Systematic review on surveillance for non-resected branch-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas

BACKGROUND

The management of branch-duct type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (BD-IPMN) varies in existing guidelines. This study investigated the optimal surveillance protocol and safe discontinuation of surveillance considering natural history in non-resected IPMN, by systematically reviewing the published literature.

METHODS

This review was guided by PRISMA. Research questions were framed in PICO format "CQ1-1: Is size criteria helpful to determine surveillance period? CQ1-2: How often should surveillance be carried out? CQ1-3: When should surveillance be discontinued? CQ1-4: Is nomogram predicting malignancy useful during surveillance?". PubMed was searched from January-April 2022.

RESULTS

The search generated 2373 citations. After screening, 83 articles were included. Among them, 33 studies were identified for CQ1-1, 19 for CQ1-2, 26 for CQ1-3 and 12 for CQ1-4. Cysts <1.5 or 2 cm without worrisome features (WF) were described as more indolent, and most studies advised an initial period of surveillance. The median growth rate of cysts <2 cm ranged from 0.23 to 0.6 mm/year. Patients with cysts <2 cm showing no morphological changes and no WF after 5-years of surveillance have minimal malignancy risk of 0-2%. Two nomograms created with over 1000 patients had AUCs of around 0.8 and appear to be feasible in a real-world practice.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with suspected BD-IPMN <2 cm and no other WF, less frequent surveillance is recommended. Surveillance may be discontinued for cysts that remain stable during 5-year surveillance, with consideration of patient condition and life expectancy. With this updated surveillance strategy, patients with non-worrisome BD-IPMN should expect more streamlined management and decreased healthcare utilization.

Lumen apposing metal stents vs. double pigtail plastic stents for the drainage of pancreatic walled-off necrosis

BACKGROUND

Few studies compared lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) and standard double pigtail plastic stents (PS) for the endoscopic drainage of pancreatic walled-off necrosis (WON). Albeit sometimes large, previously described cohorts display considerable heterogeneity and often pooled together data from several centers, involving multiple operators and techniques. Moreover, they often lack a control group for the comparison of outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare clinical efficacy and safety of PS versus LAMS for the endoscopic drainage of infected WON.

METHODS

Thirty patients were enrolled between 2011 and 2017. The present study is a single-center, 1:1 case-control study. We compared patients undergoing endoscopic drainages of infected WON through LAMS (cases) or PS (controls). The primary endpoint was the clinical efficacy (resolution of the WON/sepsis), the secondary endpoint was safety (procedure-related complications).

RESULTS

Cases and controls were homogeneous in terms of etiology and clinical characteristics: 93% of cases and 86.7% of controls were clinically successfully treated, with no significant differences in rates of postoperative infections, bleedings, and stent migrations (respectively 13.3% vs. 21.4%; P=0.65; 13.3% vs. 0%; P=0.48; 13.3% vs. 7.1%; P=1.00). No difference was shown regarding the need for additional percutaneous or surgical treatments (33.3% vs. 13.3%; P=0.39). Cases, however, displayed a significantly prolonged mean hospital stay (90.2 days vs. 18.5 days; P<0.01) and a higher mean number of endoscopic procedures per patient (4.8 vs. 1.5; P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

PS might be not inferior to LAMS for the treatment WONs. Further prospective RCT is needed to compare clinical efficacy and safety in the two groups.

REDISCOVER International Guidelines on the Perioperative Care of Surgical Patients With Borderline-resectable and Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

OBJECTIVE

The REDISCOVER consensus conference aimed at developing and validate guidelines on the perioperative care of patients with borderline resectable (BR-) and locally advanced (LA) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

Coupled with improvements in chemotherapy and radiation, the contemporary approach to pancreatic surgery supports resection of BR-PDAC and, to a lesser extent, LA-PDAC. Guidelines outlining the selection and perioperative care for these patients are lacking.

METHODS

The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) methodology was used to develop the REDISCOVER guidelines and create recommendations. The Delphi approach was used to reach consensus (agreement ≥80%) among experts. Recommendations were approved after a debate and vote among international experts in pancreatic surgery and pancreatic cancer management. A Validation Committee used the AGREE II-GRS tool to assess the methodological quality of the guidelines. Moreover, an independent multidisciplinary advisory group revised the statements to ensure adherence to non-surgical guidelines.

RESULTS

Overall, 34 recommendations were created targeting centralization, training, staging, patient selection for surgery, possibility of surgery in uncommon scenarios, timing of surgery, avoidance of vascular reconstruction, details of vascular resection/reconstruction, arterial divestment, frozen section histology of perivascular tissue, extent of lymphadenectomy, anticoagulation prophylaxis and role of minimally invasive surgery. The level of evidence was however low for 29 of 34 clinical questions. Participants agreed that the most conducive mean to promptly advance our understanding in this field is to establish an international registry addressing this patient population ( https://rediscover.unipi.it/ ).

CONCLUSIONS

The REDISCOVER guidelines provide clinical recommendations pertaining to pancreatectomy with vascular resection for patients with BR- and LA-PDAC, and serve as the basis of a new international registry for this patient population.

Preoperative chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgical decision-making in patients with borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic cancer

Surgical resection combined with systemic chemotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment for patients with localized pancreatic cancer. Upfront surgery is considered suboptimal in cases with extensive vascular involvement, which can be classified as either borderline resectable pancreatic cancer or locally advanced pancreatic cancer. In these patients, FOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy is currently used as preoperative chemotherapy and is eventually combined with radiotherapy. Thus, more patients might reach 5-year overall survival. Patient selection for chemotherapy, radiotherapy and subsequent surgery is based on anatomical, biological and conditional parameters. Current guidelines and clinical practices vary considerably regarding preoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy, response evaluation, and indications for surgery. In this Review, we provide an overview of the clinical evidence regarding disease staging, preoperative therapy, response evaluation and surgery in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer or locally advanced pancreatic cancer. In addition, a clinical work-up is proposed based on the available evidence and guidelines. We identify knowledge gaps and outline a proposed research agenda.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Versus Upfront Surgery for Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: An Updated Nationwide Study

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to assess the association of survival with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

BACKGROUND

The early control of potential micrometastases and patient selection using NAC has been advocated for patients with PDAC. However, the role of NAC for resectable PDAC remains unclear.

METHODS

Patients with clinical T1 and T2 PDAC were identified in the National Cancer Database from 2010 to 2017. Kaplan-Meier estimates, and Cox regression models were used to compare survival. To address immortal time bias, landmark analysis was performed. Interactions between preoperative factors and NAC were investigated in subgroup analyses. A propensity score analysis was performed to compare survival between multiagent NAC and upfront surgery.

RESULTS

In total, 4041 patients were treated with upfront surgery and 1,175 patients were treated with NAC (79.4% multiagent NAC, 20.6% single-agent NAC). Using a landmark time of 6 months after diagnosis, patients treated with multiagent NAC had longer median overall survival compared with upfront surgery and single-agent NAC. (35.8 vs 27.1 vs 27.4 mo). Multiagent NAC was associated with lower mortality rates compared with upfront surgery (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.70-0.85), whereas single-agent NAC was not. The association of survival with multiagent NAC were consistent in analyses using the matched data sets. Interaction analysis revealed that the association between multiagent NAC and a lower mortality rate did not significantly differ across age, facility type, tumor location, CA 19-9 levels, and clinical T/N stages.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that multiagent NAC followed by resection is associated with improved survival compared with upfront surgery.

Advances in the management of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer remains among the malignancies with the worst outcomes. Survival has been improving, but at a slower rate than other cancers. Multimodal treatment, including chemotherapy, surgical resection, and radiotherapy, has been under investigation for many years. Because of the anatomical characteristics of the pancreas, more emphasis on treatment selection has been placed on local extension into major vessels. Recently, the development of more effective treatment regimens has opened up new treatment strategies, but urgent research questions have also become apparent. This review outlines the current management of pancreatic cancer, and the recent advances in its treatment. The review discusses future treatment pathways aimed at integrating novel findings of translational and clinical research.

Risk Factors, Management, and Outcome of Gastric Venous Congestion After Total Pancreatectomy: An Underestimated Complication Requiring Standardized Identification, Grading, and Management

BACKGROUND

Gastric venous congestion (GVC) after total pancreatectomy (TP) is rarely studied despite its high 5% to 28% incidence and possible association with mortality. This study aimed to provide insight about incidence, risk factors, management, and outcome of GVC after TP.

METHODS

This retrospective observational single-center study included all patients undergoing elective TP from 2008 to 2021. The exclusion criteria ruled out a history of gastric resection, concomitant (sub)total gastrectomy for oncologic indication(s) or celiac axis resection, and postoperative (sub)total gastrectomy for indication(s) other than GVC.

RESULTS

The study enrolled 268 patients. The in-hospital major morbidity (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIa) rate was 28%, and the 90-day mortality rate was 3%. GVC was identified in 21% of patients, particularly occurring during index surgery (93%). Intraoperative GVC was managed with (sub)total gastrectomy for 55% of the patients. The major morbidity rate was higher for the patients with GVC (44% vs 24%; p = 0.003), whereas the 90-day mortality did not differ significantly (5% vs 3%; p = 0.406). The predictors for major morbidity were intraoperative GVC (odds ratio [OR], 2.207; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.142-4.268) and high TP volume (> 20 TPs/year: OR, 0.360; 95% CI, 0.175-0.738). The predictors for GVC were portomesenteric venous resection (PVR) (OR, 2.103; 95% CI, 1.034-4.278) and left coronary vein ligation (OR, 11.858; 95% CI, 5.772-24.362).

CONCLUSIONS

After TP, GVC is rather common (in 1 of 5 patients). GVC during index surgery is predictive for major morbidity, although not translating into higher mortality. Left coronary vein ligation and PVR are predictive for GVC, requiring vigilance during and after surgery, although gastric resection is not always necessary. More evidence on prevention, identification, classification, and management of GVC is needed.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Role of Total Pancreatectomy as an Alternative to Pancreatoduodenectomy in Patients at High Risk for Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula: Is it a Justifiable Indication?

OBJECTIVE

Examine the potential benefit of total pancreatectomy (TP) as an alternative to pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) in patients at high risk for postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF).

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

TP is mentioned as an alternative to PD in patients at high risk for POPF, but a systematic review is lacking.

METHODS

Systematic review and meta-analyses using Pubmed, Embase (Ovid), and Cochrane Library to identify studies published up to October 2022, comparing elective single-stage TP for any indication versus PD in patients at high risk for POPF. The primary endpoint was short-term mortality. Secondary endpoints were major morbidity (i.e., Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIa) on the short-term and quality of life.

RESULTS

After screening 1212 unique records, five studies with 707 patients (334 TP and 373 high-risk PD) met the eligibility criteria, comprising one randomized controlled trial and four observational studies. The 90-day mortality after TP and PD did not differ (6.3% vs. 6.2%; RR=1.04 [95%CI 0.56-1.93]). Major morbidity rate was lower after TP compared to PD (26.7% vs. 38.3%; RR=0.65 [95%CI 0.48-0.89]), but no significance was seen in matched/randomized studies (29.0% vs. 36.9%; RR = 0.73 [95%CI 0.48-1.10]). Two studies investigated quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30) at a median of 30-52 months, demonstrating comparable global health status after TP and PD (77% [±15] vs. 76% [±20]; P =0.857).

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review and meta-analysis found no reduction in short-term mortality and major morbidity after TP as compared to PD in patients at high risk for POPF. However, if TP is used as a bail-out procedure, the comparable long-term quality of life is reassuring.

Intraoperative pancreatoscopy can improve the detection of skip lesions during surgery for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasia: A pilot study

OBJECTIVES

Intraoperative pancreatoscopy is a promising procedure that might guide surgical resection for suspected main duct (MD) and mixed type (MT) intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs). The aim of the present study was to assess the diagnostic yield and clinical impact of intraoperative pancreatoscopy in patients operated on for MD and MT-IPMNs.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study. Patients undergoing surgery for suspected MD or MT-IPMN underwent intraoperative pancreatoscopy and frozen section analysis. In all patients who required extended resection due to pancreatoscopic findings, we compared the final histology with the results of the intraoperative frozen section analysis.

RESULTS

In total, 46 patients, 48% females, mean age (range) 67 years (45-82 years) underwent intraoperative pancreatoscopy. No mortality or procedure related complications were observed. Pancreatoscopy changed the operative course in 30 patients (65%), leading to extended resections in 20 patients (43%) and to parenchyma sparing procedures in 10 patients (22%). Analyzing the group of patients who underwent extended resections, 7 (35%) displayed lesions that needed further surgical treatment (six high grade dysplasia and one with G1 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor) and among those 7, just 1 (14%) would have been detected exclusively with histological frozen section analysis of the transection margin. The combination of both pancreatoscopy and frozen section analysis lead to 86% sensitivity and 92% specificity for the detection of pathological tissue in the remnant pancreas.

CONCLUSION

Intraoperative pancreatoscopy is a safe and feasible procedure and might allow the detection of skip lesions during surgery for suspect MD-involving IPMNs.

Management of Localized Small- and Large-Cell Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Carcinoma in the National Cancer Database

BACKGROUND

The role of curative-intent resection and perioperative chemotherapy for nonmetastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (PanNEC) remains unclear due to their biological aggressiveness and rarity. This study aimed to evaluate the association of resection and perioperative chemotherapy with overall survival for nonmetastatic PanNEC.

STUDY DESIGN

Patients with localized (cT1-3, M0), small- and large-cell PanNEC were identified in the National Cancer Database from 2004 to 2017. The changing trends in terms of the annual proportions of resection and adjuvant chemotherapy were assessed. The survival of patients who received resection and those who received adjuvant chemotherapy were investigated using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression models.

RESULTS

In total, 199 patients with localized small- and large-cell PanNEC were identified; 50.3% of those were resected, and 45.0% of the resected patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. Rate of resection and adjuvant treatment has trended upward since 2011. The resected group was younger, was more often treated at academic institutions, had more distal tumors, and had a lower number of small-cell PanNEC. The median overall survival was longer in the resected group compared to the unresected group (29.4 months vs 8.6 months, p < 0.001). Resection was associated with improved survival in a multivariable Cox regression model adjusting for preoperative factors (adjusted hazard ratio 0.58, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.92), while adjuvant therapy was not.

CONCLUSIONS

This nationwide retrospective study suggests that resection is associated with improved survival in patients with localized PanNEC. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy needs more investigation.

Is surgical resection justified for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with distant abdominal organ metastasis? A position paper by experts in pancreatic surgery at the Joint Meeting of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) & the Japan Pancreas Society (JPS) 2022 in Kyoto

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a typical refractory malignancy, and many patients have distant organ metastases at diagnosis, such as liver metastasis and peritoneal dissemination. The standard treatment for unresectable PDAC with distant organ metastasis (UR-M) is chemotherapy, but the prognosis remained poor. However, with recent dramatic developments in chemotherapy, the prognosis has gradually improved, and some patients have experienced marked shrinkage or disappearance of their metastatic lesions. With this trend, attempts have been made to resect a small number of metastases (so-called oligometastases) in combination with the primary tumor or to resect the primary and metastatic tumor in patients with a favorable response to anti-cancer treatment after a certain period of time (so-called conversion surgery). An international consensus meeting on surgical treatment for UR-M PDAC was held during the Joint Congress of the 26th Meeting of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) and the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Japan Pancreas Society (JPS) in Kyoto in July 2022. The presenters showed their indications for and results of surgical treatment for UR-M PDAC and discussed their advantages and disadvantages with the experts. Although these reports were limited to a small number of patients, findings suggest that these surgical treatments for patients with UR-M PDAC who have had a significant response to chemotherapy may contribute to a prognosis of prolonged survival. We hope that this article summarizing the discussion and agreements at the meeting will serve as the basis for future trials and guidelines.

Pulmonary metastasectomy is associated with survival after lung-only recurrence in pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

After surgical resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, 14% of patients have lung-only recurrence. We hypothesize that in patients with isolated lung metastases from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, pulmonary metastasectomy offers a survival benefit with minimal additional morbidity after resection.

METHODS

This was a single-institution, retrospective study of patients who underwent definitive resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and later developed isolated lung metastases between 2009 and 2021. Patients were included if they carried a diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, underwent pancreatic resection with curative intent, and subsequently developed lung metastases. Patients were excluded if they developed multiple sites of recurrence.

RESULTS

We identified 39 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and isolated lung metastases, 14 of whom underwent pulmonary metastasectomy. During the study period, 31 (79%) patients died. Across all patients, there was an overall survival of 45.9 months, a disease-free interval of 22.8 months, and survival after recurrence of 22.5 months. Survival after recurrence was significantly longer in patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy than those who did not (30.8 months vs 18.6 months, P < .01). There was no difference in overall survival between groups. However, patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy were significantly more likely to be alive 3 years after their diagnosis (100.0% vs 64%, P = .02) and 2 years after recurrence (79% vs 32%, P < .01) than those in who did not undergo pulmonary metastasectomy. No mortalities occurred related to pulmonary metastasectomy, and procedure-related morbidity was 7%.

CONCLUSION

Patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy for isolated pulmonary pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma metastases had significantly longer survival after recurrence and clinically meaningful survival benefit with minimal additional morbidity after pulmonary resection.

"Conversion surgery" for locally advanced pancreatic cancer: A position paper by the study group at the joint meeting of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) & Japan Pancreas Society (JPS) 2022

Locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC), which progresses locally and surrounds major vessels, has historically been deemed unresectable. Surgery alone failed to provide curative resection and improve overall survival. With the advancements in treatment, reports have shown favorable results in LAPC after undergoing successful chemotherapy therapy or chemoradiation therapy followed by surgical resection, so-called "conversion surgery", at experienced high-volume centers. However, recognizing significant regional and institutional disparities in the management of LAPC, an international consensus meeting on conversion surgery for LAPC was held during the Joint Congress of the 26th Meeting of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) and the 53rd Annual Meeting of Japan Pancreas Society (JPS) in Kyoto in July 2022. During the meeting, presenters reported the current best multidisciplinary practices for LAPC, including preoperative modalities, best systemic treatment regimens and durations, procedures of conversion surgery with or without vascular resections, biomarkers, and genetic studies. It was unanimously agreed among the experts in this meeting that "cancer biology is surpassing locoregional anatomical resectability" in the era of effective multiagent treatment. The biology of pancreatic cancer has yet to be further elucidated, and we believe it is essential to improve the treatment outcomes of LAPC patients through continued efforts from each institution and more international collaboration. This article summarizes the agreement during the discussion amongst the experts in the meeting. We hope that this will serve as a foundation for future international collaboration and recommendations for future guidelines.

Ampullary Adenocarcinoma, Version 1.2023, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology

Ampullary cancers refer to tumors originating from the ampulla of Vater (the ampulla, the intraduodenal portion of the bile duct, and the intraduodenal portion of the pancreatic duct), while periampullary cancers may arise from locations encompassing the head of the pancreas, distal bile duct, duodenum, or ampulla of Vater. Ampullary cancers are rare gastrointestinal malignancies, and prognosis varies greatly based on factors such as patient age, TNM classification, differentiation grade, and treatment modality received. Systemic therapy is used in all stages of ampullary cancer, including neoadjuvant therapy, adjuvant therapy, and first-line or subsequent-line therapy for locally advanced, metastatic, and recurrent disease. Radiation therapy may be used in localized ampullary cancer, sometimes in combination with chemotherapy, but there is no high-level evidence to support its utility. Select tumors may be treated surgically. This article describes NCCN recommendations regarding management of ampullary adenocarcinoma.

Endoscopic and Surgical Management of Non-Metastatic Ampullary Neuroendocrine Neoplasia: A Multi-Institutional Pancreas2000/EPC Study

INTRODUCTION

Ampullary neuroendocrine neoplasia (NEN) is rare and evidence regarding their management is scarce. This study aimed to describe clinicopathological features, management, and prognosis of ampullary NEN according to their endoscopic or surgical management.

METHODS

From a multi-institutional international database, patients treated with either endoscopic papillectomy (EP), transduodenal surgical ampullectomy (TSA), or pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for ampullary NEN were included. Clinical features, post-procedure complications, and recurrences were assessed.

RESULTS

65 patients were included, 20 (30.8%) treated with EP, 19 (29.2%) with TSA, and 26 (40%) with PD. Patients were mostly asymptomatic (n = 46; 70.8%). Median tumor size was 17 mm (12-22), tumors were mostly grade 1 (70.8%) and pT2 (55.4%). Two (10%) EP resulted in severe American Society for Gastrointestinal Enterology (ASGE) adverse post-procedure complications and 10 (50%) were R0. Clavien 3-5 complications did not occur after TSA and in 4, including 1 postoperative death (15.4%) of patients after PD, with 17 (89.5%) and 26 R0 resection (100%), respectively. The pN1/2 rate was 51.9% (n = 14) after PD. Tumor size larger than 1 cm (i.e., pT stage >1) was a predictor for R1 resection (p < 0.001). Three-year overall survival and disease-free survival after EP, TSA, and PD were 92%, 68%, 92% and 92%, 85%, 73%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Management of ampullary NEN is challenging. EP should not be performed in lesions larger than 1 cm or with a endoscopic ultrasonography T stage beyond T1. Local resection by TSA seems safe and feasible for lesions without nodal involvement. PD should be preferred for larger ampullary NEN at risk of nodal metastasis.

Pre-emptive resection for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasia - Long-term outcome is similar between non-invasive and early invasive lesions in a tertiary single center

BACKGROUND

Pre-emptive resection for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) aims to reduce the risk before invasive transformation has taken place. Pancreatic resections are highly associated with major morbidity and mortality. Long-term overall survival (OS) after resection for invasive IPMN (inv-IPMN) in early stages is favorable. Comparison of long-term OS for resected non-invasive IPMN and early staged inv-IPMN is poorly delineated. This study aims to compare outcomes for resected non-invasive IPMN and T1-staged inv-IPMN.

METHODS

All patients ≥18 years of age resected for IPMN up to stage T1 at Karolinska University Hospital between 2008 and 2020 were included. Two-year OS were compared between groups by chi-squared test, and 5-year OS was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method. Covariates associated with death was assessed in multivariable Cox regression model.

RESULTS

We included 284 patients, 264 (93%) non-invasive IPMN and 20 (7%) T1-staged inv-IPMN. Dysplasia of low grade (LGD) and high grade, i.e., tumor in situ (Tis) were present in 190 (67%) and 75 (26%) patients respectively. The 2-year OS for the entire cohort was 96%, and there were no differences between non-invasive and inv-IPMN (96% vs 92%, p = 0.203), nor between IPMN with LGD and Tis-T1b-staged IPMN (96% vs 95%, p = 0.734).

CONCLUSION

Two thirds of the specimen from pre-emptive resections were of LGD and did not involve superior OS than in situ or early cancer. Due to high complication burden, efforts should be made to avoid resection when LGD is probable and rather identify more accurate predictors for surgery.

Association of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients With Resected Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma After Multiagent Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Importance

The total number of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is increasing. However, the added role of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) in these patients remains unknown.

Objective

To evaluate the association of AC with overall survival (OS) in patients with PDAC who received multiagent NAC followed by curative-intent surgery.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective, matched-cohort study used data from the National Cancer Database and included patients with PDAC diagnosed between 2010 and 2018. The study included patients at least 18 years of age who received multiagent NAC followed by surgical resection and had available records of the pathological findings. Patients were excluded if they had clinical or pathological stage IV disease or died within 90 days of their operation.

Exposures

All included patients received NAC and underwent resection for primary PDAC. Some patients received adjuvant chemotherapy.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The main outcome was the OS of patients who received AC (AC group) vs those who did not (non-AC group). Interactions between pathological findings and AC were investigated in separate multivariable Cox regression models.

Results

In total, 1132 patients (mean [SD] age, 63.5 [9.4] years; 577 [50.1%] male; 970 [85.7%] White) were included, 640 patients in the non-AC group and 492 patients in the AC group. After being matched by propensity score according to demographic and pathological characteristics, 444 patients remained in each group. The multivariable Cox regression model adjusted for all covariates revealed an association between AC and improved survival (hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.59-0.85; P < .001). Subgroup interaction analysis revealed that AC was significantly associated with better OS (26.6 vs 21.2 months; P = .002), but the benefit varied by age, pathological T category, and tumor differentiation. Of note, AC was associated with better survival in patients with any pathological N category and positive margin status.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study, AC following multiagent NAC and resection in patients with PDAC was associated with significant survival benefit compared with that in patients who did not receive AC. These findings suggest that patients with aggressive tumors may benefit from AC to achieve prolonged survival, even after multiagent NAC and curative-intent resection.

Prevalence and progression of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas in solid organ transplant recipients: A systematic review

Solid organ transplantation (SOT) recipients are known to carry an increased risk of malignancy because of long-term immunosuppression. However, the progression of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas (IPMN) in this population remains unclear. We performed a systematic review by searching PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar. All studies containing IPMNs in solid organ transplantation recipients were screened. We included 11 studies in our final analysis, totaling 274 patients with IPMNs of the 8213 SOT recipients. The prevalence from 8 studies was 4.7% (95% CI 2.4%-7.7%) in a random-effects model with median study periods of 24 to 220 months. The median rate for all progressions from 10 studies was 20% (range, 0%-88%) within 13 to 41 months of the median follow-up time. By utilizing the results of 3 case-control studies, the relative risk from a random-effects model for progression (worrisome features and high-risk stigmata) of IPMNs was 0.39 (95% CI 0.12-1.31). No adenocarcinoma derived from IPMN was reported in the included studies. Overall, this study indicates that the progression of pretransplant IPMN does not increase drastically compared with the general nontransplant population. However, considering the limited literature, further studies are required for confirmation.

Evaluation of Survival Following Surgical Resection for Small Nonfunctional Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

Importance

The number of patients with small nonfunctional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PanNETs) is increasing. However, the role of surgery for small NF-PanNETs remains unclear.

Objective

To evaluate the association between surgical resection for NF-PanNETs measuring 2 cm or smaller and survival.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study used data from the National Cancer Database and included patients with NF-pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms who were diagnosed between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2017. Patients with small NF-PanNETs were divided into 2 groups: group 1a (tumor size, ≤1 cm) and group 1b (tumor size, 1.1-2.0 cm). Patients without information on tumor size, overall survival, and surgical resection were excluded. Data analysis was performed in June 2022.

Exposures

Patients with vs without surgical resection.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was overall survival of patients in group 1a or group 1b who underwent surgical resection compared with those who did not, which was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier estimates and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. Interactions between preoperative factors and surgical resection were analyzed with a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model.

Results

Of the 10 504 patients with localized NF-PanNETs identified, 4641 were analyzed. These patients had a mean (SD) age of 60.5 (12.7) years and included 2338 males (50.4%). The median (IQR) follow-up time was 47.1 (28.2-71.6) months. In total, 1278 patients were in group 1a and 3363 patients were in group 1b. The surgical resection rates were 82.0% in group 1a and 87.0% in group 1b. After adjustment for preoperative factors, surgical resection was associated with longer survival for patients in group 1b (hazard ratio [HR], 0.58; 95% CI, 0.42-0.80; P < .001) but not for patients in group 1a (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.41-1.11; P = .12). In group 1b, interaction analysis found that age of 64 years or younger, absence of comorbidities, treatment at academic institutions, and distal pancreatic tumors were factors associated with increased survival after surgical resection.

Conclusions and Relevance

Findings of this study support an association between surgical resection and increased survival in select patients with NF-PanNETs measuring 1.1 to 2.0 cm who were younger than 65 years, had no comorbidities, received treatment at academic institutions, and had tumors of the distal pancreas. Future investigations of surgical resection for small NF-PanNETs that include the Ki-67 index are warranted to validate these findings.

Comparison of Invasive Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma versus Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm: A National Cancer Database Analysis

BACKGROUND

Current evidence on overall survival (OS) between invasive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is limited to single-center reports. We aimed to compare the characteristics, management, and OS of invasive PDAC vs. IPMN using a national United States (US) database.

METHODS

Invasive PDAC or IPMN adult (≥18 years) patients were identified in the National Cancer Database (2004-2016). OS was assessed with the Kaplan-Meier method and the stratified log-rank test.

RESULTS

We included 101,190 patients (100,834 PDAC, 356 IPMN). A higher proportion of PDAC vs. IPMN patients had clinical N1 (36.8% vs. 15.7%, p < 0.001) and M1 disease (41.2% vs. 5.9%, p < 0.001). A lower proportion of PDAC patients underwent surgery (25.5% vs. 80.3%, p < 0.001), but a higher proportion received chemotherapy (65.4% vs. 46.1%, p < 0.001) or radiation (25.3% vs. 20.5%, p = 0.04). A higher proportion of surgical patients with PDAC vs. IPMN underwent margin-positive resection (23.0% vs. 14.0%, p = 0.001). The median OS for PDAC vs. IPMN was 8.3 vs. 33.4 months. In the stratified analysis for N0M0 disease, the median OS for PDAC vs. IPMN was 12.8 vs. 43.3 months, for N1M0, it was 11.5 vs. 17.0 months, while for M1, it was 4.0 vs. 7.0 months. In both diagnoses, surgery yielded improved OS, while stratified analysis in the surgical cohort demonstrated similar findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Invasive PDAC is more aggressive than invasive IPMN, yet in the case of metastasis, OS is equally poor. Excellent long-term OS is achievable with surgical resection in highly selected cases, and efforts should focus on facilitating surgical treatment.

Diagnostic accuracy of the AGA, IAP, and European guidelines for detecting advanced neoplasia in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm/neoplasia

BACKGROUND

Follow-up in patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) aims to detect advanced neoplasia (high-grade dysplasia/cancer) in an early stage. The 2015 American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), 2017 International Association of Pancreatology (IAP), and the 2018 European Study Group on Cystic tumours of the Pancreas (European) guidelines differ in their recommendations on indications for surgery. However, it remains unclear which guideline is most accurate in predicting advanced neoplasia in IPMN.

METHODS

Patients who underwent surgery were extracted from a prospective database (January 2006-January 2021). In patients with IPMN, final pathology was compared with the indication for surgery according to the guidelines. ROC-curves were calculated to determine the diagnostic accuracy for each guideline.

RESULTS

Overall, 247 patients underwent surgery for cystic lesions. In 145 patients with IPMN, 52 had advanced neoplasia, of which the AGA guideline would have advised surgery in 14 (27%), the IAP and European guideline in 49 (94%) and 50 (96%). In 93 patients without advanced neoplasia, the AGA, IAP, and European guidelines would incorrectly have advised surgery in 8 (8.6%), 77 (83%) and 71 (76%).

CONCLUSION

The European and IAP guidelines are clearly superior in detecting advanced neoplasia in IPMN as compared to the AGA, albeit at the cost of a higher rate of unnecessary surgery. To harmonize care and to avoid confusion caused by conflicting statements, a global evidence-based guideline for PCN in collaboration with the various guidelines groups is required once the current guidelines require an update.

Evaluating surgical treatment options for small nonfunctional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in the NCDB

645

Background: The role of surgery for small (≤2 cm), nonfunctional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PNETs) remains controversial due to the wide range of tumor aggressiveness. Consensus guidelines of the US, Europe, and Japan offer different recommendations for treatment of small NF-PNETs. The objective of this study is to evaluate the survival benefit of surgical resection for small NF-PNETs. Methods: Patients with NF-PNETs were identified in the National Cancer Database from 2004 to 2018. Small NF-PNETs were divided into two groups: group 1a (tumor ≤1 cm) and group 1b (tumor 1.1 – 2.0 cm). Cox regression models were used to compare the overall survival between resected and unresected small NF-PNETs patients. Interactions between preoperative factors and surgery were estimated using subgroup analyses. Results: We identified 1,278 patients in group 1a and 3,363 patients in group 1b. After adjusting for preoperative factors, surgery was associated with longer survival for patients in group 1b (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.42–0.80; P <0.001), but not for patients in group 1a (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.41–1.11; P = 0.122). Interaction analysis found that age younger than 65 years, fewer comorbidities, treatment at academic institutions, distal pancreatic tumors, and clinical lymph node metastasis were factors associated with longer survival in group 1b by surgery. Conclusions: Findings from this large study support surgical resection for some patients with NF-PNETs (1.1 – 2.0 cm). This, of course, must be taken in context with the patient’s clinical situation. Based on data available for analysis in this study, resection for subcentimeter NF-PNETs does not appear to be of general benefit, but should also be investigated in the context of Ki-67 index.[Table: see text]

Pathological features associated with lymph node disease in patients with appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors

238

Background: Appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors (ANETs) are well known for their benign and slow progression; nonetheless, the presence of lymph node metastasis has been described in up to 50% of all cases. The risk of metastasis is mainly associated with tumor size, and the role of other pathological features remains unclear. Hence, this study was designed to assess the pathologic features of ANETs associated with an increased risk of lymph node metastasis. Methods: Patients ≥18yrs of age with ANETs were identified in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from 2004 to 2017. Groups were defined based on lymph node status as N(-) (all examined nodes were negative) and N(+) (one or more examined nodes were positive). Multivariable models using demographics and oncological features were used to identify factors independently associated with nodal metastasis (N+). Marginal effects, specifically for tumors <2 cm were also calculated. Results: A total of 2,465 cases were identified and included for data analysis. Among these, 23% had lymph node metastases, including 33 of 979 tumors <1 cm (3.4%), and 145 of 696 tumors ≥1 cm but ≤2 cm (20.8%). Tumor size, depth of tumor invasion, and presence of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) were identified as independent predictors of lymph node metastasis (p <0.001). When evaluating marginal effects, both the depth of tumor invasion and the presence of LVI were associated with increased risk of node metastasis in small tumors (<2 cm), comparable to the mere risk of node metastasis in big tumors (≥2cm). In addition, for small ANETs (<2cm), the true positive rates (TPR) of node metastasis vary according to the number of assessed lymph nodes, differing significantly between patients with at least 12 evaluated lymph nodes vs. those with less than 12 (TPR 4.7% vs. 1.6% for <1 cm [p =0.02], and 40.1% vs. 25.7% in ≤2 cm ANETs, [p <0.001]). Conclusions: In ANETs, the presence of high-risk pathological features, including LVI and tumor depth, increases the risk of node metastasis in addition to tumor size, and should be considered when selecting the optimum management and follow-up in these patients. [Table: see text]

Multiagent neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared to upfront surgery in pancreatic cancer of the body and tail using the National Cancer Database

722

Background: While neoadjuvant chemotherapy is increasingly being using in pancreatic cancer treatment, it is unclear whether it is beneficial in treatment of body and tail tumors. Randomized controlled trials are lacking and previous observational studies have not demonstrated any benefit. We aimed to assess survival associations, trends over time and patient selection associations for multiagent neoadjuvant chemotherapy treated pancreatic cancer of the body and tail using data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Methods: We queried the NCDB for pancreatic adenocarcinoma in the body or tail diagnosed between 2010 – 2018 that received multiagent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and/or a distal pancreatectomy. Patients with clinical M1, clinical T4 and surgery other than partial pancreatectomy were excluded. Survival was compared with Kaplan-Meier estimates and multivariable Cox Proportional Hazard Estimates. Results: Between 2010 – 2018, the use of multiagent neoadjuvant chemotherapy increased from 5.7% to 31.8%. In total, 1951 patients were included with n = 384 receiving multiagent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (cases) and n = 1567 undergoing upfront surgery (controls). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was associated with younger age, tumor in the pancreatic body, clinical N1-2 and with Ca 19-9 ≥98 U/mL. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a decreased mortality rate in multivariable Cox regression models adjusting for preoperatively assessed variables (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.53 – 0.81, p < 0.001) and results were significant in both clinical T1-2 and T3 tumors. Patients treated with upfront surgery had higher rates of adjuvant chemotherapy receipt after resection (41.4% vs 70.6%) but there was no difference in R1 resection rates or 90-day postoperative mortality between the groups. The addition of neoadjuvant radiotherapy was not associated with improved survival in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusions: Multiagent neoadjuvant chemotherapy is increasingly being used in the treatment of pancreatic cancer of the body and tail, especially in younger patients and patients with more aggressive tumor characteristics. Multiagent neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with improved survival but randomized trials are needed to establish causal relationships.

Cannabis use and post-operative complications in patients undergoing pancreatic resection

BACKGROUND

Many states have legalized medical cannabis with various reported therapeutic benefits. However, there is little data assessing the effects of cannabis on surgical outcomes. We sought to compare post-operative pancreatic resection complications between cannabis users and non-users.

METHODS

This is a single-center, retrospective review of patients who underwent Whipple or distal pancreatectomy from 1/2017-12/2020. The primary outcome was any in-hospital complication, using Clavien-Dindo. Multivariable regression analysis was performed.

RESULTS

There were 486 patients who underwent Whipple (n=346, 71.2%) or distal pancreatectomy (n=140, 28.8%). Overall, 21.4% (n=104) reported cannabis use, of whom 80.8% were current users. Cannabis users were younger (60 vs. 66 years, p < 0.001), and more likely to have smoked tobacco (p=0.04), but otherwise had similar demographics as non-users. There were 288 (59.3%) patients who developed an in-hospital complication (grade 1-2, 75.3%; grade 3-5, 24.7%). A trend towards increased complications was observed with tobacco smoking (OR 1.33, 95% CI 0.91-1.94, p=0.14), but no association of cannabis use with complications was observed (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.58-1.47, p=0.74).

DISCUSSION

A significant proportion of patients undergoing pancreatic resection report cannabis use. These results suggest that there was no association between cannabis use and post-operative complications, future prospective evaluation is warranted.

Outcomes of rescue procedures in the management of locally recurrent ampullary tumors: A Pancreas 2000/EPC study

BACKGROUND

Ampullary lesions are rare and can be locally treated either with endoscopic papillectomy or transduodenal surgical ampullectomy. Management of local recurrence after a first-line treatment has been poorly studied.

METHODS

Patients with a local recurrence of an ampullary lesion initially treated with endoscopic papillectomy or transduodenal surgical ampullectomy were retrospectively included from a multi-institutional database (58 centers) between 2005 and 2018.

RESULTS

A total of 103 patients were included, 21 (20.4%) treated with redo endoscopic papillectomy, 14 (13.6%) with transduodenal surgical ampullectomy, and 68 (66%) with pancreaticoduodenectomy. Redo endoscopic papillectomy had low morbidity with 4.8% (n = 1) severe to fatal complications and a R0 rate of 81% (n = 17). Transduodenal surgical ampullectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy after a first procedure had a higher morbidity with Clavien III and more complications, respectively, 28.6% (n = 4) and 25% (n = 17); R0 resection rates were 85.7% (n = 12) and 92.6% (n = 63), both without statistically significant difference compared to endoscopic papillectomy (P = .1 and 0.2). Pancreaticoduodenectomy had 4.4% (n = 2) mortality. No deaths were registered after transduodenal surgical ampullectomy or endoscopic papillectomy. Recurrences treated with pancreaticoduodenectomy were more likely to be adenocarcinomas (79.4%, n = 54 vs 21.4%, n = 3 for transduodenal surgical ampullectomy and 4.8%, n = 1 for endoscopic papillectomy, P < .0001). Three-year overall survival and disease-free survival were comparable.

CONCLUSION

Endoscopy is appropriate for noninvasive recurrences, with resection rate and survival outcomes comparable to surgery. Surgery applies more to invasive recurrences, with transduodenal surgical ampullectomy rather for carcinoma in situ and early cancers and pancreaticoduodenectomy for more advanced tumors.

Management and outcomes of mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater: A systematic review and pooled analysis of 56 patients

BACKGROUND

Tumors of mixed neuroendocrine and nonneuroendocrine histology are classified as collision, combined, or amphicrine and can occur in most organs, including the hepato-pancreato-biliary tract. Given the rarity of mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC) of the ampulla of Vater, the patient characteristics, management, and outcomes remain unclear. We sought to systematically review the worldwide literature on ampullary MANECs.

METHODS

Eligible studies were identified through a systematic search of the MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases (end-of-search-date: January 5th, 2022), according to the PRISMA 2020 statement.

RESULTS

A total of 39 studies reporting on 56 patients with ampullary MANEC were included. The median age was 63.0 (interquartile range [IQR]: 51.0-69.0) years and 55.6% were male (n = 25/45). Most had combined tumors (64.4%; n = 29/45), followed by collision (24.4%; n = 11/45), and amphicrine tumors (11.1%; n = 5/45). More than half had lymph node metastasis (56.8%; n = 25/44), yet only 7.9% had distant metastasis (n = 3/38). Tumor resection (i.e., mostly pancreaticoduodenectomy) was performed in 96.3% (n = 52/54), followed by adjuvant chemotherapy in 61.8% (n = 21/34). Nearly half experienced disease recurrence (47.2%; n = 17/36) over a median follow-up of 12.0 (IQR: 3.0-16.0) months, and 42.1% (n = 16/38) died over a median follow-up of 12.0 (IQR: 4.0-18.0) months. The most common cause of death was disease progression/recurrence in 81.3% (n = 13/16).

CONCLUSION

Early diagnosis and management of ampullary MANEC is challenging yet crucial to improve outcomes since many patients are diagnosed at an advanced disease stage and have unfavorable outcomes. Multicenter granular data are warranted to further understand and improve outcomes in these patients.

Development, validation, and comparison of a nomogram based on radiologic findings for predicting malignancy in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas: An international multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Although we previously proposed a nomogram to predict malignancy in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) and validated it in an external cohort, its application is challenging without data on tumor markers. Moreover, existing nomograms have not been compared. This study aimed to develop a nomogram based on radiologic findings and to compare its performance with previously proposed American and Korean/Japanese nomograms.

METHODS

We recruited 3708 patients who underwent surgical resection at 31 tertiary institutions in eight countries, and patients with main pancreatic duct >10 mm were excluded. To construct the nomogram, 2606 patients were randomly allocated 1:1 into training and internal validation sets, and area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) was calculated using 10-fold cross validation by exhaustive search. This nomogram was then validated and compared to the American and Korean/Japanese nomograms using 1102 patients.

RESULTS

Among the 2606 patients, 90 had main-duct type, 900 had branch-duct type, and 1616 had mixed-type IPMN. Pathologic results revealed 1628 low-grade dysplasia, 476 high-grade dysplasia, and 502 invasive carcinoma. Location, cyst size, duct dilatation, and mural nodule were selected to construct the nomogram. AUC of this nomogram was higher than the American nomogram (0.691 vs 0.664, P = .014) and comparable with the Korean/Japanese nomogram (0.659 vs 0.653, P = .255).

CONCLUSIONS

A novel nomogram based on radiologic findings of IPMN is competitive for predicting risk of malignancy. This nomogram would be clinically helpful in circumstances where tumor markers are not available. The nomogram is freely available at http://statgen.snu.ac.kr/software/nomogramIPMN.

Vasculitis, CA19-9, and Perineural Invasion Differentially Predict Response and Surgical Outcome in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

PURPOSE

Curative intent treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) relies on surgical resection. Modern treatment protocols focus on optimizing neoadjuvant therapy to increase resectability and improve oncologic outcomes. To elucidate differences in outcomes, we investigated the relationship between neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), either with or without stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), and vascular inflammation, surgical outcomes, and the resultant transcriptomic changes.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Clinical data were collected from patients with borderline resectable PDAC (clinical T3-T4N0-1) who underwent NAC or NAC-SBRT followed by curative intent resection between 2014 and 2019. Vascular structures on surgical specimens were histologically evaluated for vasculitis. RNA sequencing was used to evaluate differential gene expression and to generate enrichment maps. Multivariate analysis was used to analyze the relationship between patient characteristics and oncological outcome.

RESULTS

In total, 46 patients met inclusion criteria (n = 12 NAC, n = 34 NAC-SBRT) with a median follow-up of 20.1 months. All patients underwent curative resection, with 91.3% achieving R0. There was no significant difference in patterns of failure, overall survival, or progression-free survival between NAC and NAC-SBRT groups. Patients with vasculitis had a lower median overall survival compared with those without (14.5 vs 28.3 months; hazard ratio, 12.96; 95% confidence interval, 3.55-47.28; P < .001). There was no significant correlation between inflammation and surgical complications or pathologic response. Neoadjuvant therapy did not have a significant effect on development of vasculitis (odds radio, 1.64 for NAC-SBRT; 95% confidence interval, 0.40-8.43; P = .52). Predictors of poor survival included perineural invasion and high baseline carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) (>191 U/mL). Patients with robust CA19-9 (>20% decrease) responses to neoadjuvant therapy had enrichment in immune response, chemotaxis, and cytotoxic T-cell and natural killer-cell proliferation.

CONCLUSIONS

Vasculitis predicts for poor survival outcomes in patients with PDAC; NAC-SBRT did not increase the rate of vasculitis compared with NAC. Perineural invasion and CA19-9 remain strong prognosticators. Understanding and optimizing immune interactions remain a crucial hurdle in achieving response in pancreatic cancer.

Real-world costs and dynamics of surveillance in patients who underwent surgery for low-risk branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms

Surveillance costs and appropriateness of surgery of "low-risk" BD-IPMNs are relevant issues. In this study we evaluated the rate of correct indication for pancreatectomy defined as high grade dysplasia (HGD) at histology in 961 patients who underwent surveillance for a median of 5.1 years. Undertreatment and overtreatment were defined as invasive cancer and low grade dysplasia (LGD) at histology, respectively. Of the 66 patients (6.9%) who were operated, only 16 (23.8%) had a HGD while 40 (59.7%) had a LGD and 10 (14.9%) an invasive cancer, without differences regarding timing of surgery. The mean surveillance cost was € 194.9 ± 107.6 per patient-year, with a median cost of € 277.1 ± 148.2 in the correct surgery group compared with € 222.7 ± 111.6 and € 197 ± 102.7 in the overtreatment and undertreatment groups. The surveillance mean cost from diagnosis to surgery was € 854.8. Rate of appropriate surgery in BD-IPMNs under surveillance is low.

Surgical management of severe pancreatic fistula after pancreatoduodenectomy: a comparison of early versus late rescue pancreatectomy

Background

Rescue pancreatectomy for postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is associated with high mortality. However, in-depth literature is scarce and hard to interpret. This study aimed to evaluate the indications, timing and perioperative outcomes of rescue pancreatectomy for severe POPF after PD.

Methods

Retrospective single-centre study from all consecutive patients (2008–2020) with POPF-C after PD (ISGPS 2016 definition). Major morbidity and mortality during hospitalization or within 90 days after index surgery were evaluated. Time from index surgery to rescue pancreatectomy was dichotomized in early and late (≤ 11 versus > 11 days).

Results

From 1076 PDs performed, POPF-B/C occurred in 190 patients (17.7%) of whom 53 patients (4.9%) with POPF-C were included. Mortality after early rescue pancreatectomy did not differ significantly compared to late rescue pancreatectomy (13.6% versus 35.3%; p = 0.142). Timing of a rescue pancreatectomy did not change significantly during the study period: 11 (IQR, 8–14) (2008–2012) versus 14 (IQR, 7–33) (2013–2016) versus 8 days (IQR, 6–11) (2017–2020) (p = 0.140). Over time, the mortality in patients with POPF grade C decreased from 43.5% in 2008–2012 to 31.6% in 2013–2016 up to 0% in 2017–2020 (p = 0.014). However, mortality rates after rescue pancreatectomy did not differ significantly: 31.3% (2008–2012) versus 28.6% (2013–2016) versus 0% (2017–2020) (p = 0.104).

Conclusions

Rescue pancreatectomy for severe POPF is associated with high mortality, but an earlier timing might favourably influence the mortality. Hypothetically, this could be of value for pre-existent vulnerable patients. These findings must be carefully interpreted considering the sample sizes and differences among subgroups by patient selection.

Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm: A Single Institutional Case Series of a Rare Pancreatic Tumor

Purpose:

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPN) are rare pancreatic cystic neoplasms with low malignant potential that tend to occur in young women. Due to the rarity of this disease, there are few large case series in the literature, and the exact pathophysiology remains unknown. In this article, we aim to share our institutional experience.

Methods:

Retrospective clinical data collection and analysis was performed on all patients with a diagnosis of SPN at the University of Colorado Hospital and Children's Hospital of Colorado (n = 28).

Results:

Twenty-eight patients were diagnosed with SPN during the study period. The median age was 21.5 years, and the majority of patients were female (89.3%) and Caucasian (60.7%). Six patients were diagnosed incidentally (21.4%). The majority of tumors were in the pancreatic tail (46.4%), and most underwent distal pancreatectomy (64.3%). The mean tumor size was 5.4 cm, and R0 resection was achieved in 25 patients (89.3%). Ten patients underwent laparoscopic resection (35.7%). The median hospital length of stay was 8.5 days, and postoperative complication rate was 39.3%. Median follow-up was 41 months, with 78.6% of patients alive without evidence of disease, while 2 patients were lost to follow-up. Two patients developed recurrence/metastases, which were resected; both are alive without evidence of disease.

Conclusion:

SPN are rare pancreatic tumors diagnosed most frequently in young women. Surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment, and outcomes are excellent if complete resection is achieved. Predictors of malignant disease are inconsistent in current literature. Considerations should be made for a minimally invasive approach in patients with SPN. Multidisciplinary clinics may be helpful in the diagnosis, management, and surveillance of pancreatic cystic lesions, with major potential for the advanced practitioner role.

New criteria of resectability for pancreatic cancer: A position paper by the Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery (JSHBPS)

The symposium "New criteria of resectability for pancreatic cancer" was held during the 33nd meeting of the Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery (JSHBPS) in 2021 to discuss the potential modifications that could be made in the current resectability classification. The meeting focused on setting the foundation for developing a new prognosis-based resectability classification that is based on the tumor biology and the response to neoadjuvant treatment (NAT). The symposium included selected experts from Western and Eastern high-volume centers who have discussed their concept of resectability status through published literature. During the symposium, presenters reported new resectability classifications from their respective institutions based on tumor biology, conditional status, pathology, and genetics, in addition to anatomical tumor involvement. Interestingly, experts from all the centers reached the agreement that anatomy alone is insufficient to define resectability in the current era of effective NAT. On behalf of the JSHBPS, we would like to summarize the content of the conference in this position paper. We also invite global experts as internal reviewers of this paper for intercontinental cooperation in creating an up-to-date, prognosis-based resectability classification that reflects the trends of contemporary clinical practice.

The use of ace inhibitors influences the risk of progression of BD-IPMNs under follow-up

BACKGROUND

Chemoprevention's ability to slow down or prevent the progression of BD-IPMNs is extremely appealing. Aspirin (ASA), Ace Inhibitors/Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ACEIs/ARBs) and Statins (STATs) are frequently prescribed drugs with a possible beneficial effect on different cancer types. Their effect on IPMNs is largely unknown.

AIM

To evaluate the association between the use of ASA, ACEIs/ARBs and STATs and the risk of progression of BD-IPMNs in follow-up.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

multicenter, retrospective cohort study on patients with presumed BD-IPMNs without relative or absolute indication for surgery. Pharmacological exposures and risk factors were collected. We identified clinically relevant progression (occurrence of radiological absolute or relative indication for surgery) and any progression (occurrence of clinically relevant progression OR any dimension increase OR the occurrence of new cysts).

RESULTS

Overall 594 patients were included. ACEIs were associated with a lower occurrence of any progression (HR = 0.70; 95% CI 0.49-0.98, p = 0.04) and clinically relevant progression, HR = 0.42 (95% CI 0.20-0.88; p = 0.02). No significant effect was shown for factors associated with the occurrence of pancreas cancer such as smoking, alcohol consumption and 1st degree family history of pancreas cancer. Among pharmacological exposures, no convincing effect was shown for the chronic use of ASA, ARB and STAT.

CONCLUSIONS

ACEIs might have an effect in slowing the progression of BD-IPMNs. ASA, STAT and ARBs show no convincing effect on the progression of BD-IPMNs. Further, prospective, and long-term multicenter studies are needed to verify such association and to define the potential underlying mechanisms.

Comparing neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: National Cancer Database cohort analysis

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant treatment is important for improving the rate of R0 surgical resection and overall survival outcome in treating patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the true efficacy of radiotherapy (RT) for neoadjuvant treatment of PDAC is uncertain. This retrospective study evaluated the treatment outcome of neoadjuvant RT in the treatment of PDAC.

METHODS

Collected from the National Cancer Database, information on patients with PDAC who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and pancreatectomy between 2010 to 2016 was used in this study. Short- and long-term outcomes were compared between patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) and NAC.

RESULTS

The study included 6936 patients, of whom 3185 received NACRT and 3751 NAC. The groups showed no difference in overall survival (NACRT 16.1 months versus NAC 17.4 months; P = 0.054). NACRT is associated with more frequent margin negative resection (86.1 versus 80.0 per cent; P < 0.001) but a more unfavourable 90-day mortality than NAC (6.4 versus 3.6 per cent; P < 0.001). The odds of 90-day mortality were higher in the radiotherapy group (odds ratio 1.81; P < 0.001), even after adjusting for significant covariates. Patients who received NACRT received single-agent chemotherapy more often than those who received NAC (31.5 versus 10.7 per cent; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study failed to show a survival benefit for NACRT over NAC alone, despite its association with negative margin resection. The significantly higher mortality in NACRT warrants further investigation into its efficacy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Postpancreatectomy Acute Pancreatitis (PPAP): Definition and Grading From the International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS)

OBJECTIVE

The ISGPS aimed to develop a universally accepted definition for PPAP for standardized reporting and outcome comparison.

BACKGROUND

PPAP is an increasingly recognized complication after partial pancreatic resections, but its incidence and clinical impact, and even its existence are variable because an internationally accepted consensus definition and grading system are lacking.

METHODS

The ISGPS developed a consensus definition and grading of PPAP with its members after an evidence review and after a series of discussions and multiple revisions from April 2020 to May 2021.

RESULTS

We defined PPAP as an acute inflammatory condition of the pancreatic remnant beginning within the first 3 postoperative days after a partial pancreatic resection. The diagnosis requires (1) a sustained postoperative serum hyperamylasemia (POH) greater than the institutional upper limit of normal for at least the first 48 hours postoperatively, (2) associated with clinically relevant features, and (3) radiologic alterations consistent with PPAP. Three different PPAP grades were defined based on the clinical impact: (1) grade postoperative hyperamylasemia, biochemical changes only; (2) grade B, mild or moderate complications; and (3) grade C, severe life-threatening complications.

DISCUSSIONS

The present definition and grading scale of PPAP, based on biochemical, radiologic, and clinical criteria, are instrumental for a better understanding of PPAP and the spectrum of postoperative complications related to this emerging entity. The current terminology will serve as a reference point for standard assessment and lend itself to developing specific treatments and prevention strategies.

Isolation of pancreatic microbiota from cystic precursors of pancreatic cancer with intracellular growth and DNA damaging properties

Emerging research suggests gut microbiome may play a role in pancreatic cancer initiation and progression, but cultivation of the cancer microbiome remains challenging. This pilot study aims to investigate the possibility to cultivate pancreatic microbiome from pancreatic cystic lesions associated with invasive cancer. Intra-operatively acquired pancreatic cyst fluid samples showed culture-positivity mainly in the intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) group of lesions. MALDI-TOF MS profiling analysis shows Gammaproteobacteria and Bacilli dominate among individual bacteria isolates. Among cultivated bacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, particularly Klebsiella pneumoniae, but also Granulicatella adiacens and Enterococcus faecalis, demonstrate consistent pathogenic properties in pancreatic cell lines tested in ex vivo co-culture models. Pathogenic properties include intracellular survival capability, cell death induction, or causing DNA double-strand breaks in the surviving cells resembling genotoxic effects. This study provides new insights into the role of the pancreatic microbiota in the intriguing link between pancreatic cystic lesions and cancer.

Surgery in Autoimmune Pancreatitis

INTRODUCTION

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is a disease that may mimic malignant pancreatic lesions both in terms of symptomatology and imaging appearance. The aim of the present study is to analyze experiences of surgery in patients with AIP in one of the largest European cohorts.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a single-center retrospective study of patients diagnosed with AIP at the Department of Abdominal Diseases at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, between January 2001 and October 2020.

RESULTS

There were 159 patients diagnosed with AIP, and among them, 35 (22.0%) patients had surgery: 20 (57.1%) males and 15 (42.9%) females; median age at surgery was 59 years (range 37-81). Median follow-up period after surgery was 50 months (range 1-235). AIP type 1 was diagnosed in 28 (80%) patients and AIP type 2 in 7 (20%) patients. Malignant and premalignant lesions were diagnosed in 8 (22.9%) patients for whom AIP was not the primary differential diagnosis, but in all cases, it was described as a simultaneous finding and recorded in retrospective analysis in histological reports of surgical specimens.

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnosis of AIP is not always straightforward, and in some cases, it is not easy to differentiate it from the malignancy. Surgery is generally not indicated for AIP but might be considered in patients when suspicion of malignant/premalignant lesions cannot be excluded after complete diagnostic workup.

Targeting Treg-Expressed STAT3 Enhances NK-Mediated Surveillance of Metastasis and Improves Therapeutic Response in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

PURPOSE

Metastasis remains a major hurdle in treating aggressive malignancies such as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Improving response to treatment, therefore, requires a more detailed characterization of the cellular populations involved in controlling metastatic burden.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

PDAC patient tissue samples were subjected to RNA sequencing analysis to identify changes in immune infiltration following radiotherapy. Genetically engineered mouse strains in combination with orthotopic tumor models of PDAC were used to characterize disease progression. Flow cytometry was used to analyze tumor infiltrating, circulating, and nodal immune populations.

RESULTS

We demonstrate that although radiotherapy increases the infiltration and activation of dendritic cells (DC), it also increases the infiltration of regulatory T cells (Treg) while failing to recruit natural killer (NK) and CD8 T cells in PDAC patient tissue samples. In murine orthotopic tumor models, we show that genetic and pharmacologic depletion of Tregs and NK cells enhances and attenuates response to radiotherapy, respectively. We further demonstrate that targeted inhibition of STAT3 on Tregs results in improved control of local and distant disease progression and enhanced NK-mediated immunosurveillance of metastasis. Moreover, combination treatment of STAT3 antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) and radiotherapy invigorated systemic immune activation and conferred a survival advantage in orthotopic and metastatic tumor models. Finally, we show the response to STAT3 ASO + radiotherapy treatment is dependent on NK and DC subsets.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest targeting Treg-mediated immunosuppression is a critical step in mediating a response to treatment, and identifying NK cells as not only a prognostic marker of improved survival, but also as an effector population that functions to combat metastasis.

Branch-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN): Are cyst volumetry and other novel imaging features able to improve malignancy prediction compared to well-established resection criteria?

OBJECTIVES

Current guidelines base the management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) on several well-established resection criteria (RC), including cyst size. However, malignancy may occur in small cysts. Since branch-duct (BD) IPMN are not perfect spheres, volumetric and morphologic analysis might better correlate with mucin production and grade of dysplasia. Nonetheless, their role in malignancy (high-grade dysplasia/invasive cancer) prediction has been poorly investigated. Previous studies evaluating RC also included patients with solid-mass-forming pancreatic cancer (PC), which may affect the RC yield. This study aimed to assess the role of volume, morphology, and other well-established RC in malignancy prediction in patients with BD- and mixed-type IPMN after excluding solid masses.

METHODS

Retrospective ethical review-board-approved study of 106 patients (2008-2019) with histopathological diagnosis of BD- and mixed-type IPMN (without solid masses) and preoperative MRI available. Standard imaging and clinical features were collected, and the novel imaging features cyst-volume and elongation value [EV = 1 - (width/length)] calculated on T2-weighted images. Logistic regression analysis was performed. Statistical significance set at two-tails, p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Neither volume (odds ratio (OR) = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.99-1.02, p = 0.12) nor EV (OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.02-5.93, p = 0.49) was associated with malignancy. Contrast-enhancing mural nodules (MN), main pancreatic duct (MPD) ≥ 5 mm, and elevated carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 serum levels (> 37 μmol/L) were associated with malignancy (MN OR: 4.32, 95% CI: 1.18-15.76, p = 0.02; MPD ≥ 5 mm OR: 4.2, 95% CI: 1.34-13.1, p = 0.01; CA19-9 OR: 6.72; 95% CI: 1.89 - 23.89, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

Volume and elongation value cannot predict malignancy in BD- and/or mixed-type IPMN. Mural nodules, MPD ≥ 5 mm and elevated CA19-9 serum levels are associated with higher malignancy risk even after the exclusion of solid masses.

KEY POINTS

• Novel and well-established resection criteria for IPMN have been evaluated after excluding solid masses. • BD-IPMN volume and elongation value cannot predict malignancy. • Main pancreatic duct ≥ 5 mm, mural nodules, and elevated carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels are associated with malignancy.

Selecting surgical candidates with locally advanced pancreatic cancer: a review for modern pancreatology

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is likely to become the second leading cause of malignancy-associated mortality within the next 10 years and surgery remains the best hope for cure. The introduction of effective neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) has increased the resection rate of PC in the era of contemporary pancreatology. This review summarizes the surgical selection criteria for locally advanced PC (LAPC), by focusing on the commonly used predictors for resectability and better overall survival outcome. Based on the currently available evidence, the role of change in carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) and patient's tumor response to NAT are critical in surgical candidacy selection. Although, consensus on surgical candidacy selection for LAPC still needs to be made, several data have shown that surgery provides the most optimistic chance of cure for PC. Surgery is, therefore, recommended whenever the benefits of pancreatectomy outweigh surgical complications, and the chance of local or distant metastases in the postoperative setting is low. This review also provided our insight for and experience in selecting surgical candidates by focusing on optimizing the overall survival of LAPC patients. Nevertheless, a collaborative approach to formulating standardized criteria for surgical candidate selection and treatment guidelines for LAPC is a common goal that pancreatologists worldwide should focus on.