Pancreatic Cancer: A Continuing Diagnostic Dilemma
Authors: EUGENE P. DIMAGNO
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1979)

Editorials1 May 1979Pancreatic Cancer: A Continuing Diagnostic DilemmaEUGENE P. DIMAGNO, M.D.EUGENE P. DIMAGNO, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-90-5-847 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptAn increasingly common clinical problem is that of the patient with abdominal pain who is suspected of having a pancreatic cancer but in whom results of routine laboratory tests and barium examination of the intestinal tract are normal. At this point, more extensive testing is done, usually including ultrasonography or computed tomography (CT), or both, and perhaps endoscopic retrograde pancreatography, pancreatic function testing, or arteriography. Eventually, laparotomy is undertaken and the patient is found to have unresectable pancreatic cancer. This common unfortunate outcome raises several important questions. How frequent is pancreatic cancer? Why do these patients have unresectable disease? What...References1. SILVERBERG E: Cancer statistics, 1977. CA 27:26-41, 1977 Google Scholar2. O'SULLIVAN J, NOBREGA F, MORLOCK C, BROWN A, and BARTHOLOMEW L: Acute and chronic pancreatitis in Rochester Minnesota, 1940 to 1969. Gastroenterology 62:373-379, 1972 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. REMINE W, PRIESTLEY J, JUDD E, and KING J: Total pancreatectomy. Ann Surg 172:595-604, 1970 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. DIMAGNO E, MALAGELADA J, TAYLOR W, and GO V: A prospective comparison of current diagnostic tests for pancreatic cancer. N Engl J Med 297:737-742, 1977 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. DREILING D: The early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Scand J Gastroenterol 6(suppl 5):115-122, 1970 Google Scholar6. SHEEDY P, STEPHENS D, HATTERY R, MACCARTY R, and WILLIAMSON B: Computed tomography of the pancreas. Radiol Clin North Am 25:349-366, 1977 CrossrefGoogle Scholar7. COTTON P, DENYER M, KREEL L, HUSBAND J, MEIRE H, and LEES W: Comparative clinical impact of endoscopic pancreatography, grey-scale ultrasonography, and computed tomography (EMI scanning) in pancreatic disease: preliminary report. Gut 19:679-684, 1978 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. WYNDER E: An epidemiological evaluation of the causes of cancer of the pancreas. Cancer Res 35:2228-2233, 1975 MedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: EUGENE P. DIMAGNO, M.D.Affiliations: Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation Rochester, Minnesota PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byClinical relevance of serological markers in the detection and follow-up of pancreatic adenocarcinomaSerologic markers in the diagnosis and management of pancreatic carcinomaSuspected pancreatic cancer presenting as pain or weight loss: Analysis of diagnostic strategiesPancreasEfforts at early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer: The mayo clinic experienceDiagnostic Algorithm for Pancreatic Disease 1 May 1979Volume 90, Issue 5 Page: 847-848 Keywords Abdominal pain Angiography Computed axial tomography Laboratory tests Laparotomy Pancreatic cancer Ultrasound imaging ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 May 1979 PDF downloadLoading ...