Introduction:

pancreatic cancer is one that begins in the pancreas, which is a small gland located in the abdomen, behind the stomach. This disease is the most lethal neoplasm that a human being can suffer.

Objective:

to collect information on morbidity and mortality in pancreatic cancer patients who underwent pancreatectomies.

Methods:

an updated review of the available literature was performed. The articles were identified through the automated search in PubMed, SciELO, and Google Scholar databases. A total of 26 bibliographic references were consulted, 25 of them corresponded to the last five years.

Conclusions:

early diagnosis, the best surgical techniques, the availability of intensive care units, when necessary, as well as the application of measures to reduce hospital stay are the main aspects for obtaining better rates of surgical morbidity and mortality in patients who underwent pancreatectomies.