A case of laparoscopic excision of choledochal cyst, hepaticojejunostomy, and Roux-en-Y anastomosis using Artisential®

Choledochal cyst is a condition involving an abnormal dilation of the bile ducts, which can lead to various symptoms and comorbidities, including cancer. The treatment of choice for choledochal cyst is surgical correction including choledochal cyst excision and Roux-en-y hepaticoenterostomy. Minimal invasive methods like laparoscopic methods or robotic methods are used for surgical correction of choledochal cysts; however, it is still controversial which method is superior. A Korean company, LIVESMED, developed Artisential®, a laparoscopic surgical instrument that can overcome the drawbacks of laparoscopic methods. This article presents a case of the first Artisential®-performed surgical excision of a choledochal cyst and hepaticojejunostomy.

Differentially expressed genes associated with high metabolic tumor volume served as diagnostic markers and potential therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

The lack of distinct biomarkers for pancreatic cancer is a major cause of early-stage detection difficulty. The pancreatic cancer patient group with high metabolic tumor volume (MTV), one of the values measured from positron emission tomography-a confirmatory method and standard care for pancreatic cancer, showed a poorer prognosis than those with low MTV. Therefore, MTV-associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) may be candidates for distinctive markers for pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of MTV-related DEGs as markers or therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

Tumor tissues and their normal counterparts were obtained from patients undergoing preoperative 18F-FDG PET/CT. The tissues were classified into MTV-low and MTV-high groups (7 for each) based on the MTV2.5 value of 4.5 (MTV-low: MTV2.5 < 4.5, MTV-high: MTV2.5 ≥ 4.5). Gene expression fold change was first calculated in cancer tissue compared to its normal counter and then compared between low and high MTV groups to obtain significant DEGs. To assess the suitability of the DEGs for clinical application, the correlation of the DEGs with tumor grades and clinical outcomes was analyzed in TCGA-PAAD, a large dataset without MTV information.

RESULTS

Total RNA-sequencing (MTV RNA-Seq) revealed that 44 genes were upregulated and 56 were downregulated in the high MTV group. We selected the 29 genes matching MTV RNA-seq patterns in the TCGA-PAAD dataset, a large clinical dataset without MTV information, as MTV-associated genes (MAGs). In the analysis with the TCGA dataset, MAGs were significantly associated with patient survival, treatment outcomes, TCGA-PAAD-suggested markers, and CEACAM family proteins. Some MAGs showed an inverse correlation with miRNAs and were confirmed to be differentially expressed between normal and cancerous pancreatic tissues. Overexpression of KIF11 and RCC1 and underexpression of ADCY1 and SDK1 were detected in ~ 60% of grade 2 pancreatic cancer patients and associated with ~ 60% mortality in stages I and II.

CONCLUSIONS

MAGs may serve as diagnostic markers and miRNA therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer. Among the MAGs, KIF11, RCC1, ADCY, and SDK1 may be early diagnostic markers.

Optimal surgical management of unifocal vs. multifocal NF-PNETs: a respective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) represent 1-2% of pancreatic tumors, with recent guidelines recommending active surveillance for non-functioning PNETs (NF-PNETs) smaller than 2 cm. However, the management of multiple NF-PNETs, as well as the influence of tumor number on prognosis, remains under-researched.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed NF-PNET patients who underwent pancreatic resection at Severance Hospital between February 1993 and August 2023, comparing the characteristics of patients diagnosed with multifocal tumors and those with unifocal tumors. A subgroup analysis of overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was performed based on multifocality employing the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test.

RESULTS

Of 187 patients, 169 (90.4%) had unifocal and 18 (9.6%) had multifocal tumors. Multifocal tumors were more likely to be diffusely spread, necessitating more total pancreatectomies (diffuse tumor location: 4.7% in unifocal vs. 38.9% in multifocal cases, p < 0.001; total pancreatectomy: 4.1% in unifocal vs. 33.3% in multifocal cases, p < 0.001). In patients with NF-PNET who underwent the same extent of pancreatic resection, no significant difference in the incidence of complication was observed regardless of multifocality. Moreover, no significant difference in OS was seen between the unifocal and multifocal groups (log-rank test: p = 0.93). However, the multifocal group exhibited a poorer prognosis in terms of RFS compared to the unifocal group (log-rank test: p = 0.004) Hereditary syndrome, tumor grade, size, lymphovascular invasion, and lymph node metastasis were key factors in the recurrence.

CONCLUSION

This study's findings suggest that the presence of multiple tumors was associated with poorer recurrence-free survival but did not affect long-term survival following surgery. Given the long-term oncologic outcome and quality of life following surgery, resection of tumors over 2 cm is advisable in patients with multifocal PNETs, while a cautious "wait-and-see" approach for smaller tumors (under 2 cm) can minimize the extent of resection and improve the quality of life. In cases with only small multifocal NF-PNETs (< 2 cm), immediate resection may not be crucial, but the higher recurrence rate than that in solitary NF-PNET necessitates intensified surveillance.

The effects of urban green space and road proximity to indoor traffic-related PM2.5, NO2, and BC exposure in inner-city schools

BACKGROUND

Since there are known adverse health impacts of traffic-related air pollution, while at the same time there are potential health benefits from greenness, it is important to examine more closely the impacts of these factors on indoor air quality in urban schools.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the association of road proximity and urban greenness to indoor traffic-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and black carbon (BC) in inner-city schools.

METHODS

PM2.5, NO2, and BC were measured indoors at 74 schools and outdoors at a central urban over a 10-year period. Seasonal urban greenness was estimated using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) with 270 and 1230 m buffers. The associations between indoor traffic-related air pollution and road proximity and greenness were investigated with mixed-effects models.

RESULTS

The analysis showed linear decays of indoor traffic-related PM2.5, NO2, and BC by 60%, 35%, and 22%, respectively for schools located at a greater distance from major roads. The results further showed that surrounding school greenness at 270 m buffer was significantly associated (p < 0.05) with lower indoor traffic-related PM2.5: -0.068 (95% CI: -0.124, -0.013), NO2: -0.139 (95% CI: -0.185, -0.092), and BC: -0.060 (95% CI: -0.115, -0.005). These associations were stronger for surrounding greenness at a greater distance from the schools (buffer 1230 m) PM2.5: -0.101 (95% CI: -0.156, -0.046) NO2: -0.122 (95% CI: -0.169, -0.075) BC: -0.080 (95% CI: -0.136, -0.026). These inverse associations were stronger after fully adjusting for regional pollution and meteorological conditions.

IMPACT STATEMENT

More than 90% of children under the age of 15 worldwide are exposed to elevated air pollution levels exceeding the WHO's guidelines. The study investigates the impact that urban infrastructure and greenness, in particular green areas and road proximity, have on indoor exposures to traffic-related PM2.5, NO2, and BC in inner-city schools. By examining a 10-year period the study provides insights for air quality management, into how road proximity and greenness at different buffers from the school locations can affect indoor exposure.

Minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy by junior surgeon: Initial experience of the next generation

BACKGROUND

Several guidelines exist for minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy (MIPD) regarding its prerequisites and learning curve. However, these guidelines are based on the experience of the pioneers of MIPD; minimal data exist on the experience of the next generation of surgeons. The aim of this study was to compare the two surgeon types (veteran and junior) for MIPD in terms of immediate postoperative outcomes.

METHODS

The postoperative outcomes of 22 patients who underwent robot-assisted pancreatoduodenectomy (RAPD) by a junior surgeon from July 2021 to December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The outcomes were compared with the initial postoperative outcomes and the contemporary postoperative outcomes of RAPD by a veteran surgeon.

RESULTS

In comparing the initial outcomes between the two surgeon types, the veteran surgeons showed a shorter operation time (junior surgeon vs. veteran surgeon: 606 ± 89 vs. 467 ± 77 min, p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in terms of postoperative outcomes, such as blood loss (300 [200-600] ml. vs. 200 [100-500] ml, p = 0.208), major complications (≥CDC IIIa: 4 (18.2%) vs. 4 (18.2%), p = 1.000), postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF; ≥ISGPF Grade B: 2 (9.1%) vs. 3 (13.6%), p > 0.999), and length of hospital stay (18.0 ± 8.9 days vs. 18.3 ± 7.9 days, p = 0.915), between the two surgeon types. In addition, in a comparison of the contemporary outcomes, there was no significant difference in terms of postoperative outcome (complications: 4 (18.2%) vs 11 (11.1%), p = 0.580; POPF: 2 (9.1%) vs. 3 (3.0%), p = 0.484; length of hospital stay: 18.0 ± 8.9 vs. 15.0 ± 6.5 days, p = 0.065).

CONCLUSION

The initial outcomes of MIPD by a well-trained junior surgeon were found to be comparable to those of MIPD by a veteran surgeon.

Perioperative textbook outcomes of minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy: a multicenter retrospective cohort analysis in a Korean minimally invasive pancreatic surgery registry

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to investigate the perioperative composite textbook outcomes of pancreatic surgery after minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy (MIPD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The cohort study was conducted across 10 institutions and included 1552 patients who underwent MIPD registered with the Korean Study Group on Minimally Invasive Pancreatic Surgery between May 2007 and April 2020. We analyzed perioperative textbook outcomes of pancreatic surgery after MIPD. Subgroup analyses were performed to assess outcomes based on the hospital volume of MIPD.

RESULTS

Among all patients, 21.8% underwent robotic pancreatoduodenectomy. High-volume centers (performing >20 MIPD/year) performed 88.1% of the procedures. The incidence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula was 11.5%. Severe complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIa) occurred in 15.1% of the cases. The 90-day mortality rate was 0.8%. The mean hospital stay was 13.7 days. Textbook outcomes of pancreatic surgery success were achieved in 60.4% of patients, with higher rates observed in high-volume centers than in low-volume centers (62.2% vs. 44.7%, P<0.001). High-volume centers exhibited significantly lower conversion rates (5.4% vs. 12.5%, P=0.001), lower 90-day mortality (0.5% vs. 2.7%, P=0.001), and lower 90-day readmission rates (4.5% vs. 9.6%, P=0.006) than those low-volume centers.

CONCLUSION

MIPD could be performed safely with permissible perioperative outcomes, including textbook outcomes of pancreatic surgery, particularly in experienced centers. The findings of this study provided valuable insights for guiding surgical treatment decisions in periampullary disease.

The Revo-i Robotic Surgical System in Advanced Pancreatic Surgery: A Second Non-Randomized Clinical Trial and Comparative Analysis to the da Vinci™ System

PURPOSE

Numerous robot-assisted pancreatic surgery are being performed worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of the Revo-i robot system (Meerecompany, Seoul, Republic of Korea) for advanced pancreatic surgery, and also compare this new system with the existing da Vinci™ robot system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) in the context of robot-assisted pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was a one-armed prospective clinical trial that assessed the Revo-i robot system for advanced pancreatic surgery. Ten patients aged 30 to 73 years were enrolled between December 2019 and August 2020. Postoperative outcomes were retrospectively compared with those of the da Vinci™ surgical system. From March 2017 to August 2020, a total of 47 patients who underwent RPD were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

In the prospective clinical trial, pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed in nine patients and one patient underwent central pancreatectomy. Among the 10 study participants, the incidence of major complications was 0% in hospital stay. There were eight postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) biochemical leaks (80%). In the retrospective analysis that compared the Revo-i and da Vinci™ robotic systems, 10 patients underwent Revo-i RPD and 37 patients underwent da Vinci™ RPD, with no significant differences in complication or POPF incidence rates between the two groups (p=0.695, p=0.317).

CONCLUSION

In this single-arm prospective study with short-term follow-up at a single institution, the Revo-i robotic surgical system was safe and effective for advanced pancreatic surgery. Revo-i RPD is comparable to the da Vinci™ RPD and is expected to have wide clinical application.

Inhibition of the Alternative Complement Pathway May Cause Secretion of Factor B, Enabling an Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer

This study aims to elucidate the cellular mechanisms behind the secretion of complement factor B (CFB), known for its dual roles as an early biomarker for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and as the initial substrate for the alternative complement pathway (ACP). Using parallel reaction monitoring analysis, we confirmed a consistent ∼2-fold increase in CFB expression in PDAC patients compared with that in both healthy donors (HD) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients. Elevated ACP activity was observed in CP and other benign conditions compared with that in HD and PDAC patients, suggesting a functional link between ACP and PDAC. Protein-protein interaction analyses involving key complement proteins and their regulatory factors were conducted using blood samples from PDAC patients and cultured cell lines. Our findings revealed a complex control system governing the ACP and its regulatory factors, including Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutation, adrenomedullin (AM), and complement factor H (CFH). Particularly, AM emerged as a crucial player in CFB secretion, activating CFH and promoting its predominant binding to C3b over CFB. Mechanistically, our data suggest that the KRAS mutation stimulates AM expression, enhancing CFH activity in the fluid phase through binding. This heightened AM-CFH interaction conferred greater affinity for C3b over CFB, potentially suppressing the ACP cascade. This sequence of events likely culminated in the preferential release of ductal CFB into plasma during the early stages of PDAC. (Data set ID PXD047043.).

Port-site metastasis after laparoscopic radical pancreatosplenectomy in left-sided pancreatic cancer

Despite debates regarding the safety of well-selected left-sided pancreatic cancer, minimally invasive distal pancreatosplenectomy is considered safer and more effective than open distal pancreatosplenectomy in well-selected patients. Previous studies have shown that minimally invasive surgery yields comparable oncologic outcomes to open surgery. While patients who undergo minimally invasive distal pancreatosplenectomy also experience recurrences and metastases after surgery, port-site metastasis is particularly rare. In this report, we report an extremely rare case of port-site metastasis following minimally invasive distal pancreatosplenectomy for left-sided pancreatic cancer.

Integrative analysis of spatial and single-cell transcriptome data from human pancreatic cancer reveals an intermediate cancer cell population associated with poor prognosis

BACKGROUND

Recent studies using single-cell transcriptomic analysis have reported several distinct clusters of neoplastic epithelial cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts in the pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment. However, their molecular characteristics and biological significance have not been clearly elucidated due to intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity.

METHODS

We performed single-cell RNA sequencing using enriched non-immune cell populations from 17 pancreatic tumor tissues (16 pancreatic cancer and one high-grade dysplasia) and generated paired spatial transcriptomic data from seven patient samples.

RESULTS

We identified five distinct functional subclusters of pancreatic cancer cells and six distinct cancer-associated fibroblast subclusters. We deeply profiled their characteristics, and we found that these subclusters successfully deconvoluted most of the features suggested in bulk transcriptome analysis of pancreatic cancer. Among those subclusters, we identified a novel cancer cell subcluster, Ep_VGLL1, showing intermediate characteristics between the extremities of basal-like and classical dichotomy, despite its prognostic value. Molecular features of Ep_VGLL1 suggest its transitional properties between basal-like and classical subtypes, which is supported by spatial transcriptomic data.

CONCLUSIONS

This integrative analysis not only provides a comprehensive landscape of pancreatic cancer and fibroblast population, but also suggests a novel insight to the dynamic states of pancreatic cancer cells and unveils potential therapeutic targets.

Risk Stratification of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Patients Undergoing Curative-Intent Surgery after Neoadjuvant Therapy

PURPOSE

Clinical prognostic criteria using preoperative factors were not developed for post-neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) surgery of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We aimed to identify preoperative factors associated with overall survival (OS) in PDAC patients who underwent post-NAT curative-intent surgery and develop risk stratification criteria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Consecutive PDAC patients who underwent post-NAT curative-intent surgeries between 2007 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic, laboratory, surgical, and histopathologic variables were collected. Baseline, preoperative, and interval changes of computed tomography (CT) findings proposed by the Society of Abdominal Radiology and the American Pancreatic Association were analyzed. Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to select preoperative variables associated with OS. We developed risk stratification criteria composed of the significant preoperative variables, i.e., post-NAT response criteria. We compared the discrimination performance of post-NAT response criteria with that of post-NAT pathological (yp) American Joint Cancer Committee TNM staging system.

RESULTS

One hundred forty-five PDAC patients were included. Stable or increased tumor size on CT (hazard ratio [HR], 2.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58 to 4.21; p < 0.001) and elevated preoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level (HR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.11 to 3.55; p=0.021) were independent factors of OS. The OS of the patient groups stratified by post-NAT response criteria which combined changes in tumor size and CA19-9 showed significant difference (p < 0.001). Such stratification was comparable to ypTNM staging in discrimination performance (difference of C-index, 0.068; 95% CI, -0.012 to 0.142).

CONCLUSION

"Any degree of decrease in tumor size on CT" and CA19-9 normalization or staying normal were independent favorable factors of OS. The combination of the two factors discriminated OS comparably to ypTNM staging.

Margin-negative minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy following FOLFIRINOX neoadjuvant chemotherapy in invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of pancreas: a case report

This study shows a case of neoadjuvant chemotherapy application for the management of a 34-year-old male patient diagnosed with invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), for which curative margin-negative resection initially seemed challenging. Five cycles of the FOLFIRINOX regimen (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin) were administered preoperatively, resulting in a significant reduction of the intraductal mass size and deformity of the main vessels. The patient subsequently underwent a successful robotic pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy. Postoperatively, the patient received adjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFIRINOX, and after 5 months, showed no signs of tumor recurrence or specific complications. These findings suggest that neoadjuvant therapy can be a potentially effective strategy even in advanced invasive IPMN. Further research is necessary to establish guidelines for its application.

Viscum album, as alternative and bridge to palliative chemotherapy in recurrent gallbladder cancer following laparoscopic radical cholecystectomy: a case report

A 78-year-old female patient was initially treated with laparoscopic radical cholecystectomy for gallbladder cancer (pT2aN1M0, stage IIIB). The patient then received adjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine. After completion of adjuvant chemotherapy, multiple lymph node metastases were observed in follow-up computed tomography (CT) scan, but the patient refused to go through further chemotherapy. One year after the recurrence, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level was 1,925 U/mL with follow-up high-resolution CT/abdomen-pelvic CT showing the increased size of multiple lymph node metastases, and the patient began to undergo Viscum album therapy (0.2 mg, subcutaneously, three times a week). After the V. album therapy was initiated, a decrease in the size of metastatic lymph nodes and CA19-9 level, which was decreased to 252 U/mL, was observed. Seventeen months after continuous V. album therapy, the patient agreed to have palliative chemotherapy. The patient underwent gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy and showed stable disease during follow-up. This case report suggests that V. album therapy showed anticancer effects and may act as a bridge to palliative chemotherapy for patients with inappropriate general conditions to undergo chemotherapy for recurrent gallbladder cancer.

Preoperative Fistula Risk Prediction Using Computed Tomography Image Before Pancreatoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

Although many formulas for predicting postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) have been introduced, POPF is generally predicted during pancreatic surgery due to pancreatic texture. This study was designed to verify the correlation between Hounsfield units (HU) and pancreatic texture and to suggest a fistula risk score (FRS) that can be used before surgery.

METHODS

Data from 545 patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy for malignant disease between January 2008 and December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. The HU level of the pancreas was measured, and odds ratio (OR) of the HU for POPF was analyzed. Additionally, the assessed HU was compared with the pancreatic texture (soft vs. hard) and calculated cutoff level. Finally, the preoperatively chosen pancreatic texture according to HU level was applied to the FRS formula (preoperative-FRS: p-FRS), and the results were compared with a previously reported FRS formula (updated alternative-FRS: ua-FRS).

RESULTS

The Hounsfield unit levels were correlated with clinically relevant POPF (CR-POPF) (odds ratio [OR]: 1.04 (1.01-1.07), p = 0.015). In the receiver operating characteristic curve, the HU showed significant prediction potential for pancreatic texture (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.744, p < 0.001). The p-FRS also showed acceptable results in predicting CR-POPF (AUC = 0.702, p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the DeLong's test compared with the ua-FRS (p = 0.314). In the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, observed probabilities were correlated with predicted probabilities (p = 0.596).

CONCLUSIONS

The HU level on preoperative computed tomography (CT) is a predictive factor for POPF and could represent for pancreatic texture.

Impact of adjuvant therapy in patients with invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas: an international multicenter cohort study

BACKGROUND

Adjuvant therapy prolongs survival in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. However, no clear guidelines are available regarding the oncologic effects of adjuvant therapy (AT) in resected invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN). The aim was to investigate the potential role of AT in patients with resected invasive IPMN.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From 2001 to 2020, 332 patients with invasive pancreatic IPMN were retrospectively reviewed in 15 centres in eight countries. Propensity score-matched and stage-matched survival analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 289 patients were enroled in the study after exclusion (neoadjuvant therapy, unresectable disease, uncertain AT status, and stage IV). A total of 170 patients were enroled in a 1:1 propensity score-matched analysis according to the covariates. In the overall cohort, disease-free survival was significantly better in the surgery alone group than in the AT group ( P =0.003), but overall survival (OS) was not ( P =0.579). There were no significant differences in OS in the stage-matched analysis between the surgery alone and AT groups (stage I, P =0.402; stage II, P =0.179). AT did not show a survival benefit in the subgroup analysis according to nodal metastasis (N0, P =0.481; N+, P =0.705). In multivariate analysis, node metastasis (hazard ratio, 4.083; 95% CI, 2.408-6.772, P <0.001), and cancer antigen 19-9 greater than or equal to 100 (hazard ratio, 2.058; 95% CI, 1.247-3.395, P =0.005) were identified as adverse prognostic factors in resected invasive IPMN.

CONCLUSION

The current AT strategy may not be recommended to be performed with resected invasive IPMN in stage I and II groups, unlike pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Further investigations of the potential role of AT in invasive IPMN are recommended.

Features of T1 pancreatic cancer and validation of the eighth edition AJCC staging system definition using a Korean-Japanese joint cohort and the SEER database

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Little is known about the features of T1 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and its definition in the eighth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system needs validation. The aims were to analyze the clinicopathologic features of T1 PDAC and investigate the validity of its definition.

METHOD

Data from 1506 patients with confirmed T1 PDAC between 2000 and 2019 were collected and analyzed. The results were validated using 3092 T1 PDAC patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

RESULTS

The median survival duration of patients was 50 months, and the 5-year survival rate was 45.1%. R0 resection was unachievable in 10.0% of patients, the nodal metastasis rate was 40.0%, and recurrence occurred in 55.2%. The current T1 subcategorization was not feasible for PDAC, tumors with extrapancreatic extension (72.8%) had worse outcomes than those without extrapancreatic extension (median survival 107 vs. 39 months, p < .001). Extrapancreatic extension was an independent prognostic factor whereas the current T1 subcategorization was not. The results of this study were reproducible with data from the SEER database.

CONCLUSION

Despite its small size, T1 PDAC displayed aggressive behavior warranting active local and systemic treatment. The subcategorization by the eighth edition of the AJCC staging system was not adequate for PDAC, and better subcategorization methods need to be explored. In addition, the role of extrapancreatic extension in the staging system should be reconsidered.

Pancreatoduodenectomy with uncut-Roux-en-Y reconstruction in patients with previous radical gastrectomy

Gastric cancer is very common. Many patients have undergone radical gastric cancer surgery in Korea. Recently, the number of cases with secondary cancer occurring in other organs such as periampullary cancers is increasing as survival rate of gastric cancer patients increases. There are some clinical issues in managing patients with periampullary cancer who have undergone radical gastrectomy previously. Considering that pancreatoduodectomy (PD) has two phases (i.e., resection and reconstruction), it can be very complicated and controversial to perform safe and effective reconstruction following PD in patients with a previous radical gastrectomy. In this report, we present our experiences of uncut-Roux-en-Y fashioned reconstruction in PD for patients with a previous radical gastrectomy and discuss its technical characteristics and potential advantages.

Multidimensional Nomogram to Predict Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula after Minimally Invasive Pancreaticoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

Clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) is an inherently severe risk of pancreatic resection. Previous research has proposed models that identify risk factors and predict CR-POPF, although these are rarely applicable to minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD). This study aimed to evaluate the individual risks of CR-POPF and to propose a nomogram for predicting POPF in MIPD.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 429 patients who underwent MIPD. In the multivariate analysis, the Akaike information criterion stepwise logistic regression method was used to select the final model to develop the nomogram.

RESULTS

Of 429 patients, 53 (12.4%) experienced CR-POPF. On multivariate analysis, pancreatic texture (p = 0.001), open conversion (p = 0.008), intraoperative transfusion (p = 0.011), and pathology (p = 0.048) were identified as independent predictors of CR-POPF. The nomogram was developed based on patient, pancreatic, operative, and surgeon factors by using the following four additional clinical factors as variables: American Society of Anesthesiologists class ≥ III, size of pancreatic duct, type of surgical approach, and < 40 cases of MIPD experience.

CONCLUSIONS

A multidimensional nomogram was developed to predict CR-POPF after MIPD. This nomogram and calculator can help surgeons anticipate, select, and manage critical complications.

Development of a metabolite calculator for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 is a known pancreatic cancer (PC) biomarker, but is not commonly used for general screening due to its low sensitivity and specificity. This study aimed to develop a serum metabolites-based diagnostic calculator for detecting PC with high accuracy.

METHODS

A targeted quantitative approach of direct flow injection-tandem mass spectrometry combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was employed for metabolomic analysis of serum samples using an Absolute IDQ™ p180 kit. Integrated metabolomic analysis was performed on 241 pooled or individual serum samples collected from healthy donors and patients from nine disease groups, including chronic pancreatitis, PC, other cancers, and benign diseases. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) based on characteristics of 116 serum metabolites distinguished patients with PC from those with other diseases. Sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis (SPLS-DA) was also performed, incorporating simultaneous dimension reduction and variable selection. Predictive performance between discrimination models was compared using a 2-by-2 contingency table of predicted probabilities obtained from the models and actual diagnoses.

RESULTS

Predictive values obtained through OPLS-DA for accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, balanced accuracy, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were 0.9825, 0.9916, 0.9870, 0.9866, and 0.9870, respectively. The number of metabolite candidates was narrowed to 76 for SPLS-DA. The SPLS-DA-obtained predictive values for accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, balanced accuracy, and AUC were 0.9773, 0.9649, 0.9832, 0.9741, and 0.9741, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We successfully developed a 76 metabolome-based diagnostic panel for detecting PC that demonstrated high diagnostic performance in differentiating PC from other diseases.

Laparoscopic pancreas-preserving near total duodenectomy for large villous adenoma in patients with total colectomy for familial adenomatous polyposis

Most familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) patients undergo total colectomy, but duodenal polyposis develops in up to 90% of patients with FAP and a 4% to 18% risk of duodenal and ampullary cancer remains. Laparoscopic pancreas-preserving near total duodenectomy is thought to be a potential option and can be an effective approach to preserve the pancreas. A 48-year-old male patient, who underwent laparoscopic total colectomy with end ileostomy because of FAP with colorectal cancer, was diagnosed with a 20 mm-sized duodenal adenoma in the second to the third portion. The operation was performed on December 27, 2021. Near total duodenectomy was done and type II Billroth gastrojejunostomy was done. Laparoscopic pancreas-sparing duodenectomy is shown to be safe, with favorable short-term oncologic outcome compared to laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy in terms of less blood loss, faster recovery time, and much less total cost.

Effect of local treatment in patients with oligo-recurrence after surgery of distal bile duct cancer: A bi-institutional study

BACKGROUND

Distal extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) cancer is highly recurrent. More than 50% of patients suffer from disease relapse after curative resection. Some patients present with oligo-recurrence which could be a single loco-regional mass or lesions limited to a single solid organ. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of local control (surgical resection or radiofrequency ablation) on survival outcomes in patients with oligo-recurrent distal EHBD cancer.

METHODS

Data of 1219 patients who underwent surgery for distal EHBD cancer from 2000 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes of patients with recurrence were investigated. Post-recurrence survival (PRS) was analyzed according to modalities of re-treatment (local treatment or systemic therapy alone).

RESULTS

Among 654 patients with recurrence, 90 patients who had oligo-recurrence showed better recurrence-free and overall survival than patients with non-oligo-recurrent disease. Lymph node ratio and perineural invasion at initial pathology, timing of recurrence, and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio at recurrence were independent risk factors for PRS in the oligo-recurrent group. Patients with local treatment for oligo-recurrence had better 3- and 5-year PRS than those with systemic treatment alone (38.3% vs. 14.1%, p = 0.04; 28.3% vs. 7.1%, p = 0.04, respectively). Recurrence within 24 months after initial surgery was the only significant factor for PRS in the local treatment group.

CONCLUSION

In patients with oligo-recurrence after resection of distal EHBD cancer, post-recurrence local treatment could improve survival outcomes, particularly for those with recurrence more than 2 years after initial resection.

Proposal of nomograms to predict clinical outcomes in patients with ampulla of Vater cancer based on the Korea-Japan collaborative study

BACKGROUND

In this study, we aimed to develop and validate a nomogram to predict overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients who underwent curative resection of ampulla of Vater (AOV) cancer. This is the first study for nomograms in AOV cancer patients using retrospective data based on an international multicenter study.

METHODS

A total of 2007 patients with AOV adenocarcinoma who received operative therapy between 2002 January and 2015 December in Korea and Japan were retrospectively assessed to develop a prediction model. Nomograms for 5-year OS and 3-year RFS were constructed by dividing the patients who received and who did not receive adjuvant therapy after surgery, respectively. Significant risk factors were identified by univariate and multivariate Cox analyses. Performance assessment of the four prediction models was conducted by the Harrell's concordance index (C-index) and calibration curves using bootstrapping.

RESULTS

A total of 2007 and 1873 patients were collected for nomogram construction to predict 5-year OS and 3-year RFS. We developed four types of nomograms, including models for 5-year OS and 3-year RFS in patients who did not receive postoperative adjuvant therapy, and 5-year OS and 3-year RFS in patients who received postoperative adjuvant therapy. The C-indices of these nomograms were 0.795 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.766-0.823), 0.712 (95% CI: 0.674-0.750), 0.804 (95% CI: 0.7778-0.829), and 0.703 (95% CI: 0.669-0.737), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This predictive model could help clinicians to choose optimal treatment and precisely predict prognosis in AOV cancer patients.

Validation of original, alternative, and updated alternative fistula risk scores after open and minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy in an Asian patient cohort

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to validate and compare the performance of the original fistula risk scores (o-FRS), alternative (a-FRS), and updated alternative FRS (ua-FRS) after open pancreatoduodenectomy (OPD) and laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD) in an Asian patient cohort.

METHODS

Data of 597 consecutive patients who underwent PD (305 OPD, 274 LPD) were collected from two tertiary centers. Model performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC).

RESULTS

The overall AUC values of o-FRS, a-FRS, and ua-FRS were 0.67, 0.69, and 0.68, respectively, which were lower than those of the Western validation. Three FRS systems had similar AUC values in the overall and OPD groups, whereas ua-FRS had a higher AUC than o-FRS in the LPD group. The accuracy of ua-FRS (47.2%) was higher than that of o-FRS (39.0%) and a-FRS (19.5%) overall, but low specificity and low positive predictive value were observed regardless of the operative type across the three FRS systems. In the multivariate analysis, pathology, estimated blood loss, and body mass index were not independent risk factors for CR-POPF in the OPD and LPD groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Current FRS systems have some limitations, including a relatively lower performance in an Asian cohort, low positive predictive values, and inclusion of insignificant risk factors.

Pancreatoduodenectomy following neoadjuvant chemotherapy in duodenal adenocarcinoma

A 51-year-old male patient had four times of massive hematochezia episode three days before arrival. Carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 level was extremely elevated. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography-computed tomography identified 5.7 cm sized periampullary duodenal cancer with regional metastatic lymph nodes and vascular invasion to aberrant right hepatic artery, main portal vein, and superior mesenteric vein. Diagnosed as duodenal adenocarcinoma through endoscopic biopsy, 16 times of FOLFIRI (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan) was conducted. The regimen changed to XELOX (capecitabine, oxaliplatine), four times of administration was done, and the CA19-9 level dramatically decreased. The tumor decreased to 2.1 cm. After R0 laparoscopic pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomy, no adjuvant therapy was given. No sign of recurrence or metastasis was reported, and the patient reached complete remission after five years. We reported a case where neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced duodenal adenocarcinoma was shown to be effective.

Short and long-term outcomes of minimally invasive central pancreatectomy: Comparison with minimally invasive spleen-preserving subtotal distal pancreatectomy

BACKGROUND

Central pancreatectomy(CP) is more complex surgery and higher complication rate than distal pancreatectomy(DP). However, with the development of minimally invasive surgery, CP has become a safer surgery technique. In this study, we compare minimally invasive CP(MI-CP) and Minimally invasive spleen-preserving subtotal DP(MI-SpSTDP) to figure out the short-term and long-term outcomes of MI-CP.

METHODS

From March 2007 to June 2020, 36 cases of MI-SpSTDP and 23 cases of MI-CP were performed for benign and borderline malignant pancreatic tumors in Severance hospital. The occurrence of postoperative pancreatic fistula(POPF) and Clavian-Dindo classification grade 3 or more in the two group was investigated, and the Controlling nutritional status scores(CONUT score) before and 1-year after surgery were compared to determine the long-term outcomes of exocrine function.

RESULTS

There was no difference in postoperative complications including POPF between the two groups(17.4% vs 5.1%, p = 0.294). And there were no statistical differences in either the MI-CP group (0.74 ± 0.75 vs. 0.78 ± 0.99, p = 0.803) or the MI-SpSTDP group (0.86 ± 0.83 to 0.61 ± 0.59, p = 0.071).

CONCLUSIONS

MI-CP had longer operation time and hospital stay and is safe and effective in preserving endocrine and exocrine functions in treatment of benign or borderline tumors located at the neck or proximal body of the pancreas.

A multi-institutional, single-arm, phase II trial of neoadjuvant modified-FOLFIRINOX for resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

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Background: Various peri-operative treatments have been tested to increase the survival of localized PDAC. Even with superior survival among various disease extent of PDAC, resectable PDAC still shows poor outcomes with surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. We report the result of a multi-institutional phase II trial of modified-FOLFIRINOX as neoadjuvant treatment for resectable PDAC. Methods: Treatment naïve pts with histologically confirmed resectable PDAC were enrolled. Resectability was confirmed by both CT and MRI according to NCCN resectability criteria (no arterial tumor contact to celiac axis, SMA or CHA; no tumor contact with SMV or PV or ≤180° contact without vein contour irregularity) in multidisciplinary team meeting. Patients received oxaliplatin 85mg/m2 D1 + leucovorin 400mg/m2 D1 + irinotecan 150mg/m2 D1 + 5-FU 2,000mg/m2 46h continuous infusion, every other week for 6 cycles (12 weeks). Response assessments were performed every 6 weeks using the RECIST criteria version 1.1. Baseline MRI, PET-CT scan, and pre-surgery MRI after 6 cycles were mandatory. The primary endpoint was R0 resection rate. Secondary endpoints included survivals, ORR, safety, resection rate, and correlative biomarker exploration. (NCT05066802). Results: Total of 27 pts were enrolled between May 2020 and Feb 2022. Among total 27 pts, 24 pts underwent curative aim surgery after neoadjuvant treatment (resection rate 88.9%), and 23 pts showed R0 resection (23/27=85.2%), meeting the primary endpoint. Among 27 pts, 19 pts (70.4%) completed the neoadjuvant treatment per protocol. The reasons for neoadjuvant treatment discontinuation included progression of the disease (n=3, 11.1%) and pts withdrawal (n=5, 18.5%). Among 19 patients who underwent surgery per protocol, only one patient was R1 resected (R0 resection rate=94.7%). As of Sep 1, 2022 (median follow-up duration = 15.2 months) 6 pts recurred after surgery (6/19=31.6%). Median recur-free survival was 18.7 months (95%CI 13.6-NR) and median OS was not reached (95%CI 17.6-NR) for the per protocol treated pts. Treatment-related AE (≥G3) occurred in 10 pts (37.0%) including 7 (25.9%) with neutropenia G3-4. Conclusions: Three months of neoadjuvant mFOLFIRINOX was feasible and tolerable for resectable PDAC. Larger randomized trial is needed to validate the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable pancreatic cancer and to find subgroup of pts who would get benefit most from the neoadjuvant treatment. Post hoc genomic analyses with paired pre-neoadjuvant treatment and surgical tissues are ongoing. Clinical trial information: NCT05066802 .

Serous cystic neoplasm: Do we have to wait till it causes trouble? Season 2

A 50-year-old male presented gradually growing pancreatic body mass. An abdominal computed tomography showed a 9.9-cm mass, larger than the 8.9-cm mass one year ago. As the patient did not have complaints for any symptomatic problems, the gastroenterologist decided to check it with regular follow-up. However, as the tumor grew faster than expected, the patient was recommended for surgical resection. Laparoscopic pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was done. Since the tumor abutted to the superior mesenteric vein and the portal vein, wedge resection of vessel was inevitable. Pathology was serous cystadenoma. The patient was discharged without postoperative complications. Herein, we report this case with asymptomatic large serous cystic neoplasm treated by laparoscopic approach. The appropriateness of current guidelines for surgery in serous cystic neoplasm is also discussed.

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.

Multi-biomarker panel prediction model for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

The current study aimed to develop a prediction model using a multi-marker panel as a diagnostic screening tool for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

Multi-center cohort of 1991 blood samples were collected from January 2011 to September 2019, of which 609 were normal, 145 were other cancer (colorectal, thyroid, and breast cancer), 314 were pancreatic benign disease, and 923 were pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The automated multi-biomarker Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay kit was developed using three potential biomarkers: LRG1, TTR, and CA 19-9. Using a logistic regression model on a training data set, the predicted values for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were obtained, and the result was classification into one of the three risk groups: low, intermediate, and high. The five covariates used to create the model were sex, age, and three biomarkers.

RESULTS

Participants were categorized into four groups as normal (n = 609), other cancer (n = 145), pancreatic benign disease (n = 314), and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (n = 923). The normal, other cancer, and pancreatic benign disease groups were clubbed into the non-pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma group (n = 1068). The positive and negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity were 94.12, 90.40, 93.81, and 90.86, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates a significant diagnostic performance of the multi-marker panel in distinguishing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma from normal and benign pancreatic disease states, as well as patients with other cancers.

Alternative management of intractable chylous ascites following robot-assisted pancreaticoduodenectomy of Viscum album sclerotherapy: a case report

A patient showed signs of fever and Hemovac insertion site discharge 8 days after surgery and was admitted. Abdominal paracentesis found milky ascites with triglyceride levels of the peritoneal fluid as high as 1,603 g/mL. Diagnosed as chylous ascites, symptomatic therapy such as empirical antibodies and diuretics was administered with paracentesis before being discharged. The ascites volume increased again, and the patient was re-admitted. The patient was treated with orlistat, octreotide, total parenteral nutrition administration, ascites drainage, and diuretics. Ascites levels increased further and intraperitoneal Viscum was administered. Clear ascites was observed, and the patient was discharged. We reported a case where conventional treatment for chylous ascites that occurred after pancreaticoduodenectomy was shown to be ineffective while Viscum extracted from mistletoe was able to manage chylous ascites.

Total laparoscopic versus robotic-assisted laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: which one is better?

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD) is a challenging procedure. Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) is feasible and safe. Since the development of robotic platforms, the number of reports on robot-assisted pancreatic surgery has increased. We compared the technical feasibility and safety between LPD and robot-assisted LPD (RALPD).

METHODS

From September 2012 to August 2020, 257 patients who underwent MIPD for periampullary tumors were enrolled. Of these, 207 underwent LPD and 50 underwent RALPD. We performed a 1:1 propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis and retrospectively analyzed the demographics and surgical outcomes.

RESULTS

After PSM analysis, no difference was noted in demographics. Operation times and estimated blood loss were similar, as was the incidence of complications (p > 0.05). In subgroup analysis in patients with soft pancreas with pancreatic duct ≤ 2 mm, no significant between-group difference was noted regarding short-term surgical outcomes, including clinically relevant POPF (CR-POPF) (p > 0.05). In multivariable analysis, the only soft pancreatic texture was a predictive factor (HR 3.887, 95% confidence interval 1.121-13.480, p = 0.032).

CONCLUSION

RALPD and LPD are safe and effective for MIPD and can compensate each other to achieve the goal of minimally invasive surgery.

Laparoscopic distal pancreatosplenectomy for left-sided pancreatic cancer in patients with radical subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer

After radical subtotal gastrectomy (RSTG) for stomach cancer, the remnant stomach is supposed to be perfused through the short gastric vessels. What if a patient who received previous RSTG is diagnosed with resectable distal pancreatic cancer? Can radical distal pancreatosplenectomy (DPS) be performed safely without ischemic damage to the remnant stomach? Unfortunately, there are limited studies on this specific clinical issue. Notably, in spite of rare clinical presentation, it is expected to increase due to prolonged survival of patients with resected gastric cancer. Therefore, we aimed to demonstrate the safety and feasibility of the radical DPS in patients with previous RSTG. In this study, we investigated perioperative and long-term survival outcomes of DPS for left-sided pancreatic cancer in patients with previous RSTG.

Abstract C057: An integrative analysis of pancreatic cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts using single cell transcriptomic analysis

Background: Despite the advances in diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients over the past decades, the 5-year survival rate of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients still remains lower than 10%. This is because more than 80% of PC patients are diagnosed with unresectable or metastatic disease, and receive systemic chemotherapy as a first-line therapy, but the currently preferred regimens do not extend the patients’ survival by more than 12 months. To improve the clinical outcomes, a comprehensive understanding of molecular biology of pancreatic cancer cells, along with extensive stromal cells including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), is required. Several studies have performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to dissect the heterogeneous tumor microenvironment in PC tissues, and aimed to define the molecular subtypes in PC. However, due to the high inter-patient heterogeneity of tumor microenvironment and low cellularity of cancer cells, it has not been clearly elucidated yet. Methods: We performed scRNA-seq using enriched non-immune cell populations from 13 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumor tissues and 4 intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) with high grade dysplasia or invasive carcinoma tissues to investigate the landscape the epithelial cells and fibroblasts precisely, and analyze each subpopulation in an integrated manner. Results: We effectively merged and clustered epithelial cells and fibroblasts using tandem batch correction method, and defined epithelial cells and fibroblasts as 9 different subpopulations, respectively. We further analyzed transcription factor activities and cell-to-cell interactions in each subpopulation and suggested a model for transcriptional evolution of pancreatic cancer cells at single-cell resolution. Interestingly, we also identified a new epithelial cell subtype, “VGLL1+ subtype”, which is a transitional type distinguished from both classical and basal-like subtypes. We demonstrated that VGLL1+ subtype represents a transitional cell population linking classical and basal subtypes and their marker genes are closely related to poor prognosis. Conclusion: This study provides an integrative analysis of epithelial cell and fibroblasts in PC tumor tissues, and suggests a novel model showing the dynamic states of pancreatic epithelial cell subpopulations.

Citation Format: Galam Leem, Seongryong Kim, Ho Kyoung Hwang, Jung Hyun Jo, Hee Seung Lee, Moon Jae Chung, Jeong Youp Park, Seung Woo Park, Si Young Song, Eui-Cheol Shin, Chang Moo Kang, Jong-Eun Park, Seungmin Bang. An integrative analysis of pancreatic cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts using single cell transcriptomic analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer; 2022 Sep 13-16; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(22 Suppl):Abstract nr C057.

Should the Splenic Vein Be Preserved-Fate of Sinistral Portal Hypertension after Pancreatoduodenectomy with Vascular Re-Section for Pancreatic Cancer

Background: This study aims to evaluate sinistral portal hypertension (SPH) development and its clinical impact on the long-term outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent surgical resection with splenic vein (SV) ligation. Methods: Data from 94 consecutive patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) with vascular resection for pancreatic cancer from 2008 to 2019 were retrospectively collected. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether the SV was preserved or ligated during the surgery. Their computed tomography images were serially reviewed (preoperative, 6-, 12-, and 24-months postoperative) with clinical parameters. The degree of variceal formation (variceal score) and splenomegaly were assessed, and the oncologic outcomes were compared between the two groups. Variceal score in the SV ligation group was significantly higher than that in the SV saving group at the same postoperative periods (SV saving vs. ligation: 12 months, 0.9 ± 1.3 vs. 3.5 ± 2.2, p < 0.001; 24 months, 1.4 ± 1.8 vs. 4.0 ± 3.4, p = 0.009). Clinically relevant variceal bleeding was noted in one patient from the SV ligation group (SV saving vs. ligation: 0.0% vs. 3.1%, p = 0.953). In survival analysis, there was no significant difference between the two groups (DFS; SV saving vs. ligation: 13.0 (11.1−14.9) months vs. 13.0 (10.4−15.6) months, p = 0.969, OS; SV saving vs. ligation: 35.0 (19.9−50.1) months vs. 27.0 (11.6−42.4) months, p = 0.417). Although SV ligation induced SPH during PD for pancreatic cancer, it did not lead to clinically significant long-term complications. In addition, it did not impact the long-term survival of patients with resected pancreatic head cancer.

EGFR-targeted fluorescent imaging using the da Vinci® Firefly™ camera for gallbladder cancer

Background

Fluorescent imaging may aid with the precise diagnosis and treatment of patients with gallbladder cancer. In this study, we sought to demonstrate whether the da Vinci® surgical system and Firefly™ camera could detect EGFR-targeted fluorescent images in orthotopic mouse models of gallbladder cancer.

Methods

An orthotopic mouse model of gallbladder cancer was created by injecting NOZ gallbladder cancer cells mixed with Matrigel into the gallbladder. In vivo imaging of subcutaneous and orthotopic gallbladder tumors was performed after the injection of DyLight 650- or 800-conjugated EGFR antibody.

Results

Western blotting, flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy showed the presence of EGFR in NOZ cells, but not in HEK293 cells. Subcutaneous NOZ cell tumors fluoresced after injection with fluorescent EGFR antibody, but subcutaneous HEK293 tumors did not. Fluorescent EGFR antibody made orthotopic NOZ tumors fluoresce, with an intensity stronger than that in the surrounding normal tissues. Histochemical examination confirmed the location of the tumors inside the gallbladder and adjacent liver parenchyma. Fluorescent signal was also detected in orthotopic gallbladder tumors with Firefly™ camera.

Conclusion

Our study showed that fluorescent EGFR antibodies and the Firefly camera in the da Vinci system can detect fluorescing gallbladder tumors, which demonstrates their potential use for molecular imaging-based prevision surgery in the near future.

Impact of preoperative laboratory frailty index on mortality and clinical outcomes in older surgical patients with cancer

Frailty in older patients is associated with poor postoperative outcomes. The use of uncomplicated frailty measurement tools is preferred in busy clinical settings. Therefore, we validated the frailty index using routine laboratory data and the surgical outcomes of older patients with cancer who underwent cancer resection. We retrospectively analyzed 9015 patients aged 65 years and older who underwent cancer resection at a single tertiary hospital. Based on electronic-medical-record data regarding preoperative blood test results and vital signs, Laboratory Frailty Index (FI-Lab) scores were generated to measure preoperative frailty. The associations of FI-Lab with postoperative length of stay (LOS), readmission within 30 days, intensive care unit (ICU) admission within 30 days, and mortality were evaluated. The mean FI-Lab score of the 9015 patients was 0.20 ± 0.10. Increased FI-Lab scores (0.25–0.4; > 0.4) were associated with longer LOS, increased readmission within 30 days of surgery, ICU admission, and increased mortality, compared with FI-Lab scores < 0.25. The FI-Lab score, as a frailty indicator, was able to predict the risk of poor postoperative outcomes. Therefore, the FI-Lab is a potentially useful tool for assessing preoperative frailty in older patients with cancer in acute clinical setting.

A Prognostic Impact of Splenectomy in Laparoscopic Distal Pancreatectomy on Benign/Borderline Pancreatic Tumors: A Change of the Era

PURPOSE

In the past, spleen preservation during distal pancreatectomy (DP) was preferred; however, more recent studies reported comparable results between splenectomy and spleen preserving. We retrospectively reviewed patients in a single center who underwent laparoscopic DP with/without splenectomy, and evaluated the chronologic changes of surgical outcomes of the two procedures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients who underwent laparoscopic DP with or without splenectomy due to benign/borderline tumor from 2005 to 2019 were included in this study. We divided this period into Era 1 (2005-2012) and Era 2 (2013-2019), and compared the chronological evolution of surgical outcomes of laparoscopic distal pancreatosplenectomy (LDPS) to those of laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (LSpDP), including the long-term postoperative immunologic profiles.

RESULTS

A total of 198 cases were included (LSpDP: 80 cases; LDPS: 118 cases). As the period changed from Era 1 to Era 2, the ratio of LSpDP decreased and the surgical outcomes of LDPS improved. In Era 1, LSpDP group showed superior results compared to LDPS group in terms of hospital days and postoperative pancreatic fistula ratio; however, in Era 2, the surgical outcomes showed no statistical differences. No significant differences were observed in all of the immunologic markers.

CONCLUSION

We carefully conclude that during laparoscopic DP, combined splenectomy can be equivalent to spleen preserving in surgical and immunological outcomes, and inevitable splenectomy can be safely conducted.

Anticancer effect of locally applicable aptamer-conjugated gemcitabine-loaded atelocollagen patch in pancreatic cancer patient-derived xenograft models

We investigated the anticancer effect of the aptamer-conjugated gemcitabine-loaded atelocollagen patch in a pancreatic cancer patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model to propose a future potential adjuvant surgical strategy during curative pancreatic resection for pancreatic cancer. A pancreatic cancer PDX model was established. Animals were grouped randomly into a no-treatment control group; treatment group treated with intraperitoneal gemcitabine injection (IP-GEM) or aptamer-conjugated gemcitabine (APT:GEM); and transplant with three kinds of patches: atelocollagen-aptamer-gemcitabine (patch I), atelocollagen-inactive aptamer-gemcitabine (patch II), and atelocollagen-gemcitabine (patch III). Tumor volumes and response were evaluated based on histological analysis by H&E staining and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed. Anticancer therapy-related toxicity was evaluated by hematologic findings. The patch I group showed the most significant reduction of tumor growth rate, compared with the no-treatment group (p < 0.05). However, other treatment groups were not found to show significant reduction in tumor growth rate (0.05 < p < 0.1). There was no microscopic evidence suggesting potential toxicity, such as inflammation, nor necrotic changes in liver, lung, kidney, and spleen tissue. In addition, no leukopenia, anemia, or neutropenia was observed in the patch I group. This implantable aptamer-drug conjugate system is thought to be a new surgical strategy to augment the oncologic significance of margin-negative resection in treating pancreatic cancer in near future.

Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX Followed by Pancreatoduodenectomy for Pancreatic Cancer in Patients with Previous Transhiatal Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer

During pancreaticoduodenectomy after transhiatal esophagectomy, the preservation of the blood supply to the gastric conduit is technically difficult due to adhesion. Here, we present a case of successful pancreaticoduodenectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in a patient with pancreatic head cancer who previously underwent subtotal esophagectomy with gastric reconstruction for esophageal cancer. A 69-year-old man who had undergone cholecystectomy 20 years prior and transhiatal esophagectomy 6 years prior for esophageal cancer presented to our hospital for indigestion. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 2.8-cm pancreatic head cancer, with focal abutment with the gastroduodenal artery, right gastroepiploic artery, and right colic vein. After discussion with the multidisciplinary team, the patient underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy with six cycles of FOFIRINOX. The patient successfully underwent pancreatectomy, which preserved the pylorus. We preserved the gap between the gastric tube and the left lateral segment of the liver to avoid injuring the right gastric artery and vein. The tumor was found to be invading the gastroduodenal artery; thus, we performed R0 resection of the gastroduodenal artery and an end-to-end anastomosis between the gastroduodenal artery and the right gastroepiploic artery. After completing the surgical procedure, we added Braun anastomosis to reduce the incidence of delayed gastric emptying. Pancreaticoduodenectomy after transhiatal esophagectomy can be performed with preservation of the blood supply to the neogastric tube by reconstructing the major vessels, even in cases in which the tumor is invading or abutting the major vessels.

Korean Surgical Practice Guideline for Pancreatic Cancer 2021: A summary of evidence-based surgical approaches

Pancreatic cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer-related deaths in Korea. Despite the increasing incidence and high mortality rate of pancreatic cancer, there are no appropriate surgical practice guidelines for the current domestic medical situation. To enable standardization of management and facilitate improvements in surgical outcome, a total of 10 pancreatic surgical experts who are members of Korean Association of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery have developed new recommendations that integrate the most up-to-date, evidence-based research findings and expert opinions. This is an English version of the Korean Surgical Practice Guideline for Pancreatic Cancer 2021. This guideline includes 13 surgical questions and 15 statements. Due to the lack of high-level evidence, strong recommendation is almost impossible. However, we believe that this guideline will help surgeons understand the current status of evidence and suggest what to investigate further to establish more solid recommendations in the future.

A multi-institutional, single-arm, phase II trial of neoadjuvant modified-FOLFIRINOX for resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

TPS624

Background: Within the next decade, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is expected to rise to the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality. To increase the survival, various peri-operative treatments have been tested, and adjuvant FOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine plus capecitabine is now standard of care after surgical resection for localized PDAC. Even with superior survival among various disease extent of PDAC, resectable PDAC still shows poor outcomes with surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. This phase II study is investigating the role of modified-FOLFIRINOX as neoadjuvant treatment for resectable PDAC. Methods: This study is a phase II, multi-institutional, single-arm trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of modified-FOLFIRINOX in resectable PDAC. The main inclusion criteria are histologically confirmed PDAC; resectable PDAC confirmed by both computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) according to NCCN guideline resectability criteria (no arterial tumor contact to celiac axis, SMA or CHA; no tumor contact with SMV or PV or ≤180° contact without vein contour irregularity); no previous treatment (surgery or chemotherapy); ECOG 0 or 1; and adequate organ function. Patients receive oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2 D1 + leucovorin 400mg/m2 D1 + irinotecan 150 mg/m2 D1 + 5-FU 2,000 mg/m2 46h continuous infusion, every other week for 6 cycles (12 weeks). Response assessments are performed every 6 weeks using the RECIST criteria version 1.1. Baseline MRI, PET-CT scan before treatment, and pre-surgery MRI after 6 cycles are mandatory. The primary endpoint was R0 resection rate. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival, overall survival, disease-free survival, objective response rate, safety, resection rate, and correlative biomarker exploration. The study will enroll up to 27 patients and is currently recruiting at four sites in South Korea. As of September 2021, 20 patients have been enrolled. Clinical trial information: KCT0004421 (Registration ongoing for clinicaltrials.gov).

Surgical Outcomes and Comparative Analysis of Transduodenal Ampullectomy and Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Single-Center Study

Background

Transduodenal ampullectomy (TDA) is performed for adenoma or early cancer of the ampulla of Vater (AoV). This study aimed to analyze the short- and long-term outcomes of TDA (TDA group) when compared with conventional pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) or pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD group).

Methods

Patients who underwent TDA between January 2006 and December 2019, and PD cases performed for AoV malignancy with carcinoma in-situ (Tis) (high-grade dysplasia, HGD) and T1 and T2 stage from January 2010 to December 2019 were reviewed.

Results

Forty-six patients underwent TDA; 21 had a benign tumor, and 25 cases with malignant tumors were compared with PD cases (n = 133). Operation time (p < 0.001), estimated blood loss (p < 0.001), length of hospital stays (p = 0.003), and overall complication rate (p < 0.001) were lower in the TDA group than in the PD group. Lymph node metastasis rates were 14.6% in pT1 and 28.9% in pT2 patients. The 5-year disease-free survival and 5-year overall survival rates for HGD/Tis and T1 tumor between the two groups were similar (TDA group vs PD group, 72.2% vs 77.7%, p = 0.550; 85.6% vs 79.2%, p = 0.816, respectively).

Conclusion

TDA accompanied with lymph node dissection is advisable in HGD/Tis and T1 AoV cancers in view of superior perioperative outcomes and similar long-term survival rates compared with PD.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1245/s10434-021-11190-9.

Laparoscopic radical distal pancreatosplenectomy with celiac axis excision following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

A recent successful prospective randomized control study comparing open distal pancreatectomy with laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) has shown that LDP is a safe and effective surgical modality in treating left-sided pancreatic pathological conditions requiring surgical extirpation. With the accumulating surgical experiences and improved surgical techniques, we recently reported several cases of successful LDP in advanced pancreatic cancer following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Herein, we report a case of LDP with celiac axis resection (LDP-CAR) in locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A 58-year-old female with LAPC was referred to our institution. Computed tomography (CT) findings revealed a 24-mm mass in the pancreatic body that showed celiac artery (CA), common hepatic artery abutment. There was no abutment with superior mesenteric artery, superior mesenteric vein, and portal vein. From these findings, Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (FORFIRINOX) was performed biweekly. After 8 cycles of chemotherapy, the tumor size was slightly decreased (24 mm to 16 mm), but still abutting to CA. After 14 cycles of chemotherapy, CT revealed the same tumor size (16 mm) still abutting to CA. LDP-CAR was performed. Intraoperative ultrasonography gastric perfusion and hepatic perfusion were confirmed using indocyanine green. The patient recovered without complications and was discharged from the hospital nine days after the surgery.