Tratamiento paliativo del cáncer de cabeza de páncreas, dos años antes del diagnóstico

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive neoplasm, with poor prognosis and survival. As most patients with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage, the objetive of mostly treatment is palliative. Predisposing medical conditions for the development of pancreatic cancer include chronic pancreatitis. The link between the two pathologies is supported in that pancreatic inflammation may play a role in the early development of pancreatic malignancy. The difficulties in discriminating between chronic pancreatitis and adenocarcinoma in the early state, using currently employed diagnosis imaging and tumour marker analysis, result in poor sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis. We report one case suggestive of pancreatic cancer that was diagnosed two years after palliative treatment. Copyright © 2006 Aran Ediciones, S.L.