Influence of Hispanic ethnicity on outcome after resection of carcinoma of the head of the pancreas.

Background: Poor outcomes in Hispanic patients have been reported for tumors at a number of sites. The authors sought to determine whether a similar phenomenon occurs in Hispanics after the resection of solid epithelial tumors of the head of the pancreas.

Methods: Between 1983-1995, 273 patients with noncystic epithelial carcinoma of the head of the pancreas were evaluated. Resection was accomplished in 104 patients (38%); these patients were the focus of the current retrospective review. Of the patients who underwent resection, 26 (25%) were Hispanic and 78 (75%) were non-Hispanic.

Results: Although Hispanic patients tended to present at a significantly younger age and their serum bilirubin level was significantly higher, no other differences in clinical characteristics were observed. After resection, Hispanic patients had a median survival of only 11.4 months, whereas the non-Hispanic group had a median survival of 21.7 months (P = 0.009). Hispanic ethnicity, as well as age > 74 years and jaundice at the time of presentation also were found to be significant prognostic factors on multivariate analysis. Hispanic patients did not present with more advanced disease and no delays in assessment by a physician or in proceeding to surgery were observed. Furthermore, the rate of resection was the same in Hispanic patients and non-Hispanic patients. Long-term survival after palliative bypass was similarly worse in the Hispanic subgroup.

Conclusions: Hispanic patients treated at the study center appeared to have a diminished survival after resection of a tumor of the head of the pancreas. No treatment-related factors were identified that could explain this discrepancy in outcome.