The prognosis of pancreatic carcinoma in atomic bomb survivors

Prognosis of pancreatic carcinoma in 28 Hiroshima A-bomb survivors was compared with that in background- and tumor size-matched non-exposed patients living in Hiroshima. A-bomb survivors consisted of 13 exposed within 2,000 m from the hypocenter, 12 who had entered the city within 3 days after A-bombing, and 3 not clarified in detail. Survival time was significantly prolonged when tumor resection or surgical internal fistula for obstructive jaundice was performed. The significant therapeutic factor was thus adjusted by using the Cox model to clarify the difference in cumulative survival rates between the exposed and non-exposed groups of pancreatic cancer patients. Median survival was 120 days in the exposed group and 186 days in the non-exposed group. The corresponding figures for 75% and 25% cumulative survival rates were 175 days and 75 days in the exposed group and 238 days and 120 days in the non-exposed group. Prognosis was worse in the exposed group than the non-exposed group. (N.K.)