Acute pancreatitis does not confer a survival benefit in pancreatic cancer - A 22-year retrospective analysis

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Liam

Pancreatic cancer can present with acute pancreatitis, yet its impact on survival and clinical outcomes is uncertain. This retrospective study analyzed alcohol-abstinent adults diagnosed with pancreatic cancer from February 2002 to February 2024 at a single tertiary center. Patients with acute pancreatitis were compared with matched controls without it. Acute pancreatitis did not improve survival, but it was linked to longer hospital stays and a higher sudden cardiac arrest rate.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Introduction

Epidemiology and clinical course

Methods

Study design and data collection

Survival analysis

Acute pancreatitis does not confer a survival benefit in pancreatic cancer: A 22-year retrospective analysis Abdel Rahman A Al Manasra 1 , Moayad A Rjoub 1, Mohammad F Al Hourani 1, Asham Al Salkhadi 1, Mohammad A Abdalla 1 and Anwar Rjoop2 Journal of International Medical Research 2026, Vol. 54(2) 1–10! The Author(s) 2026 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/03000605261421399](DOI: 10.1177/03000605261421399)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/03000605261421399)[journals.sagepub.com/home/imr](journals.sagepub.com/home/imr) Abstract Objective: Pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease that may initially present as acute pancreatitis. This study aimed to examine the survival and outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer presenting with acute pancreatitis. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of alcohol-abstinent adult patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer between February 2002 and February 2024 at a single tertiary care center. Patients with and without acute pancreatitis were compared with respect to clinical characteristics, tumor features, management strategies, and outcomes. Results: A total of 284 patients were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during the study period, of whom 84 met the inclusion criteria. Among these, 24 presented with acute pancreatitis. Sixty control patients without acute pancreatitis were matched for comparison. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of demographics or comorbidities. Tumor stage, location, and histological subtype were also comparable. Acute pancreatitis was not associated with improved survival (p ¼ 0.252). Patients in the acute pancreatitis group experienced significantly longer hospital stays (p ¼ 0.044) and had a higher rate of sudden cardiac arrest (p ¼ 0.032). Conclusion: The presence of acute pancreatitis in patients with pancreatic cancer is not associated with earlier diagnosis or improved survival outcomes. Although acute pancreatitis may lead to earlier clinical evaluation, it does not confer a prognostic advantage. Further studies are needed to clarify the clinical significance of acute pancreatitis in pancreatic cancer. 1 Department of General Surgery and Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science Technology, Jordan 2Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science Technology, Jordan Corresponding author: Abdel Rahman A Al Manasra, Department of General Surgery and Urology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Irbid, P.O. Box 3030, Jordan. Email: [aaalmanasra@just.edu.jo](aaalmanasra@just.edu.jo) Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages ([https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage](https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage)). Keywords Acute pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, prognosis, survival, Jordan Date received: 20 September 2025; accepted: 20 January 2026 Introduction Pancreatic cancer (PC) is considered a deadly and aggressive disease, ranking 12th worldwide among the most common cancers. It is the 11th most common cancer in men and women.1 The asymptomatic nature of early-stage PC profoundly affects its prognosis. Approximately 8% of PC cases are expected to survive for 5 years following diagnosis, and approximately 15% of cases are considered treatable when detected early.2 PC accounts for approximately 1% of acute pancreatitis (AP) cases, suggesting that AP may serve as an early sign of the disease.2

FAQs

What was the study’s objective?

To examine survival and outcomes in pancreatic cancer patients who present with acute pancreatitis.

How was the study conducted and who was included?

A retrospective review of alcohol-abstinent adults diagnosed with pancreatic cancer between February 2002 and February 2024 at a single tertiary center.

Does acute pancreatitis improve survival in pancreatic cancer?

No. Acute pancreatitis was not associated with improved survival and also did not confer a prognostic advantage.

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Liam