Incidence, prognosis, and possible treatment strategies of peritoneal carcinomatosis of pancreatic origin: A population-based study

OBJECTIVES: Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with pancreatic cancer. In an era where therapeutic options for PC of multiple origins are emerging, our aim was to provide population-based data on incidence, treatment, and prognosis of PC of pancreatic origin.

METHODS: All patients with a condition diagnosed as nonendocrine pancreatic cancer between 1995 and 2009 in the area of the Eindhoven Cancer Registry were included.

RESULTS: In total, 2924 patients had a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer of which 265 patients (9%) presented with synchronous PC. An increasing trend could be noted in patients treated with chemotherapy in more recent years (11% in 1995-1999 and 22% in 2005-2009; P = 0.060). Median survival in patients presenting with PC was only 6 weeks (95% confidence interval, 5-7 weeks) and did not improve over time, contrasting improvements among patients with nonmetastasized disease (19-30 weeks) and patients with metastasized disease confined to the liver (8-12 weeks).

CONCLUSION: Prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer presenting with PC remains extremely poor. Treatment options are scarce and, given the magnitude of the problem, efforts should be undertaken to develop effective treatments in experimental and clinical studies.