Patients with localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma in central Mississippi: a retrospective analysis of survival.

Factors influencing the survival of central Mississippi patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were analyzed by a retrospective analysis of the two largest tumor registries in the state. The authors report that this Mississippi data agree with very recent reports describing significant benefit from chemoradiotherapy in localized disease, and suggests a less fatalistic attitude of the medical community towards localized pancreatic carcinoma is appropriate.

Neoadjuvant therapy of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus: role of resection and benefit in partial responders.

Twenty-eight patients were treated between 1981 and 1987 with a combination of radiation therapy and two courses of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin followed by esophageal resection. Sixteen patients (57%) underwent resection. Operative mortality was 6% (1 of 16), and the 15 operative survivors have been followed for more than 23 months. Complete pathological response was achieved in 8 of the 15 patients, and 10 patients (66%) are alive with no evidence of disease; 4 patients (27%) have survived with no evidence of disease for more than 5 years. Four partial responders are alive, and 3 are alive with no evidence of disease for more than 5 years. An aggressive approach with a low mortality has demonstrated survival benefit to complete responders and, contrary to findings of previous reports, has established a role for surgical resection and survival benefit in patients with partial response, with 3 of 7 (47%) patients surviving more than 5 years.