Identification of Non-Medical Barriers Affecting Surgical Attrition in Pancreatic Cancer

Researchers evaluated factors contributing to surgical attrition in non-metastatic pancreatic cancer. Clinical trials showed 25-30% of patients did not undergo surgery, mainly due to disease progression. The overall surgical rate in the national cancer database was 49%, increasing to 67% in a cohort resembling clinical trial patients. Low-volume institutions and uninsured or Medicaid-insured patients were less likely to receive potentially curative surgery. A realistic target surgery rate of 70-75% in potentially-resectable pancreatic cancer was identified, highlighting the impact of non-medical barriers such as facility volume and insurance.