Prognosis after surgery for pancreatic cancer in patients aged 80 years or older

Abstract

Background: Surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC) is prevalent worldwide with acceptable mortality and morbidity. Recently, in this rapidly graying society, invasive surgery has been performed even for the elderlies due to advancement of perioperative management and medical technology. However, the benefits of them were not clearly proven and remained still controversial. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of pancreatic resection in patients 80 years of age or older. Method: From June 2007 to January 2017, 166 pancreatectomies for PDAC was performed in our hospital. The patients aged ≥80 years (n = 27) were compared with a control group <80 years of age (n = 138). Result: All the data was written in median (range). Age was 81 years (80-85), 11 male and 16 female patients. Preoperative therapy was performed in 4 cases. Concomitant PV resection and reconstruction was performed in 4 cases. Postoperative hospital stay was 19 days (11–55). Grade B pancreatic fistula occurred in five patients. Mortality was zero. There were no significant differences in the postoperative complications and mortality between the two groups. Moreover, the prognosis of octogenarians was similar with that of younger patients. Median survival time was 24 months in elderly group (22 months in control group). Ten patients have died in this series. The causes of death were recurrence of PDAC in eight patients and unknown causes in two patients. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the postoperative prognosis in octogenarian patients was comparable with that in younger patients.