[Cancer of the pancreas: a critical analysis of 214 autopsy records].

Based on the post-mortem findings of 214 cases of pancreatic carcinoma, local complications, distant effects of the tumour and paraneoplastic syndromes are considered in detail. With regard to the complications there are distinct differences between carcinomas of the pancreatic head and tail. The most important local complications turned out to be stenosis of the common bile duct in 58% and alterations of the gastrointestinal tract in 30%.