Patterns of failure in grossly resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treated with adjuvant irradiation +/- 5 fluorouracil.

Purpose: Analyze patterns of failure, survival, and tolerance in patients with totally resected ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas treated with adjuvant irradiation alone or combined with chemotherapy.

Methods And Materials: The records of 29 patients treated with radiotherapy following curative resection of pancreas cancer at the Mayo Clinic were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-two (76%) patients underwent a subtotal pancreatectomy (Whipple procedure), six (21%) a total pancreatectomy, and one (3.