OBJECTIVE: To describe the diagnostic work-up and treatment of @entity1 with a @entity3123 in the Amsterdam area, the Netherlands, particularly in general hospitals. DESIGN: Retrospective, descriptive. METHOD: During 1997, 286 @entity1 with a @entity3123 were diagnosed in 20 hospitals in the Amsterdam area. Diagnostic work-up and treatment data were collected from the medical records and analysed. RESULTS: Ninety percent of the @entity1 presented in one of the 17 general hospitals (n = 252; 132 @entity1 and 154 @entity1 ; mean age: 70 years). Thirty-five percent of them underwent diagnostic investigations which did not focus directly on pancreatic pathology. Ultrasound was performed in 97% of @entity1 (4% in combination with Doppler) and CT in 60% (4% spiral CT). Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was performed in 39% of these @entity1 and endoprostheses were only inserted in half the cases. Thirty-five percent of the @entity1 who underwent both CT and ERCP underwent ERCP first. Ninety-nine @entity1 (39%) were referred to a reference hospital for further investigation or treatment. The period between the first investigation and the histological diagnosis was 4 weeks. CONCLUSION: In the diagnostic work-up of @entity1 with a @entity3123 , invasive diagnostic procedures were often performed before the non-invasive tests. Spiral CT was used minimally and ERCP was frequently performed without subsequent biliary drainage. The mean duration of diagnostic work-up was relatively long.

[Diagnosis and treatment of XXXX in the region of Amsterdam Comprehensive Cancer Care Center in 1997].

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'women', 'men'] @entity3123 :: ('MESH:C562463', 'Disease') :: ['pancreatic carcinoma']
@entity3123 :: (MESH:C562463,Disease) :: ['pancreatic carcinoma']
