The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network reports that a new study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons finds that pancreatic cancer patients who travel for surgery to academic centers that see a great deal of pancreatic cancer have better outcomes than those who seek treatment at hospitals in their own communities.
The study, by scientists from the University of Chicago and Albany Medical College found that pancreatic cancer patients who were treated at academic institutions had a higher likelihood of having their tumors fully removed by surgery and that they were better screened for invasive or metastatic disease than others. This means improved overall survival for pancreatic cancer patients who underwent surgery at academic centers.
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network strongly recommends that patients see surgeons who perform more than 15 pancreatic cancer surgeries each year to determine if they’re eligible for surgery and to perform the operation.
