Introduction: The overall 5-year survival rate for patients with pancreatic cancer remains poor, ranging between 5% and 15%, with a median survival of 13 to 17 months. Looking for the new possibilities can identify early-stage pancreatic cancer patients.
Material and methods: The comparative study was performed at the I. Department of Surgery University Hospital in Kosice, between group of pancreatic cancer patients, whose were operated during 1. 1. 1996-31. 12. 2000 group A and during 1. 1. 2005-31. 12. 2009 group B. The survival rate was compared in all groups of patients and in group of patients in stages of pancreatic cancer. From 2007, there were started a trial, in which lymph nodes were observed using histopathological and immunohistochemical examination.
Results: In group A (1. 1. 1996-31. 12. 2000) were presented 29 patients, 5 years survival was investigated in two patients (6.8%), median survival rate was 14 months. In group B (1. 1.2005-31. 12. 2009) were presented 51 patients, no patient survival 5 years, median survival rate was 14 months. Between January 2007 and December 2009 one hundred and eight pancreatic cancer patients were treated at the I. Department of Surgery University Hospital in Kosice. The radical pancreatic resection and standard lymphadenectomy were performed in 36 patients. During standard lymphadenectomy there were found 19 patients with 119 negative lymph nodes by histopathological examination. These lymph nodes were examined by immunohistological examination, and there were found 37 lymph nodes as positive, in 6 patients.
Conclusion: Patients in earlier stage of pancreatic cancer had better survival rates than in later stage of disease. Immunohistochemical examination of histopathologically negative lymph nodes can detect positive lymph nodes and early-stage pancreatic cancer patients can be identified.