A new study published in the journal Pancreatologyhas shown that the rates of resection for pancreatic cancer in England are relatively low and the survival rates remain lower than those in other wealthy countries in spite of the introduction of specialist centres in 2001.
Using data from the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service, researchers determined the incidence, survival and resection rates in patients with exocrine pancreatic cancer in England.
The age-standardised annual incidence rates of exocrine pancreatic cancer rose from 17.1 per 105 during 1995-1999 to 18.7 per 105 during 2010-2014. The one- and five-year net survival rates for pancreatic cancer increased by 3.7 per cent and 0.6 per cent, respectively, from 2000-2009 to 2010-2013. Between 2010 and 2013, 8.9 per cent of patients with an exocrine tumour were resected. The one- and five-year survival rates in resected patients were 73.0 per cent and 20.2 per cent and in unresected patients were 15.6 per cent and 2.1 per cent, respectively.
According to the authors, these findings "reflect an inability to provide timely access to full investigation and effective treatment, reflecting systematic issues of health care funding and organisation."
