[Pancreatic carcinoma in chronic pancreatitis with inflammatory tumor of the head of the pancreas].

Whether chronic pancreatitis is a risk factor for the development of pancreatic cancer is still under discussion. 395 patients operated for chronic pancreatitis with enlargement of the head of the pancreas between 1982 and 1994 were evaluated retrospectively. The frequency of pancreatic cancer in pre-existing chronic pancreatitis was 3.8% (n = 15). This frequency was significantly elevated in comparison to the estimated cancer frequency of the normal population (p < 0.001). The time interval between first diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis and diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma was 33.3 month in the mean. 474 patients with pancreatic carcinoma without pre-existing chronic pancreatitis were operated in the same period. Histological examination revealed signs of chronic obstructive pancreatitis due to tumor obstruction of the main pancreatic duct in 11.1% (n = 53). The relative risk of patients suffering primarily from chronic pancreatitis to develop pancreatic carcinoma is elevated by a factor of more than 50 in comparison to normal population.