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Sri Lanka single-center study finds late presentation, low surgical rates for pancreatic cancer
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Summary
A retrospective review of 380 pancreatic cancer patients at Colombo South Teaching Hospital (2018–2023) found most patients presented with locally advanced disease, only 36% underwent surgery and palliative care predominated, underscoring urgent need for earlier detection and expanded treatment access.
Dr. Dinu Rabel presented a retrospective cohort of 380 pancreatic cancer patients treated at Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Sri Lanka between 2018 and 2023. The study found a mean age near 60, a slight male predominance, adenocarcinoma as the predominant pathology (about 46%), and most tumors located in the head of the pancreas (71%).
"Patients presented late leading to poor outcomes," Dr. Rabel said, summarizing the main finding and linking late-stage presentation with limited curative options and higher mortality. Only about 36% of patients in the cohort underwent curative-intent surgery; the majority were managed with palliative approaches owing to advanced disease and constrained local resources.
Rabel highlighted structural limitations at the national level: a single radiotherapy center and frequent drug shortages that increase waiting times and limit access to systemic therapy. He recommended investments in early-detection research (including biomarker work), improved diagnostic pathways, and expanded surgical and oncology capacity to improve survival in lower-middle-income settings.
The study is presented as preliminary, and Rabel noted plans for continued follow-up to assess survival outcomes and refine recommendations for system-level interventions. The presentation underscores the gap between global benchmarks and outcomes in resource-limited settings, particularly the need to shift diagnosis earlier in the disease course.
