Morbidity in long-term survivors after pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Abstract

307 Background: Because the focus of pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma is placed on disease-free and overall survival, morbidity in long-term survivors is not well described. We sought to evaluate outcomes of long-term survivors of pancreatic cancer after pancreatoduodenectomy. Methods: We identified 30 patients from our prospectively collected database of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma who had undergone pancreatoduodenectomy, and who were without evidence of disease with at least 40 months of follow-up. Demographics, treatment and pathologic characteristics were collected for review. Data with regards to long-term sequelae were also collected, particularly those complications requiring additional procedures and the development of metachronous cancers. Results: The median length of follow up was 83 months, with 60% of patients still alive. Half the patients were male, and the median age at diagnosis was 70 years. With regard to treatment, 80% of patients received chemoradiation, with half of these patients receiving it in the neoadjuvant setting. All patients received an R0 resection, although two patients required at least partial resection of the superior mesenteric or portal veins. Thirty-three percent of patients had N1 disease. Forty-four percent of patients did not have any significant subsequent sequelae. In the remainder, four patients (13%) developed ascites requiring repeated paracentesis or Denver shunt, with median time to development (MTD) of 63 months. Six patients (20%) developed a biliary stricture requiring stent placement (MTD 56 months), one patient developed portal venous thrombosis requiring a venous stent (MTD 52 months), and 3 patients (10%) experienced clinically significant gastric anastomotic ulcers (MTD 47 months). With regards to metachronous cancers, 2 patients developed subsequent lymphomas (MTD 92 months). Conclusions: Long-term survivors of patients who undergo pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma can develop significant late sequelae, which often can manifest more than three to five years after surgery. Continued follow-up and counseling is warranted.