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Radiology, Vol 193, 753-755, Copyright © 1994 by Radiological Society of North America

ARTICLES

Biopsy of inoperable pancreatic tumors does not adversely influence patient survival time

FG Balen, A Little, AC Smith, BA Theis, KR Abrams, J Houghton, AR Hatfield, R Christopher, G Russell and WR Lees
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Middlesex Hospital.

PURPOSE: To determine the influence of pancreatic biopsy on the survival times of patients with inoperable tumors of the pancreas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred seventy patients were examined; results of histologic analysis confirmed pancreatic malignancy in 119. The biopsy and nonbiopsy groups were comparable for age, sex, the presence of liver metastases, and nodal status. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was demonstrated between the survival time for the biopsy group (median, 23 weeks) and that for the nonbiopsy group (median, 22 weeks). The estimated relative risk for death (biopsy group compared with nonbiopsy group) was 0.85 (95% confidence limits = 0.61, 1.18). CONCLUSION: Pancreatic biopsy does not appear to adversely influence survival time for patients with inoperable pancreatic tumors. Because histologic examination aids clinical management, biopsy should be part of the diagnostic work-up for patients with suspected inoperable pancreatic carcinoma.




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