Pancreatic duct stricture length at ERCP predicts tumor size and pathological stage of pancreatic cancer.

Abstract

To determine whether findings on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) could provide useful prognostic information in resectable pancreatic cancer. We retrospectively identified 18 patients with resectable pancreatic cancer (defined as no evidence of metastatic disease or vascular involvement on CT scan) who had undergone ERCP prior to an attempt at curative resection between 1991 and 1996. Common bile duct and pancreatic duct stricture lengths were measured on ERCP and compared with the size of the resected tumor. Magnification was controlled for by comparison with endoscope diameter. Stricture length was plotted against actual tumor size, and a correlation analysis was performed. Pancreatic duct stricture length measured on ERCP correlated with both size (p < 0.001) and stage (p < 0.002) in resectable pancreatic cancer. ERCP may provide useful preoperative prognostic as well as diagnostic information in pancreatic cancer.