Pancreatic resection for pancreatic cancer

In the majority of patients, pancreatic resection is performed for a proved carcinoma or for a mass in the pancreas with clinical features of carcinoma. Preoperative preparation is similar to that for other cancer operations, and good nutritional status and normal clotting factors are important. In many patients with resectable lesions, preoperative histologic diagnosis is not possible.     

Carbohydrate metabolism and endocrine function in the pancreas remnant after major pancreatic resection

Changes in glucose tolerance, in secretion of pancreatic hormones and in the islets of the pancreas were investigated after major resection of the pancreas in dogs to elucidate the pathophysiologic features of carbohydrate metabolism and the difference in the amount of insulin required in diabetes after total and partial pancreatectomy. In diabetes after 90 percent or more pancreatectomy, both insulin secretion and the function of the anti-insulin system decreased, associated with degeneration of the islet B, A, and D cells. The required insulin amount was similar to that needed after total pancreatectomy. Diabetes developed more than 6 weeks after 70 to 90 percent pancreatectomy, and insulin secretion decreased but the function of the anti-insulin system was accentuated with an increase in plasma glucagon levels, associated with degeneration in B cells but not in A and D cells. The amount of insulin required was 3 to 4 times greater than that needed after total pancreatectomy.     

Changes in carbohydrate metabolism and endocrine function of remnant pancreas after major pancreatic resection

Changes of glucose tolerance after partial pancreatectomy were divided into three types depending on the extent of resection. When 88 per cent or more of the pancreas was resected, hyperglycemia developed immediately, and when 70 to 88 per cent of the pancreas was resected, diabetes occurred after six weeks or more, but diabetes did not develop at all when less than 70 per cent of the pancreas was removed. The secretion of glucagon was maintained well, but that of insulin was easily impaired after resection of 70 per cent or more of the entire pancreas.     

Pancreatic remnant abscess after resection for acute necrotising pancreatitis

Pancreatic resection for acute necrotising pancreatitis was followed by abscess of the remnant in 14 out of 83 cases. Not even extensive pancreatic resection could prevent pancreatic remnant infection. The 14 cases of abscess are reviewed. Seven were fatal. Enterocutaneous fistula, commonly accompanied by sepsis and major bleeding, was identified in five patients, four of whom died.     

Pancreatic fistula after pancreatic head resection

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic resections can be performed with great safety. However, the morbidity rate is reported to be 40-60 per cent with a high prevalence of pancreatic complications. The aim of this study was to analyse complications after pancreatic head resection, with particular attention to morbidity and pancreatic fistula. METHODS: From November 1993 to May 1999, perioperative and postoperative data from 331 consecutive patients undergoing pancreatic head resection were recorded prospectively. Data were analysed and grouped according to the procedure performed: classic Whipple resection, pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD) or duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR). RESULTS: Pancreatic head resection had a mortality rate of 2.1 per cent; the difference in mortality rate between the three groups (0.9-3.0 per cent) was not significant. Total and local morbidity rates were 38.4 and 28 per cent respectively. DPPHR had a lower morbidity, both local and systemic, than pancreatoduodenectomy. The prevalence of pancreatic fistula was 2.1 per cent in 331 patients, and was not dependent on the procedure or the aetiology of the disease. Reoperations were performed in 3.9 per cent of patients, predominantly for bleeding and non-pancreatic fistula. None of the patients with pancreatic fistula required reoperation or died in the postoperative course. CONCLUSION: A standardized technique and a continuing effort to improve perioperative management may be responsible for low mortality and surgical morbidity rates after pancreatic head resection. Pancreatic complications occur with Whipple, PPPD and DPPHR procedures with a similar prevalence. Pancreatic fistula no longer seems to be a major problem after pancreatic head resection and rarely necessitates surgical treatment.     

Pancreatic autotransplantation following resection.

A patient with recurrent pancreatitis was treated by near-total pancreatectomy. The tail of the pancreas, together with the splenic artery and vein, was transplanted into the thigh, with anastomoses of the splenic vessels to the femoral vessels. Two months after operation simultaneously drawn blood samples from both femoral veins showed elevated insulin on the grafted side. Two years after operation the patient is free of symptoms and is not diabetic.     

Pancreatic resection combined with intraoperative radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to analyze a single center's experience in the treatment of pancreatic carcinoma with a combination of pancreatic resection and intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Pancreatic cancer is the most lethal form of gastrointestinal malignancy. Historically, it carries a 20% 1-year survival and a 5-year survival of 3% to 5%. Since 1987, patients at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital have been offered IORT in an attempt to improve their survival. METHODS: The authors reviewed all patients treated at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital with pancreatic adenocarcinoma from 1987 to 1994. From this population, 14 patients were identified who received IORT in conjunction with curative surgery. Duration of hospital stay, perioperative complications, duration of postoperative ileus, and survival were assessed by retrospective review. RESULTS: Of the 14 patients, 6 were male and 8 were female. Patient median age was 61. Six patients had stage I disease, 2 had stage II, 6 had stage III. Two patients had total pancreatectomy, 2 had distal pancreatectomy, and the remaining had pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple resection). Median survival was 16 months with a 15.5% 5-year survival. Postoperative complications, duration of hospital stay, and duration of postoperative ileus were not adversely affected by the addition of IORT when compared to in-house control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative radiation therapy is a useful adjunct to surgical resection as treatment of pancreatic cancer. The authors' data suggested it can prolong median survival and long-term survival without adding significant morbidity.     

Laparoscopy-assisted resection of gastric remnant cancer

We report a case of gastric remnant carcinoma (GRC) that was successfully treated by laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy. A 69-year-old man was referred to our department for management of GRC. Preoperative investigations revealed a slightly elevated tumor, 5.0 cm in maximal diameter, confined to the gastric mucosa. Computed tomography and endoscopic ultrasonography identified no lymph node metastasis. Laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy was performed including perigastric and mesenteric lymph node dissection. The postoperative course was uneventful. This is the first reported case of laparoscopically treated GRC. In cases with little adhesion from previous surgery, laparoscopic procedure might represent the treatment of choice for early GRC in terms of minimal invasiveness.     

Arguments for an individualized closure of the pancreatic remnant after distal pancreatic resection

AIM:To analyze risk factors for postoperative pancreatic fistula(POPF) rate after distal pancreatic resection(DPR).METHODS:We performed a retrospective analysis of 126 DPRs during 16 years.The primary endpoint was clinically relevant pancreatic fistula.RESULTS:Over the years,there was an increasing rate of operations in patients with a high-risk pancreas and a significant change in operative techniques.POPF was the most prominent factor for perioperative morbidity.Significant risk factors for pancreatic fistula were high body mass index(BMI) [odds ratio(OR) = 1.2(CI:1.1-1.3),P = 0.001],high-risk pancreatic pathology [OR = 3.0(CI:1.3-7.0),P = 0.011] and direct closure of the pancreas by hand suture [OR = 2.9(CI:1.2-6.7),P = 0.014].Of these,BMI and hand suture closure were independent risk factors in multivariate analysis.While hand suture closure was a risk factor in the low-risk pancreas subgroup,high BMI further increased the fistula rate for a high-risk pancreas.CONCLUSION:We propose a risk-adapted and indication-adapted choice of the closure method for the pancreatic remnant to reduce pancreatic fistula rate.     

Prophylactic hepatic irradiation following curative resection of pancreatic cancer

Background/Purpose It is unlikely that adjuvant chemoradiotherapy applied to the pancreatic bed alone significantly improves the survival of patients with resectable pancreatic cancer. The aim of the present study was to determine whether prophylactic hepatic irradiation (PHI) improved patient outcome after the curative resection of pancreatic cancer.Methods The study population was comprised of 34 patients (PHI group) who were administered PHI after curative resection of pancreatic cancer between September 1994 and December 2003. The whole liver was irradiated with a total dose of 19.8–22.0 Gy under continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil. The cumulative rate of liver metastasis and the survival outcomes of the PHI group were compared with those of 31 patients without PHI (non-PHI group) who underwent curative resection of pancreatic cancer.Results The planned PHI was completed for 32 of the 34 patients. Two patients developed complications that might have been PHI-related. One developed liver abscesses which were successfully managed by percutaneous drainage. The other died of liver failure without recurrence 11 months after the operation. The cumulative incidence of liver metastasis was significantly lower for the PHI group than the non-PHI group (P = 0.0455). Patients in the PHI group also survived significantly longer compared to those in the non-PHI group (P = 0.0002).Conclusions The present findings suggest that PHI is well tolerated and is a potentially effective treatment strategy after curative resection of pancreatic cancer, thereby providing the basis for a randomized controlled trial.     

Pancreatic cancer. Adjuvant combined radiation and chemotherapy following curative resection

The efficacy of combined radiation and fluorouracil as adjuvant therapy for pancreatic cancer is suggested by a prospective randomized study conducted by the Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group (GITSG). Twenty-two patients randomized to no adjuvant treatment and 21 to combined therapy were analyzed. Neither life-threatening toxic reaction nor death due to toxic effect was encountered. The study was terminated prematurely because of an unacceptably low rate of accrual combined with the observation of increasingly large survival differences between the study arms. Median survival for the treatment group (20 months) was significantly longer than that observed for the control group (11 months). Four patients, three in the treated and one in the control group, have survived five years or longer following surgery. The extent of the tumor and initial performance status were significantly and independently related to survival.     

Resection of a cancer developing in the remnant pancreas after a pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreas head cancer

We report a rare case of a curative resection performed on a carcinoma developing in the remnant pancreas at 3 years 7 months after a pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer. A 63-year-old man underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer on November 1999. Because the celiac trunk was occluded by atherosclerosis, an aortohepatic bypass with a saphenous vein graft was performed simultaneously. In May 2003, tumor marker levels increased, and a tumor was detected in the remnant pancreas on computed tomography. There were no findings such as invasion into the surrounding tissue or distant metastasis, and therefore we removed the remnant pancreas in July 2003. Histopathologically, the tumor consisted of a well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma and was limited to the pancreas. Moreover, the anastomotic site of the pancreaticojejunostomy was negative for cancer, and some foci of papillary hyperplasia and goblet cell metaplasia of the pancreatic ductal epithelium, which was thought to be the precursor of the pancreatic cancer, were seen. These findings suggested that the tumor was a second primary cancer developing in the remnant pancreas. This case provided suggestive evidence for the development of pancreatic cancer, and the surgical procedure for a pancreaticoduodenectomy with occlusion of the celiac trunk is discussed.     

Pancreatic resection for metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the pancreas

Although extremely rare, for most primary malignancies, the presence of metastases to the pancreas is a harbinger of diffuse systemic involvement. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) of the kidney differs in that respect. Metastatic deposits tend to be isolated and diffuse systemic involvement may be absent. An Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective review of three cases of histologically confirmed RCC metastases to the pancreas was performed. We present their preoperative workup, surgical treatment, histopathological findings, and postoperative course. Three patients, all women, underwent distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. Mean time period between nephrectomy and findings of pancreatic metastasis was 11.6 years. One patient had a major complication with a pancreatic fistula. Two patients have developed extrapancreatic recurrences. Resection of RCC metastases to the pancreas may offer a survival advantage in a select group of patients. Development of metastatic deposits after a prolonged disease-free period may actually be a negative prognostic indicator, implying a rapid and uncontrollable change in tumor biology.     

Fate of the remnant pancreas after resection of noninvasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm

BACKGROUND: The risk of local recurrence in the pancreatic remnant after resection of noninvasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is not well defined. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained pancreatic resection database that identified 78 patients who underwent resection for noninvasive IPMN between 1983 and 2006. Local recurrence was determined radiographically and confirmed either pathologically or clinically. RESULTS: At a median followup of 40 months, 6 patients (7.7%) have recurred locally, with a median interval of 22 months (range 8 to 62 months) from the time of resection. Three patients did not undergo additional operative treatment and died of disease progression. Three patients underwent additional resection and are alive without evidence of disease. The estimated 5-year local recurrence-free survival for all patients with noninvasive IPMN is 87%. One of 50 patients (2%) with margins negative for IPMN recurred versus 4 of 23 patients (17%) with margins positive for IPMN (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who have undergone resection for noninvasive IPMN require indefinite surveillance because local recurrences may be identified several years from the initial operation and be resected while still noninvasive. Although the risk of local recurrence appears to increase in the setting of positive margins, the majority of patients with positive margins have not developed local recurrence. Negative margins should be the goal of the operation when achievable with partial pancreatectomy, but the risk of local recurrence is not high enough to mandate total pancreatectomy for microscopic positive margins.     

Laparoscopic pancreatic resection of pancreatic cancer

Laparoscopic pancreatic resection of pancreatic cancer is still not universally accepted as an alternative approach to open surgery because of technical difficulties and a lack of consensus regarding the adequacy of this approach for malignancy. Ten patients with pancreatic cancer underwent laparoscopic pancreatic resection, including pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy in our institution. Eight of the 10 patients recovered without any complications and were discharged on the 10-29th postoperative day. The remaining 2 patients developed pancreatic fistula and were discharged on the 46 and 60th postoperative day, respectively. All lesions were well clear of surgical margins in 6 patients (R0). In the remaining 4 patients, microscopic neoplastic change was found at the surgical margin (R1). Those 4 patients developed tumor recurrence, including liver metastases or peritoneal dissemination, and 3 of the 4 died of the primary disease. Although experience is limited, laparoscopic pancreatic resection of pancreatic cancer can be feasible, safe, and effective in carefully selected patients. However, the benefit of this procedure has yet to be confirmed. Not only adequate experience in pancreatic surgery but also expertise in laparoscopy is mandatory, and careful selection of patients is essential for successful application of this procedure.