The surgical resectability following neoadjuvant therapy in pancreatic head cancer

Abstract

s / Pancreatology 526 Objectives. Alcohol is a risk factor for acute pancreatitis. In our previous two year follow up abstinence protected for recurrences. Our aim was to further determine recurrence of pancreatitis and later pancreatic function in patients who quit drinking after the first episode of alcoholassociated pancreatitis. Materials andmethods: Out of the total of 120 patients with their first alcohol-associated pancreatitis, 23 (20 M, 3 F; age median 47 (27–60) years) met the inclusion criteria for abstinence during the follow up. The criteria for abstinence were alcohol consumption less than 24 grams per twomonths (self-estimated) which is in line with questionnaires detecting alcohol consumption and dependency (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, AUDIT < 8 and Short Alcohol Dependence Data, SADD < 9). Recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis were studied. Smoking, body-mass index and laboratory tests detecting heavy use of alcohol were recorded. Blood and fecal tests were studied to assess endocrine and exocrine pancreatic function. Results: During a mean follow up time of 4.8 (2–9) years and total of 111 patient years therewere no recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis. Two patients had diabetes prior to and two just after the first episode of acute pancreatitis. One patient demonstrated new onset diabetes during the follow up at 1.5 years. One patient showed low elastase activity at 2 and another at 3 years, but no-one later on. Conclusions: Abstinence after the first acute alcohol-associated pancreatitis protects from recurrent attacks and seems to decrease the risk for pancreatic dysfunction.