Pancreatic carcinoma. Survival following detection by ultrasonic scanning.

The survival of 28 patients with pancreatic cancer was studied following initial detection of this malignant neoplasm by ultrasonic scanning. By ultrasound examination, 24 patients had an abnormality, and 21 had a demonstrable mass. Twenty-seven patients are now deceased, and the overall survival ranged from eight days to 24 months (mean, 6.1 months). The results of this study indicate that diagnosis by ultrasonic scanning had no effect on the survival of patients with pancreatic carcinoma.