Pancreatic metastasectomy: experience of the Irish National Surgical Centre for Pancreatic Cancer.

Abstract

Metastatic tumours of the pancreas are rare and the optimal management of these tumours remains unclear, given the paucity of data existing in the literature. We report our experience of pancreatic metastasectomy. Data were reviewed on all patients who underwent pancreatic resection for pathologically confirmed metastatic lesions over a consecutive 7-year period. Seven patients (two men and five women) underwent a pancreatectomy for a metastatic pancreatic tumour. The primary tumours were renal cell carcinoma (n = 3), colorectal carcinoma (n = 2) and leiomyosarcoma (n = 2). There was no operative mortality. Postoperative morbidities occurred in two patients. The median follow-up was 49 months (range 17-76). Overall 1- and 2-year survivals were 100 and 86 %, respectively, with a 2-year disease-free survival of 72 %. Our series further supports that pancreatic metastasectomy can be performed safely and achieves acceptable survival outcomes.