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Surgical Endoscopy
Published in: Surgical Endoscopy 5/2005

01-05-2005

Diagnostic laparoscopy improves staging of pancreatic cancer deemed locally unresectable by Computed Tomography

Authors: R. C. Liu, L. W. Traverso

Published in: Surgical Endoscopy | Issue 5/2005

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Abstract

Background

Computed tomography (CT) is insensitive to small metastatic deposits in patients with pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to evaluate additional staging information obtained by laparoscopy in the subset of patients with locally extending pancreatic cancer but no evidence of distant disease using computed tomography.

Methods

Between April 2000 and February 2004, 74 patients with locally unresectable pancreatic cancer and no evidence of metastasis detected by high-quality pancreas protocol computed tomography underwent outpatient staging laparoscopy and peritoneal lavage cytology.

Results

Occult tumor was found during staging laparoscopy in 25 of the 74 patients (34%). The results were positive for peritoneal lavage cytology in 27% (20/74), for liver lesions in 16% (12/74), and for peritoneal implants in 7% (5/74) of the patients. Body and tail tumors were twice as likely as pancreatic head tumors to have unsuspected metastasis (53% vs 28%).

Conclusions

Even the best computed tomography scan is not adequate for accurate staging of locally extended pancreatic cancer because occult distant disease will be found in half of the patients with left-sided disease and one-fourth of those with right-sided pancreatic cancer.
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Metadata
Title
Diagnostic laparoscopy improves staging of pancreatic cancer deemed locally unresectable by Computed Tomography
Authors
R. C. Liu
L. W. Traverso
Publication date
01-05-2005
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Surgical Endoscopy / Issue 5/2005
Print ISSN: 0930-2794
Electronic ISSN: 1432-2218
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-004-8165-x

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