Course and treatment results of young patients with carcinoma of the pancreas.

Carcinoma of the pancreas is increasing in incidence and appears to do so, in part, by affecting an increasingly younger population. To define differences or similarities of a young population with those of other reported series, the records of 31 patients less than 46 years of age were summarized and compared. Regardless of age, patients had identical symptoms when first seen, on the average of less than six months' duration. In spite of this short time, the vast majority, 26 of 31 patients, had widespread, unresectable disease at operation. No identifiable difference of epidemiologic significance has been identified. Considerable palliation can be achieved by performing bypass procedures. The three who survived the longest period of time in this group had pancreatoduodenectomies performed for cure.