver metastasectomies, 1 multi visceral resection and 5 total pancreaticosplenectomies. Five of these resections were reoperations in patients deemed inoperable on exploration at other centers. R0 resection was achieved in 47 patients (98%). Postoperative major morbidity was 19% and there was no mortality. At a median follow-up of 29 months (Range, 1–121 months), all patients were alive without any recurrence.ConclusionAggressive complete surgical resection of SPT achieves excellent long-term survival. Surgery, especially for large and borderline resectable tumors, can be potentially complex and should be performed at high-volume centers to provide the best chance of cure.     

Combined colon and hepatic resection for synchronous colorectal liver metastases

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The surgical strategy for the treatment of resectable synchronous hepatic metastases of colorectal cancer remains controversial. This study was performed to assess the outcome of combined resection of colorectal cancer and liver metastases. METHODS: The perioperative data, morbidity, and survival of the patients who underwent combined colon and liver resections for synchronous colorectal liver metastases from 1988 to 1999 were compared to the parameters of the patients who underwent colon resection followed by resection of liver metastases in a staged setting. RESULTS: 198 hepatic resections were performed, of which 112 procedures in 103 patients were done for metastatic colorectal carcinoma. Twenty six patients (25%) had combined hepatic and colon resection and were compared to 86 patients with metachronous metastases who underwent colon and hepatic resection in the staging setting. Postoperative morbidity was 27 and 35%, respectively. There was no hospital mortality in the combined group vs. 2.3% in the staged group. Blood loss, intensive care unit (ICU) stay and length of postoperative stay (LOS) were similar in both groups. The 5 years cumulative survival of the group after combined surgery was 28% vs. 27% of the group after isolated hepatic resections (P = 0.21). CONCLUSION: Combined colon and hepatic resection is a safe and efficient procedure for the treatment of synchronous colorectal liver metastases. It can be performed with acceptable morbidity and no perioperative mortality. The survival after combined procedure is comparable to the one achieved after staged procedure of colon resection followed by liver resection.     

Surgery of esophageal carcinoma

The experience of surgical treatment in 1,874 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus seen at the Cancer Institute and Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China, between 1958 and 1982, is reported. Despite the prevalence of this malignancy in this part of China, only 3% of the patients in this series had stage I disease, while 80% of the patients had either stage III or stage IV disease with extraesophageal tumor invasion and regional or distant metastases. Of the entire series there was an overall resectability rate of 83.9%, being 77.6% between 1958 and 1969 and 89.0% between 1970 and 1982. Among the 1,572 resections of the entire series, there were 66 deaths within 30 days of operation, for a resection mortality rate of 4.2%, being 4.9% between 1958 and 1969 and 3.7% between 1970 and 1982. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 67 cases of the 1,572 resections, for an incidence of 4.3%. Of the 67 cases with anastomotic leaks, 38 recovered after intensive treatment; the remaining 29 died eventually of the complication, giving a death rate of 43.3%. Pathologic studies of the 1,572 specimens showed lymph node metastasis in 46.1% of the cases. It is obvious that practically all the unresectable cases showed more extensive lymph node involvement at operation, although fixation of the tumor with severe invasion to the surrounding organs usually constituted the chief cause of unresectability. The postresection long-term survivals as calculated by the number of resections at 5, 10, and 15 years were 30.2% (390/1293), 22.4% (196/876), and 18.9% (112/594), respectively. Over one-third, or 36.8%, of the 1,874 patients in the present series were treated with a combination therapy of preoperative irradiation and surgery. The results in the group of 408 selective patients and those in the group of 83 randomized patients with midthoracic esophageal carcinomas were gratifying. In the latter group there was a resectability rate of 95.2%, a resection mortality rate of 3.8%, an incidence of intrathoracic anastomotic leakage of 0%, and a 5-year survival rate of 45.5%, as compared to 89.6%, 4.3%, 1.7%, and 25%, respectively, in the control group treated by surgery alone. From these findings it is concluded that preoperative irradiation as an adjunct can promote both the immediate and long-term results of surgery for carcinoma of the esophagus. Recent advances in the surgical treatment of carcinoma of the esophagus may change the pessimistic philosophy for this malignancy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Parietal cell carcinoma of the stomach: association with long-term survival after curative resection.

Following the recent identification of gastric parietal cell carcinoma (Capella et al., 1984), a histological and clinical review of 125 consecutive cases of gastric cancers treated surgically during a 9-year period was undertaken. The pathology was reviewed blind and in addition to H & E sections, staining with Luxol Fast Blue, phosphotungstic acid haematoxylin and E-M studies were performed to identify parietal cell differentiation. The surgical procedures performed were curative R2 gastrectomy (n = 56), palliative resection (n = 30), gastro-enterostomy (n = 25) and intubation (n = 14). The 30-day operative mortality was 12/125 (10%) overall and 4/56 (7%) in the curative resection group. Two parietal cell cancers were identified and a further 4 tumours showed areas of parietal cell differentiation. All occurred in male patients (mean age 55 years, range 43-62). Sixteen patients out of the 56 patients (29%) who underwent curative R2 resection have survived long-term (mean 5.5 years, range 2.5-11): 4/5 mucosal/submucosal cancers (T1N0), 5/29 intestinal cancers (T2N0-2) 2/16 diffuse cancers (T2N1) and 5/6 with parietal cell cancer/differentiation (T2-3N0-2). There were no survivors beyond 14 months in the patients who were treated by palliative resection, bypass or intubation irrespective of histology. This study suggests that gastric parietal cell carcinoma carries a good prognosis after curative resection despite the advanced stage at presentation.     

Metastatic tumors to the pancreas: The role of surgery

Pancreatic metastases from other primary malignancies are a rare entity. By far, the most common primary cancer site resulting in an isolated pancreatic metastasis is the kidney, followed by colorectal cancer, melanoma, breast cancer, lung carcinoma and sarcoma. Only few data on the surgical outcome of pancreatic resections performed for metastases from other primary tumor have been published, and there are no guidelines to address the surgical treatment for these patients. In this study, we performed a review of the published literature, focusing on the early and long-term results of surgery for the most frequent primary tumors metastasizing to the pancreas. Results for the Literature’s analysis show that in last years an increasing number of surgical resections have been performed in selected patients with limited pancreatic disease. Pancreatic resection for metastatic disease can be performed with acceptable mortality and morbidity rates. The usefulness of pancreatic resection is mainly linked to the biology of the primary tumor metastasizing to the pancreas. The benefit of metastasectomy in terms of patient survival has been observed for metastases from renal cell cancer, while for other primary tumors, such as lung and breast cancers, the role of surgery is mainly palliative.     

Local excision for rectal cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the results of local excision (LE) for rectal cancer for curative purposes. METHODS: From 1969 to December 1997, a total of 456 operations were performed for surgical treatment of rectal carcinoma (262 males and 194 females, mean age 66 years). Twenty patients (4.1%) underwent LE (7 males and 13 females, median age 65 years). Patients were selected for LE if they met the following criteria during preoperative staging: tumors staged as T1-T2,N0,M0, grading G1 or G2, and accessible location. Types of LE performed were: 13 transanal excisions (Francillon's technique), 2 Mason surgeries, 2 endoscopic excisions, and 3 transanal endoscopic microsurgeries. RESULTS: There was no in-hospital mortality among LE patients. Thirteen tumors were T1 and 7 were T2; all 20 were adenocarcinoma, 14 G1 and 6 G2. There was no specific morbidity, and aspecific morbidity was minimal (5%). There were no local recurrences, but 2 patients (10%) had secondary lesions. Five-year overall survival following LE was 87.4%. Comparing T1 and T2 tumors treated with abdominoperineal resection (APR) and SSR (17 T1 and 42 T2, all adenocarcinoma), in-hospital mortality and specific morbidity were respectively 1.7% (P = 0.55) and 28% (P = 0.007). There were 5 (8.5%) local recurrences (P = 0.17) and 6 (10.2%) metastatic lesions. Five-year overall survival was similar to LE (88.3%; P = 0.76). CONCLUSIONS: LE for rectal carcinoma might only be successfully performed in selected patients with correct preoperative staging. In the LE cases reported five-year overall survival, local recurrence, and in-hospital mortality were similar to APR and SSR, while there was a statistically significant difference following LE in terms of specific morbidity.     

Limited resection for Stage I lung cancer

We have reviewed our experience of limited resections for Stage I lung cancer for the years 1971-88. Sixty-one cases of sublobar resection (wedge or segmental) were compared with 411 lobar resections (lobectomies or bilobectomies), performed over the same period. Operative mortality was 0% in the limited resection group and 3% (12/411) in the control group. Cancer recurrence was detected respectively in 36% and 38% of patients, and actuarial survival at 5 years was 55% versus 49% overall. Sublobar resection had a slightly better outcome than lobar resection in pathological T1 (5-year survival of 73% vs 55%) but a worse outcome in pT2 (35% vs 46%); however, none of the differences was statistically significant. In 28 patients with pre-existing cardiac or pulmonary co-morbidity, limited resection yielded the same 5-year survival as lobectomy (53% vs 51%) with no peri-operative deaths (0 vs 5%). Although derived from a retrospective analysis, these data offer a further confirmation that limited resection combined with adequate nodal staging is a reliable and effective technique for early stage lung cancer management.     

气管,支气管成形术的临床体会

１９７８年１０月至１９９３年１２月施行气管、支气管成形术１２例，占同期住院２５３例肺切除手术的４．７４％。其中支气管袖状肺叶切除６例，支气管楔形肺叶切除３例，气管袖状切除１例，气管袖状和食管癌切除食管胃颈部吻合１例，气管成形、隆突、左全肺和食管转移癌切除食管胃弓上吻合１例。术后并发包裹性脓胸１例，气胸１例，支气管肺炎１例。急性呼吸衰竭死亡２例，死亡率为１６．７％。     

70岁以上老年人胃恶性肿瘤的治疗与预后

目的：研究老年人胃恶性肿瘤的治疗及影响预后的因素,以期改善他们的生存率。方法：1984-1995年共收治70岁以上的老年胃恶性肿瘤110例。60例行根治术,22例行姑息切除,24例行探查术,4例行胃空肠吻合术。结果：根治术的三年、五年生存率分别是68.4%和55.08%。术后总的并发症为16.36%(19/110）,病死率是1.8%(2/110）。多因素分析显示：分期和行根治术与预后有关。结论：老年人免疫状态差,手术风险大。纠正和改善其各种状况,在围手术期间给以特别的关心和护理,争取做根治术,可延长病人的生存率。     

The contribution of salvage surgery to the management of childhood osteosarcoma

Between January 1970 and December 1988, 174 consecutive patients under the age of 20 years with curatively resected primary osteosarcoma were treated at our institute; 72 in the years of 1970 to 1981 and 102 in the years 1982 to 1988. In the latter period, adjuvant chemotherapy was replaced by neoadjuvant programs, and new criteria were adopted for the management of lung metastases, consisting in early bilateral surgical staging and lung resection through median sternotomy for all patients with purely intrathoracic relapse. Follow-up was updated in December 1989. During the last period, the overall 5-year survival improved significantly from 35% to 58% (P less than .001). The disease-free survival rose from 38% to 45% at 5 years, with median values of 15 months versus 33 months, while the frequency of isolated lung metastases dropped from 58% to the actuarial 48%. The proportion of patients who underwent complete resections of their pulmonary metastases rose from 17% (seven of 42) to 55% (27 of 49), without operative mortality. Due to such a high proportion of patients eligible for salvage surgery, the overall survival from detection of lung metastases improved from 0% to 28% at 5 years (P less than .001). Contralateral occult metastases were resected in three of 15 subjects with monolateral clinical lesions, and five patients underwent subsequent lung resections. These data indicate that systematic bilateral pulmonary resection plays an important role in improving the final cure rate of childhood osteosarcoma, beyond the benefit resulting from neoadjuvant chemotherapy.     

The Akiyama procedure in the surgical management of oesophageal cardiacarcinoma

Currently subtotal oesophagogastrectomy with reconstruction of the digestive tract by use of a gastric tube appears to be the treatment of choice in patients with a carcinoma of the thoracic oesophagus and gastroesophageal junction. The results of 96 patients with a clinically operable oesophageal-cardiacarcinoma operated upon between 1977 and 1983 are reviewed. Resection intended for cure could be performed in 57 patients (59.4%). Twenty-five patients underwent a 'standard' Ivor Lewis procedure with an intrathoracic anastomosis, whereas in twenty-one patients the Akiyama technique with a retrosternal gastric tube and cervical oesphagogastrostomy was accomplished. There was a great shift in stage-grouping from cTNM to pTNM. The major causes of mortality after oesophageal resection were respiratory and cardiac insufficiency (87% respectively 40% of the deaths) and sepsis from a mediastinitis caused by an intrathoracic anastomotic leak (20%). The postoperative mortality rate was similar in both procedures and amounted to 22.8%, but has decreased to 5% during the period 1983 to 1986. The 5-year survival rate for patients undergoing resections intended for cure was 20% as calculated by the actuarial method. There was no significant difference in long-term survival rates between the two resection groups. The late functional results were better in the cases with the Akiyama method, particularly where gastroesophageal reflux is concerned (P less than 0.05).     

Prognosis for resected lung cancer patients with tumors greater than ten centimeters in diameter

During the period 1962-1986, 43 lung cancer patients, 2.3% of the 1,832 patients who underwent pulmonary resections at the National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, had tumors greater than 10 cm in diameter. These 43 cancers were classified postsurgically according to the 1987 guidelines for TNM classification of malignant tumors established by Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (UICC), and included 35 cases (81.0%) in stages IIIA, IIIB and IV. The histological tumor types were adenocarcinoma in 18 cases (41.9%), squamous cell carcinoma in 13 (30.2%), large cell carcinoma in 11 (25.6%) and adenosquamous cell carcinoma in one (2.3%). Twenty-two patients underwent pneumonectomy and 21, lobectomy. In terms of the radical extent of surgery, 16 patients underwent a curative operation (37.2%) and 27 received non-curative surgery (62.8%). Excluding one patient who died of an unknown postoperative cause, the overall cumulative five-year survival rate was 19.7%. There was, however, no significant difference in five-year survival rates between the patients who underwent a curative operation (21.5%) and those who received non-curative surgery (18.8%). There was no significant difference in five-year survival rates between patients with adenocarcinoma (21.2%), those with squamous cell carcinoma (15.4%) and those with large cell carcinoma (27.3%). There was little difference in five-year survival rates between patients with postoperative stage I or stage II tumors (25.0%), patients with stage IIIA tumors (9.5%), patients with stage IIIB tumors (30.0%) and patients with stage IV tumors (20.0%), while the five-year survival rates for patients with postoperative N0 disease were 33.3%, N1 disease 28.9% and N2 disease 0%. Among the 42 patients the survival study, there were eight long-term survivors (greater than 5 yr), all of whom had been in N0 or N1 stage and four of whom had undergone curative surgery. Two were classified as being in stage T4 with malignant pleural effusions, and the other two as being in stage M1 with intrapulmonary metastasis. Patients with N2 disease have an unfavorable prognosis and may be considered suitable for studies on adjuvant therapy, although the relative influence of other prognostic factors must be considered. Classifying the tumors according to whether or not they had reached 10 cm in diameter was of no importance.     

Multiple resections for hepatic and pulmonary metastases of colorectal carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Resections are effective for some patients with both hepatic and pulmonary metastases of colorectal cancer, but the best selection criteria for the resections and effective treatment for recurrence after the resections have not been determined. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 30 consecutive patients who received aggressive multiple resections for both hepatic and pulmonary metastases of colorectal cancer. Recurrences after resections were surgically treated whenever resectable. RESULTS: For the 30 patients, 45 hepatectomies and 40 pulmonary resections were performed and 17 patients received three or more resections. No mortality was observed. Overall survival after the first metastasectomy for the second organ (liver or lung) was 58% and nine 5-year survivors were observed. Multivariate analyses revealed that primary colon cancer, stage IV in TNM classification and maximum size of hepatic tumor >3 cm at initial hepatectomy were poor prognostic factors, but several long-term survivors were observed even among patients with those factors. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple resections for hepatic and pulmonary metastases of colorectal cancer are safe and effective. No single factor is considered to be a contraindication for the resections. For recurrence after the resections, surgical resection is also recommended if resectable.     

Surgical treatment of ductal pancreatic carcinoma

Among 587 patients with ductal pancreatic carcinoma who were examined between 1969 and 1987, 260 (44.3%) had distant metastases at the time of diagnosis. Tumour resections, mostly subtotal duodenopancreatectomies, were performed in 138 patients (23.5% of all patients, or 39.8% of all patients without distant metastases); in 91 patients the resection was for cure (R0). Operative mortality following tumour resection was 6% for all patients. The age-corrected 5-year survival rate was 2.9% for all patients and 16% where the resection was curative; of these 46% were in Stages I and II and 6% in Stage III. In non-curative resections, the median survival time was 7.2 months, which was significantly longer than the 3.4 months following bypass operation. Cure for pancreatic carcinoma can be achieved only through surgery, and a negative attitude towards surgery must be resisted.     

Immediate results of pulmonary resection carried out for lung cancer in patients older than 70 years

Pulmonary resection was carried out for lung cancer in 155 patients aged more than 70 yrs (1970--2002). Operative mortality was 19.3%. Out of 142 male survivors, 30 (21.1%) died later, while none did out of 13 female survivors. Post-operative mortality fell from 21.4% within the first decade to 13.8% in the third one. Particularly marked decrease was registered in the 70-72 year bracket--from 32.6% (1970--1981) to 6.9% (1992--2002). However, no progress was reported in patients aged more than 75 yrs. Among the main causes of lethality were acute cardio-vascular insufficiency and lung artery thromboemboly.     

Results of conservative surgery for stage I lung cancer

This paper reports our results with sublobar resections for stage I non small cell lung cancer. Sixty-one cases of wedge or segmental resection were compared with 517 standard resections (411 lobectomies and 106 pneumonectomies), performed during the years 1971-88. Operative mortality was 0% in the limited resection group and 4% (19/517) in the standard resection group; cancer recurrence was detected in 36% of both groups; actuarial survival at 5 years was 55% versus 48% overall. In 28 patients with pre-existing cardiac or pulmonary co-morbidity, limited resection yielded a similar 5-year survival than standard resection (53% vs 49%) with no perioperative deaths (0 vs 6%). Our data support the experience of other authors on conservative management of stage I lung cancer. Particularly in patients with concomitant cardio-pulmonary disease, previous cancer or small peripheral tumors, limited resection combined with adequate nodal staging may be as effective as standard lobar resection with respect to long term survival.     

Surgery for carcinoma of the pancreas and periampullary structures: complications of resectional and palliative procedures

This is a retrospective review of 237 patients who had surgical exploration for proven or suspected malignant lesions of the pancreas (201 patients) and periampullary structures (36 patients). Among the former group, 128 patients had carcinoma diagnosed at initial operation (31 by resected specimens, 33 by liver, and 64 by other biopsies), four patients had Whipple resection for suspected carcinoma of pancreas but specimen showed chronic pancreatitis, and 69 patients had suspected carcinoma of the pancreas without histological proof. Among patients who had Whipple resections, the operative mortality was 20%. Over 40% of the deaths was due to systemic complications. Among patients with unresectable lesions, 19% died postoperatively. This figure correlated more with the condition of the host and the extent of the tumor rather than with the specific operative procedures: The operative mortality was 16-18% for those who had either biliary or duodenal bypass, 11% for those who had both type of bypass procedures, and 36% for those who did not have any bypass performed. Although near 60% of the death was secondary to advanced state of the malignant condition, some death could have been delayed or altered by more optimal biliary, duodenal decompression, and added therapy to decrease gastric acid. In patients with unresectable carcinoma of the head of the pancreas, the most optimal palliative procedures appear to be choledochojejunostomy constructed with a side-to-side anastomosis between common or hepatic bile duct and a loop of jejunum, supplemented with an enteroenterostomy below the biliary anastomosis, and a high gastrojejunostomy as a therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of duodenal obstruction.