Surgical management for elderly patients with pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer, one of the diseases of the elderly, has dismal prognosis, demanding major surgery with high risk and life quality problems, especially in the elderly. Therefore, treatment selection, whether or not to undergo surgery, preoperative risk assessment, and perioperative management of the elderly are becoming critical issues. Although the elderly are expected to have higher morbidity and mortality and lower long-term survival outcomes, surgery is becoming safer over time. Appropriate surgical indication selection, patient-centered decision-making, adequate prehabilitation and postoperative geriatric care are expected to improve surgical outcomes in the elderly. Surgeons must have the concept of geriatric care, and efforts based on institutional systems and academic societies are required. If well selected and prepared, the same surgical principle as non-elderly patients can be applied to elderly patients. In this paper, the surgical treatment of elderly patients with pancreatic cancer is reviewed.

Efficacy of ferric carboxymaltose in iron deficiency anemia patients scheduled for pancreaticoduodenectomy

Purpose@#Perioperative transfusion is reported to be an independent risk factor not only for postoperative complications but also for early recurrence of periampullary carcinoma after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) in reducing the need for perioperative transfusion in iron deficiency anemia patients scheduled for PD. @*Methods@#Twenty-two male patients (hemoglobin [Hb] 7 to <13 g/dL) and 18 female patients (Hb 7 to <12 g/dL) were enrolled in the study group and administered FCM 1–3 weeks before PD. The perioperative transfusion rate was the primary endpoint; morbidity, length of postoperative hospital stay, change in hematological parameters after FCM injection, and adverse effects of FCM were also investigated. @*Results@#The perioperative transfusion rate of the study group was 22.5% (9 of 40). Hb level was significantly higher on the day of the operation compared to baseline (P < 0.001). Levels of Hb, transferrin saturation, and ferritin were higher at the follow-up compared to baseline (P = 0.008, P = 0.033, and P < 0.001, respectively). @*Conclusions@#FCM administration was associated with a reduced need for perioperative transfusion and can safely stabilize hematological parameters.

First Course of treatment and Prognosis of Exocrine Pancreatic Cancer in Korea from 2006 to 2017 / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#Hospital-based clinical studies have limitations in holistic assessment of cancer treatment and prognosis, as they omit out-of-hospital patients including elderly individuals. This study aimed to investigate trends in initial treatment and corresponding prognosis of patients with exocrine pancreatic cancer (EPC) in Korea. @*Materials and Methods@#The Korea Central Cancer Registry data of patients with EPC from 2006 to 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. We defined the first course of treatment (FT) as the cancer-directed treatment administered within four months after cancer diagnosis according to Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program. @*Results@#Among 62,209 patients with EPC, localized and regional (LR) SEER stage; patients over 70 years old; and ductal adenocarcinoma excluding cystic or mucinous (DAC) accounted for 40.6%, 50.1%, and 95.9%, respectively. “No active treatment” (NT, 46.5%) was the most frequent, followed by non-surgical FT (28.7%) and surgical FT (22.0%). Among 25,198 patients with LR EPC, surgical FT increased (35.9% to 46.3%) and NT decreased (45.0% to 29.5%) from 2006 to 2017. The rate of surgical FT was inversely related to age (55.1% [< 70 years], 37.3% [70-79 years], 10.9% [≥ 80 years]). Five-year relative survival rates of LR DAC were higher after surgical FT than after NT in localized (46.1% vs. 12.9%) and regional stage (23.6% vs. 4.9%) from 2012 to 2017. @*Conclusion@#Less than half of overall patients with LR EPC underwent surgical FT, and this proportion decreased significantly in elderly individuals. Clinicians should focus attention on elderly patients with EPC to provide appropriate medical advice.

Trend Analysis and Prediction of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Korea

Background@#This study aimed to analyze the current trends and predict the epidemiologic features of hepatobiliary and pancreatic (HBP) cancers according to the Korea Central Cancer Registry to provide insights into health policy. @*Methods@#Incidence data from 1999 to 2017 and mortality data from 2002 to 2018 were obtained from the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database and Statistics Korea, respectively. The future incidence rate from 2018 to 2040 and mortality rate from 2019 to 2040 of each HBP cancer were predicted using an age-period-cohort model. All analyses, including incidence and mortality, were stratified by sex. @*Results@#From 1999 to 2017, the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of HBP cancers per 100,000 population had changed (liver, 25.8 to 13.5; gallbladder [GB], 2.9 to 2.6;bile ducts, 5.1 to 5.9; ampulla of Vater [AoV], 0.9 to 0.9; and pancreatic, 5.6 to 7.3). The age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) per 100,000 population from 2002 to 2018 of each cancer had declined, excluding pancreatic cancer (5.5 to 5.6). The predicted ASIR of pancreatic cancer per 100,000 population from 2018 to 2040 increased (7.5 to 8.2), but that of other cancers decreased. Furthermore, the predicted ASMR per 100,000 population from 2019 to 2040 decreased in all types of cancers: liver (6.5 to 3.2), GB (1.4 to 0.9), bile ducts (4.3 to 2.9), AoV (0.3 to 0.2), and pancreas (5.4 to 4.7). However, in terms of sex, the predicted ASMR of pancreatic cancer per 100,000 population in females increased (3.8 to 4.9). @*Conclusion@#The annual incidence and mortality cases of HBP cancers are generally predicted to increase. Especially, pancreatic cancer has an increasing incidence and will be the leading cause of cancer-related death among HBP cancers.

Phase II Trial of Postoperative Adjuvant Gemcitabine and Cisplatin Chemotherapy Followed by Chemoradiotherapy with Gemcitabine in Patients with Resected Pancreatic Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#Despite curative resection, the 5-year survival for patients with resectable pancreatic cancer is less than 20%. Recurrence occurs both locally and at distant sites and effective multimodality adjuvant treatment is needed. @*Materials and Methods@#Patients with curatively resected stage IB-IIB pancreatic adenocarcinoma were eligible. Treatment consisted of chemotherapy with gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 and cisplatin 60 mg/m2 on day 1 every 3 weeks for two cycles, followed by chemoradiotherapy (50.4 Gy/28 fx) with weekly gemcitabine (300 mg/m2/wk), and then gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks for four cycles. The primary endpoint was 1-year disease-free survival rate. The secondary endpoints were disease-free survival, overall survival, and safety. @*Results@#Seventy-four patients were enrolled. One-year disease-free survival rate was 57.9%. Median disease-free and overall survival were 15.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.6 to 18.4) and 33.0 months (95% CI, 21.8 to 44.2), respectively. At the median follow-up of 32 months, 57 patients (77.0%) had recurrence including 11 patients whose recurrence was during the adjuvant treatment. Most of the recurrences were systemic (52 patients). Stage at the time of diagnosis (70.0% in IIA, 51.2% in IIB, p=0.006) were significantly related with 1-year disease-free survival rate. Toxicities were generally tolerable, with 53 events of grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicity and four patients with febrile neutropenia. @*Conclusion@#Adjuvant gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy with gemcitabine and maintenance gemcitabine showed efficacy and good tolerability in curatively resected pancreatic cancer.

Prognostic Factors for Patients with Borderline Resectable or Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Receiving Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX

Background/Aims@#There has been growing evidence on the utility of neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX in borderline resectable (BR) or locally advanced (LA) pancreatic cancer. However, factors predicting survival in these patients remain to be identified, and we aimed to identify these prognostic factors. @*Methods@#Between January 2013 and April 2017, patients with BR or LA pancreatic cancer who received FOLFIRINOX as their initial treatment were identified. Demographic data and clinical outcomes, including the chemotherapy response, conversion to resection, and survival, were reviewed. @*Results@#A total of 117 patients with BR (n=39) or LA (n=78) pancreatic cancer were included. Of these patients, 29 (24.8%) underwent curative surgery, and R0 resection was achieved in 21 patients (72.4%). The median progression-free survival and overall survival time of all patients were 11.6 and 19.0 months, respectively. In resected patients, the median relapse-free survival and overall survival times were 14.8 and 28.6 months, respectively. In the multivariate Cox model, the lowest level of serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) and resection after FOLFIRINOX were independent factors for improved overall survival. In the subgroup analysis of patients with initial 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) images, the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the pancreatic mass was also shown as an independent factor for improved overall survival. @*Conclusions@#In patients with BR or LA pancreatic cancer, FOLFIRINOX is a valuable neoadjuvant treatment that enables curative surgery in approximately one-quarter of patients and significantly improves overall survival. In these patients, the prognosis can be estimated using the lowest level of serum CA 19-9, operative status, and initial FDG-PET SUVmax.

The Implication of Cytogenetic Alterations in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm Identified by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization and Their Potential Diagnostic Utility

Background/Aims@#We investigated chromosomal aberrations in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to identify cytogenetic changes and molecular markers that may be useful for preoperative diagnosis. @*Methods@#Tissue samples from 48 PDAC and 17 IPMN patients were investigated by FISH analysis using probes targeting chromosomes 7q, 17p, 18q, 20q, and 21q and the pericentromeric region of chromosome 18 (CEP18). @*Results@#The PDAC samples harbored 17p deletion (95.8%), 18q deletion (83.3%), CEP18 deletion (81.2%), 20q gain (81.2%), 21q deletion (77.1%), and 7q gain (70.8%). The IPMN samples had 17p deletion (94.1%), CEP18 deletion (94.1%), 21q deletion (70.6%), 18q deletion (58.8%), 20q gain (58.8%), and 7q gain (58.8%). A significant difference in CEP18 gain was identified between the PDAC and IPMN groups (p=0.029). Detection of 17p or 18q deletion had the highest diagnostic accuracy (80.0%) for PDAC. @*Conclusions@#Chromosomal alterations were frequently identified in both PDAC and IPMN with similar patterns. CEP18 gain and 17p and 18q deletions might be involved in the later stages of PDAC tumorigenesis. Chromosome 17p and 18q deletions might be excellent diagnostic markers.

Comparison of clinical outcomes according to the history of previous gastrectomy in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy: a propensity score matching analysis

Purpose@#Although pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) in patients who have previously undergone gastrectomy is challenging, little is known about the clinical outcomes and the differences compared to those with conventional PD. We collected cases and conducted studies in retrospective review. @*Methods@#Of the 1,722 patients who underwent PD at Seoul National University Hospital between 2000 and 2014, 49 (2.8%) underwent previous gastrectomy. Clinical outcomes including operation-related factors and postoperative morbidities were analyzed. @*Results@#Among the 49 patients with curative surgery, 25 patients were male (51.0%) and the mean age was 64.7 years. Gastric cancer was the most frequent cause of previous gastrectomy (93.8%). With one-to-one propensity score matching analysis, lower preoperative body mass index (22.6 kg/m2 vs. 20.8 kg/m2, P = 0.002), higher EBL (390.0 mL vs. 729.5 mL, P = 0.027), and higher transfusion rates (10.2% vs. 36.7%, P = 0.002) were shown in the gastrectomy group. Operation time, postoperative hospital stay, and rate of clinically relevant pancreatic fistula were comparable. @*Conclusion@#Secondary PD after prior gastrectomy remains challenging, with higher EBL and rate of transfusion. However, when performed by experienced surgeons, the patients with or without previous gastrectomy show comparable postoperative clinical outcomes, such as similar duration of postoperative hospital stay and rate of postoperative pancreatic fistula.

Short- and long-term outcomes of pancreaticoduodenectomy in elderly patients with periampullary cancer

PURPOSE: Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is recently performed in older cancer patients. The complication rate of PD is high. The present study was to compare the postoperative short- and long-term outcomes of PD in between older patients and younger patients.METHODS: Between 2000 and 2014, patients who underwent PD due to periampullary cancers were enrolled. Patients aged 75 years or over were included in the older group.RESULTS: Total 1,249 patients were enrolled in this study and 168 patients (13.5%) were included in the older group. Postoperative complication rates, duration of postoperative hospital stay, and 30-day mortality were comparable between the 2 groups, although the admission rate of intensive care unit postoperatively was higher in the older adult group (20.8% vs. 10.5%, P < 0.001). In terms of long-term outcomes, 5-year overall survival rate was lower in the older group (23.4% vs. 41.8%, P < 0.001), and 5-year cumulative recurrence rate was higher in the older group without statistical significance (63.9% vs. 57.9%, P = 0.095). However, there were no statistical differences of cumulative recurrence in pancreatic cancer patients (81.5% vs. 82.5%, P = 0.805).CONCLUSION: PD for periampullary cancer is a safe and feasible treatment in the older patients. The treatment modality for obtaining better survival outcomes will be investigated.

Clinical validation of the 2017 international consensus guidelines on intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas

PURPOSE: The 2017 international consensus guidelines (ICG) for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas were recently released. Important changes included the addition of worrisome features such as elevated serum CA 19-9 and rapid cyst growth (>5 mm over 2 years). We aimed to clinically validate the 2017 ICG and compare the diagnostic performance between the 2017 and 2012 ICG. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study. During January 2000–January 2017, patients who underwent complete surgical resection and had pathologic confirmation of branch-duct or mixed-type IPMN were included. To evaluate diagnostic performance, the areas under the receiver operating curves (AUCs) were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 448 patients were included. The presence of mural nodule (hazard ratio [HR], 9.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.60–18.09; P = 0.001), main pancreatic duct dilatation (>5 mm) (HR, 5.32; 95% CI, 2.67–10.60; P = 0.001), thickened cystic wall (HR, 3.40; 95% CI, 1.51–7.63; P = 0.003), and elevated CA 19-9 level (>37 unit/mL) (HR, 5.25; 95% CI, 2.05–13.42; P = 0.001) were significantly associated with malignant IPMN. Malignant lesions showed a cyst growth rate >5 mm over 2 years more frequently than benign lesions (60.9% vs. 29.7%, P = 0.012). The AUC was higher for the 2017 ICG than the 2012 ICG (0.784 vs. 0.746). CONCLUSION: The new 2017 ICG for IPMN is clinically valid, with a superior diagnostic performance to the 2012 ICG. The inclusion of elevated serum CA 19-9 level and cyst growth rate to the 2017 ICG is appropriate.

Surgical Strategy for T2 Gallbladder Cancer: Nationwide Multicenter Survey in Korea

BACKGROUND: Although all guidelines suggest that T2 gallbladder (GB) cancer should be treated by extended cholecystectomy (ECx), high-level scientific evidence is lacking because there has been no randomized controlled trial on GB cancer. METHODS: A nationwide multicenter study between 2000 and 2009 from 14 university hospitals enrolled a total of 410 patients with T2 GB cancer. The clinicopathologic findings and long-term follow-up results were analyzed after consensus meeting of Korean Pancreas Surgery Club. RESULTS: The 5-year cumulative survival rate (5YSR) for the patients who underwent curative resection was 61.2%. ECx group showed significantly better 5YSR than simple cholecystectomy (SCx) group (65.4% vs. 54.0%, P = 0.016). For N0 patients, there was no significant difference in 5YSR between SCx and ECx groups (68.7% vs. 73.6%, P = 0.173). Systemic recurrence was more common than locoregional recurrence (78.5% vs. 21.5%). Elevation of cancer antigen 19-9 level preoperatively and lymph node (LN) metastasis were significantly poor prognostic factors in a multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: ECx including wedge resection of GB bed should be recommended for T2 GB cancer. Because systemic recurrence was more common and recurrence occurred more frequently in patients with LN metastasis, postoperative adjuvant therapy should be considered especially for the patients with LN metastasis.

Comparison of the Clinicopathologic Characteristics of Intraductal Papillary Neoplasm of the Bile Duct according to Morphological and Anatomical Classifications

BACKGROUND: Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) is a recently defined entity and its clinical characteristics and classifications have yet to be established. We aimed to clarify the clinical features of IPNB and determine the optimal morphological classification criteria. METHODS: From 2003 to 2016, 112 patients with IPNB who underwent surgery were included in the analysis. After pathologic reexamination by a specialized biliary-pancreas pathologist, previously suggested morphological and anatomical classifications were compared using the clinicopathologic characteristics of IPNB. RESULTS: In terms of histologic subtypes, most patients had the intestinal type (n = 53; 48.6%) or pancreatobiliary type (n = 33; 30.3%). The simple “modified anatomical classification” showed that extrahepatic IPNB comprised more of the intestinal type and tended to be removed by bile duct resection or pancreatoduodenectomy. Intrahepatic IPNB had an equally high proportion of intestinal and pancreatobiliary types and tended to be removed by hepatobiliary resection. Morphologic classifications and histologic subtypes had no effect on survival, whereas a positive resection margin (75.9% vs. 25.7%; P = 0.004) and lymph node metastasis (75.3% vs. 30.0%; P = 0.091) were associated with a poor five-year overall survival rate. In the multivariate analysis, a positive resection margin and perineural invasion were important risk factors for survival. CONCLUSION: IPNB showed better long-term outcomes after optimal surgical resection. The “modified anatomical classification” is simple and intuitive and can help to select a treatment strategy and establish the proper scope of the operation.

Comparison of surgical outcomes of intracorporeal hepaticojejunostomy in the excision of choledochal cysts using laparoscopic versus robot techniques

PURPOSE: Increasing surgical expertise in minimally invasive surgery has allowed laparoscopic surgery to be performed in many abdominal surgeries. Laparoscopic choledochal cyst excision and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy are challenging and sophisticated surgeries because of the difficult anastomosis. Recent advances in robotic surgery have enabled more delicate and precise movements, and Endowrist instruments allow for securing sutures during anastomosis. This study aimed to compare surgical outcomes of laparoscopic and robotic hepaticojejunostomy in choledochal cyst excision. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic-hybrid choledochal cyst excision from 2004 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed and compared. In robotic surgery, dissection was performed laparoscopically, and hepaticojejunostomy was performed using a robotic platform. RESULTS: The mean operative time was significantly longer in robotic surgery than in laparoscopic surgery (247.94 ± 54.14 minutes vs. 181.31 ± 43.06 minutes, P < 0.05). The mean estimated blood loss (108.71 ± 15.53 mL vs. 172.78 ± 117.46 mL, respectively, P = 0.097) and postoperative hospital stay (7.33 ± 2.96 days vs. 6.22 ± 1.06 days, P = 0.128) were comparable between procedures. Compared to the laparoscopic approaches, robotic surgery had significantly less short-term complications (22.4% vs. 0%, P = 0.029). There were more biliary leakage (n = 7, 14.3%) observed during the first 30 days after surgery in laparoscopy while none were observed in the robotic method. CONCLUSION: Robotic surgery allow for more precise and secure sutures during anastomosis thereby reducing biliary complications. With expanding knowledge and expertise, robotic surgery may offer more advantages over laparoscopy in the era of minimally invasive surgery.

A Late Adopter's Perspective on Minimally Invasive Surgery: Presidential Lecture at KSEL 2018

No abstract available.

Comparison of Single-Incision Robotic Cholecystectomy, Single-Incision Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy and 3-Port Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy - Postoperative Pain, Cosmetic Outcome and Surgeon's Workload

PURPOSE: Robotic-associated minimally invasive surgery is a novel method for overcoming some limitations of laparoscopic surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes (postoperative pain, cosmesis, surgeon's workload) of single-incision robotic cholecystectomy (SIRC) vs. single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) vs. conventional three-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (3PLC). METHODS: 134 patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic cholecystectomy at a single center during 2016~2017 were enrolled. Prospectively collected data included demographics, operative outcomes, questionnaire regarding pain and cosmesis, and NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) scores for surgeon's workload. RESULTS: 55 patients underwent SIRC, 29 SILC, and 50 3PLC during the same period. 3PLC patient group was older than the others (SIRC vs. SILC vs. 3PLC: 48.1 vs. 42.2 vs. 54.1 years, p < 0.001). Operative time was shortest with 3PLC (44.1 vs. 38.8 vs. 25.4 min, p < 0.001). Estimated blood loss, postoperative complications, and postoperative stay were similar among the groups. Pain control was lowest in the 3PLC group (98.2% vs. 100% vs. 84.0%, p=0.004), however, at 2 weeks postoperatively there were no differences among the groups (p=0.374). Cosmesis scores were also worst after 3PLC (17.5 vs. 18.4 vs. 13.3, p < 0.001). NASA-TLX score was highest in the SILC group (21.9 vs. 44.3 vs. 25.2, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although SIRC and SILC take longer than 3PLC, they produce superior cosmetic outcomes. Compared with SILC, SIRC is more ergonomic, lowering the surgeon's workload. Despite of higher cost, SIRC could be an alternative for treating gallbladder disease in selected patients.

Survival outcome and prognostic factors of neoadjuvant treatment followed by resection for borderline resectable pancreatic cancer

PURPOSE: Neoadjuvant treatment may provide improved survival outcomes for patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical outcomes of neoadjuvant treatment and to identify prognostic factors. METHODS: Forty patients who met the National Comprehensive Cancer Network definition of BRPC and received neoadjuvant treatment followed by surgery between 2007 and 2015 were evaluated. Prospectively collected clinicopathological outcomes were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean age was 61.7 years and the male-to-female ratio was 1.8:1. Twenty-six, 3, and 11 patients received gemcitabine-based chemotherapy, 5-fluorouracil, and FOLFIRINOX, respectively. The 2-year survival rate (2YSR) was 36.6% and the median overall survival (OS) was 20 months. Of the 40 patients, 34 patients underwent resection and the 2YSR was 41.2% while the 2YSR of patients who did not undergo resection was 16.7% (P = 0.011). The 2YSR was significantly higher in patients who had partial response compared to stable disease (60.6% vs. 24.3%, P = 0.038), in patients who did than did not show a CA 19-9 response after neoadjuvant treatment (40.5% vs. 0%, P = 0.039) and in patients who did than did not receive radiotherapy (50.8% vs. 25.3%, P = 0.036). Five patients had local recurrence and 17 patients had systemic recurrence with a median disease specific survival of 15 months. CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant treatment followed by resection is effective for BRPC. Pancreatectomy and neoadjuvant treatment response may affect survival. Effective systemic therapy is needed to improve long-term survival since systemic metastasis accounts for a high proportion of recurrence.

Long-Term Outcome of Distal Cholangiocarcinoma after Pancreaticoduodenectomy Followed by Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy: A 15-Year Experience in a Single Institution / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the long-term outcome in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) followed by adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC) in a high-volume center and to identify the prognostic impact of clinicopathologic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 132 consecutive patients who met the inclusion criteria were retrieved from the institutional database from January 1995 to September 2009. All patients received adjuvant treatments at a median of 45 days after the surgery. Median follow-up duration was 57 months (range, 6 to 225 months) for all patients and 105 months for survivors (range, 13 to 225 months). RESULTS: The 5-year locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) rates were 70.7%, 55.7%, 49.4%, and 48.1%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed poorly differentiated (P/D) tumors and lymph node (LN) metastasis were significantly associated with DMFS and OS. Additionally, preoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 level was significantly correlated with DFS, LRRFS, and DMFS. Upon multivariate analysis for OS, P/D tumors (p=0.015) and LN metastasis (p=0.003) were significant prognosticators that predicted inferior OS. Grade 3 or higher late gastrointestinal toxicity occurred in only one patient (0.8%). CONCLUSION: Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy after PD for DCC is an effective and tolerable strategy without significant side effects. During long-term follow-up, we found that prognosis of DCC was mainly influenced by histologic differentiation and LN metastasis. For patients with these risk factors, further research should focus on improving adjuvant strategies as well as other treatment approaches.

The natural course of pancreatic fistula and fluid collection after distal pancreatectomy: is drain insertion needed?

PURPOSE: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is one of the most common and clinically relevant complications after distal pancreatectomy. Some aspects of POPF management remain controversial. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the natural course of POPF and fluid collection after distal pancreatectomy and to reappraise the necessity of intraoperative abdominal drainage insertion. METHODS: For recent 10 years, 264 distal pancreatectomies were performed at Seoul National University Hospital. Clinicopathologic data including POPF and postoperative fluid collection (POFC), and its treatment modality were reviewed retrospectively. During follow-up, the location, size, and clinical impact of the POFC were determined on the basis of CT images. RESULTS: Clinically relevant POPFs were identified in 72 patients (27.3%). Therapeutic interventions were performed in 40 patients (55.6%), and conservative management was successful in 32 patients (44.4%). POFC was detected in 191 cases (72.3%) on the first postoperative CT. During follow-up, spontaneous regressions were observed in 119 cases (93.0%). Only thick pancreatic stump increased the risk of clinically relevant POPF (≥17.3 mm, P = 0.002) and the occurrence of POFC (≥16.0 mm, P < 0.001) in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative abdominal drainage insertion could be selectively indwelled in patients with a thickness of pancreas ≥17.3 mm. Since radiologically-proven POFC after distal pancreatecomy showed a 93.0 rate of spontaneous regression, POFC without signs of infection can be safely monitored.

Fellows' perception of fellowship training and overarching issues

Patient expectations for specialized medical care have spawned fellowship programs that require additional subspecialty training after residency training completion. The present study assessed the curricula and training environment adequacy of fellowship programs as perceived by current trainees and identified improvement areas for South Korea's overall fellowship program. A questionnaire was distributed to 1,764 fellows training at 6 university hospitals in Seoul, Korea during October 2014. From a return rate of 33.1%, 26.2% (403 responses) of all questionnaires distributed were compete enough to include in the analysis. Fellows participating in the survey were enrolled in fellowship programs with occupational aspirations of professorship and academic aspirations of subspecialty exploration. Nevertheless, more than half of the participating fellows did not have a clear understanding of their program's objectives. Many hoped for reduced clinical hours, increased research time allowance, and higher pay compared to current training environment and salary. The fellows' satisfaction with their program's curriculum and training environment was above 3 points on a Likert scale of 1 to 5. Receiving a training objective and financial support for academic activities by the training institution were factors influencing fellows' satisfaction level regarding both the curriculum and training environment. Clearly defined program objectives, a specialized curriculum for fellows, improved working conditions, and reflection on medical workforce policies are imperative for the advancement of Korean fellowship programs.

Difficult diagnosis and localization of focal nesidioblastosis: clinical implications of ⁶⁸Gallium-DOTA-D-Phe¹-Tyr³-octreotide PET scanning

Focal nesidioblastosis is a rare cause of endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia in adults. Because it is difficult to localize and detect with current imaging modalities, nesidioblastosis is challenging for biliary-pancreatic surgeons. ⁶⁸Gallium-DOTA-D-Phe¹-Tyr³-octreotide PET scanning and ¹¹¹indium-pentetreotide diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid octreotide scanning may be superior to conventional imaging modalities in determining the localization of nesidioblastosis. We report the successful surgical treatment of a 54-year-old woman with focal hyperplasia of the islets of Langerhans, who experienced frequent hypoglycemic symptoms and underwent various diagnostic examinations with different results.