[en] Of 93 autopsy cases of pancreatic cancers that were investigated, severe gastrointestinal lesions (SGLs) were found in 19. The incidence of SGLs in patients who had been given radiation therapy was 34% (15/44), whereas that in those given no radiation was 8% (4/49). Further, irradiated about half of the SGLs were within the field. Among 40 patients that had undergone surgery, the SGLs were more frequently found in those with severe invasion to arterial and portal system than in those without an invasion. These results suggest that not only radiation damage but also gastrointestinal ischemia and congestion had played an important role in the development of SGLs. (author)