" But a small percentage, have a fighting chance. If the cancer is caught early enough, surgery sometimes can cure it. "

"But a new study has found that many patients who might benefit aren't getting the surgery. "

"Diana Bohentin, 75, of Oak Lawn, is glad she had surgery. "I would not be talking to you now if I didn�t have that malignant tumor removed," she said. "

"Bentrem, of Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Northwestern University, is a co-author of the study, to be published in the August Annals of Surgery. "

"Researchers reviewed records of 9,559 patients who had stage-one pancreatic cancer and were potential candidates for surgery. Only 29 percent underwent the surgery, and 38 percent weren't even offered the procedure. "

"Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, after lung, colon and breast. The American Cancer Society estimates 37,170 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, and 33,370 will die of the disease. "

"The pancreas is a 6-inch gland that lies in the back of the abdomen behind the stomach. It secretes enzymes that digest food and insulin that regulates blood sugar. "

"There are no screening tests for pancreatic cancer. By the time it's diagnosed, it usually has spread to other organs and isn't treatable. "

"But in 10 percent to 15 percent of patients, the cancer hasn't spread. When such patients have surgery, the long-term survival rate is about 30 percent. "

"The complex surgery is called a Whipple procedure. The surgeon removes part of the pancreas, along with the gallbladder and parts of the small intestine, common bile duct and perhaps part of the stomach. "

"It can take weeks before patients eat normally again. A small percentage die or experience diabetes or chronic diarrhea. It's one of the toughest surgeries in medicine, the cancer society said: "There may be complications, and it can take many
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