AIM: To investigate the surgical treatment of patients with intermediate-terminal pancreatic cancer.METHODS: A retrospective analysis was made of the clinical data of 163 patients with intermediate-terminal pancreatic cancer who were surgically treated between August 1994 and August 2003.RESULTS: A total of 149 patients underwent palliative surgery. The mortality rate of those who underwent cholecystojejunostomy alone was 14.2%, the icterus or cholangitis recurrence rate was 61.9% with an average survival period of 7.1 mo. The mortality rate for those who received hepatic duct-jejunostomy (HDJS) was 5.7%,the icterus or cholangitis recurrence rate was 6.8% with an average survival period of 7.1 mo. But 31.8% of the patients developed duodenum obstruction within 6 mo after the surgery, six of seven patients with severe pain were given peri-abdominal aorta injection with absolute alcohol and their pain was alleviated. The other patients underwent percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage (PTCD) and their icterus index reted to normal level within 40 d with an average survival period of 7.5 mo.CONCLUSION: Roux-en-y HDJS combined withprophylactic gastrojejunostomy is recommended for patients with intermediate-terminal pancreatic cancer, and biliary prosthesis can partly relieve biliary obstruction in a short term.