Defining distal splenopancreatectomy by the mesopancreas.

BACKGROUND: The implementation of the pathologic CRM (circumferential resection margin) staging system for pancreatic head ductal adenocarcinomas (hPDAC) resulted in a dramatic increase of R1 resections at the dorsal resection margin, presumably because of the high rate of mesopancreatic fat (MP) infiltration. Therefore, mesopancreatic excision (MPE) during pancreatoduodenectomy has recently been promoted and has demonstrated better local disease control, fueling the discussion of neoadjuvant downsizing regimes in MP + patients. However, it is unknown to what extent the MP is infiltrated in patients with distal pancreatic (tail/body) carcinomas (dPDAC). It is also unknown if the MP infiltration status affects surgical margin control in distal pancreatectomy (DP). The aim of our study was to histopathologically analyze MP infiltration and elucidate the influence of resection margin clearance on recurrence and survival in patients with dPDAC. Furthermore, the results were compared to a collective receiving MPE for hPDAC. METHOD: Clinicopathological and survival parameters of 295 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for PDAC (n = 63 dPDAC and n = 232 hPDAC) were evaluated. The CRM evaluation was performed in a standardized fashion and the specimens were examined according to the Leeds pathology protocol (LEEPP). The MP area was histopathologically evaluated for cancerous infiltration. RESULTS: In 75.4% of dPDAC patients the MP fat was infiltrated by vital tumor cells. The rates of MP infiltration and R0CRM- resections were similar between dPDAC and hPDAC patients (p = 0.497 and 0.453 respectively). MP- infiltration status did not correlate with CRM implemented resection status in dPDAC patients (p = 0.348). In overall survival analysis, resection status and MP status remained prognostic factors for survival. In follow up analysis. surgical margin clearance in dPDAC patients was associated with a significant improvement in local recurrence rates (5.2% in R0CRM- resected vs. 33.3 in R1/R0CRM + resected, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: While resection margin status was not affected by the MP status in dPDAC patients, the high MP infiltration rate, as well as improved survival in MP- dPDAC patients after R0CRM- resection, justify mesopancreatic excision during splenopancreatectomy. Larger scale studies are urgently needed to validate our results and to study the effect on neoadjuvant treatment in dPDAC patients.

Clinicopathological and Prognostic Value of Survivin Expression in Surgically Resected Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Survival after surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains poor. Thus, novel therapeutic concepts focus on the development of targeted therapies. In this context, inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) survivin is regarded as a promising oncotherapeutic target. However, its expression and prognostic value in different tumour compartments of PDAC have not been studied. Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis of survivin in different PDAC tumour compartments from 236 consecutive patients was correlated with clinicopathological variables and survival. Results: In comparison to healthy pancreatic tissue high nuclear (p < 0.001) and high cytoplasmic (p < 0.01) survivin expression became evident in the tumour centre, along the invasion front and in lymph node metastases. Cytoplasmic overexpression of survivin in tumour centres was related to the presence of distant metastasis (p = 0.016) and UICC III/IV stages (p = 0.009), while high cytoplasmic expression at the invasion front grouped with venous infiltration (p = 0.022). Increased nuclear survivin along the invasion front correlated with perineural invasion (p = 0.035). High nuclear survivin in tumour centres represented an independent prognostic factor for overall survival of pancreatic tail carcinomas (HR 13.5 95%CI (1.4−129.7)) and correlated with a limited disease-free survival in PDAC (HR 1.80 95%CI (1.04−3.12)). Conclusion: Survivin is associated with advanced disease stages and poor prognosis. Therefore, survivin will help to identify patients with aggressive tumour phenotypes that could benefit from the inclusion in clinical trials incorporating survivin inhibitors in PDAC.

Role of endoscopic ultrasound elastography in differential diagnosis of pancreatic solid masses.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) elastography is another technique that measures the stiffness of tissue and adds more diagnostic value to EUS. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the ability of qualitative and quantitative EUS elastography in differentiating malignant from benign solid pancreatic masses. METHODS: This 2-year cross-sectional study enrolled 80 patients with solid pancreatic masses in the department of endoscopy in Alassad University Hospital who underwent conventional and elastography-assisted EUS and then followed for pathology through EUS-guided or CT-guided biopsy or surgery. RESULTS: Qualitative elastography using a 5-point scoring system was able to recognize malignant pathology (obtained by EUS-guided biopsy, CT-guided biopsy, or surgery) with a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy rates of 100%, 28.6%, and 81.3%, respectively. A quantitative method using hue histogram had a sensitivity of 71.2%-86.4% and specificity of 71.4%-81% with the best accuracy for histogram mean ratio (area under the curve, 0.867). CONCLUSION: EUS elastography is a simple and good alternative method in differentiating malignant from benign pancreatic solid masses.

Evolution of Systemic Therapy in Metastatic Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is characterized by early systemic dissemination, a complex tumor microenvironment, as well as significant intratumoral and intertumoral heterogeneity. Treatment options and survival in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma have improved steadily over the last 3 decades. Although cytotoxic chemotherapy is currently the mainstay of treatment for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, evolving therapeutic strategies are aimed at targeting the tumor microenvironment, metabolism, and the tumor-host immune balance.

Whether early stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients could benefit from the post-operation chemotherapy regimens: a SEER-based propensity score matching study.

To investigate whether chemotherapy could prolong the postoperative survival time in patients with early stages pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A total of 5280 stage ⅠA -ⅡB PDAC patients diagnosed from 2010 to 2015 were selected from surveillance，epidemiology，and end results (SEER) database. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was adopted to reduce the baseline differences between the groups. Univariate survival analysis was conducted with the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate survival analysis was performed with the Cox proportional hazards model. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses showed that age, differentiation, stage, chemotherapy were independent risk factors for the survival of PDAC patients. After PSM, it is found that adjuvant chemotherapy could prolong the median overall survival time (mOS) for stage ⅠB, ⅡA and ⅡB patients. However, for stage ⅠA patients, there were no significant differences in 3-year survival rate and mOS between patients with chemotherapy (=283) and without chemotherapy (=229) (57.4% vs 55.6%, vs all >0.05). Further analyses show that among 101 patients with well differentiated PDAC and 294 patients with moderately differentiated PDAC, there were no significant differences in survival rate and mOS between patients with and without chemotherapy (all >0.05). Among 117 patients with low-differentiated + undifferentiated PDAC, 3-year survival rate and mOS in patients with chemotherapy were significantly better than those without chemotherapy (48.5% vs 34.1%, vs all <0.05). Chemotherapy regimen used currently is not beneficial for patients with moderately and well differentiated stage ⅠA PDAC, but it is an independent prognostic factor for low-differentiated + undifferentiated PDAC patients.

Surgical margin clearance and extended chemotherapy defines survival for synchronous oligometastatic liver lesions of the ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

BACKGROUND: The role of surgery for circumscribed synchronous hepatic lesions of the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains controversial. Thus, the aim of our study was to compare survival outcome (OS) after surgery of patients with hepatic metastases (M1surg) to patients with only localized disease. METHODS: Correlation analysis of clinicopathological data and OS after resection of M1surg patients and patients with localized PDACs (M0) was performed. Patients were included for survival analysis only if a complete staging including perineural, venous and lymphatic invasion was available. RESULTS: Out of the study collective, 35 patients received extended surgery (M1surg), whereas 131 patients received standardized surgery for localized disease (M0). Length of hospitalization and mortality was similar in both groups. FOLFIRNOX as an adjuvant treatment regime was administered in ~ 23 and ~ 8% of M1surg and M0 patients, respectively. In subgroup analysis of R0 resected patients and in multivariate analysis of the total cohort, there was no difference in overall survival between both groups. Only the resection status (R1 vs R0) and venous invasion (V1) were identified as independent prognostic factors. Site of recurrence in R0 resected M1surg patients and in M0 patients were homogenously distributed. CONCLUSION: This is the first study demonstrating a survival benefit after extended surgery for synchronously hepatic-metastasized PDACs. We found no difference in survival outcome of metastasized patients when compared to patients with localized disease. FOLFIRINOX as an adjuvant treatment regime for resected M1surg presumably is worthwhile. Larger multicenter studies are still needed to validate our results.

Prevalencia de diabetes mellitus y glucemia en ayuno alterada al momento del diagnóstico de cáncer de páncreas, en un grupo de pacientes asistidos en un centro de referencia gastroenterológico en Argentina / Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and altered fasting blood glucose at the time of pancreatic cancer diagnosis, in a group of patients assisted in a gastroenterological referral center in Argentina

Introducción: la diabetes mellitus (DM) se considera un factor de riesgo para el desarrollo de adenocarcinoma ductal de páncreas (ACDP). Objetivos: describir la prevalencia de DM y glucemia en ayuno alterada (GAA) al diagnóstico de ACDP en pacientes asistidos en un centro de referencia gastroenterológico; analizar las diferencias en las características personales y nutricionales en pacientes con ACDP y DM, ACDP y GAA, y ACDP sin DM ni GAA; establecer el tiempo transcurrido desde el diagnóstico de DM hasta diagnosticar ACDP. Materiales y métodos: de octubre de 2019 a marzo de 2020 se revisaron 465 historias clínicas de las Secciones Oncología y Nutrición de pacientes >18 años con diagnóstico de ACDP. Resultados: se registraron 171 historias clínicas (36,7%) con ACDP y DM, y 294 (63,2%) con ACDP sin DM. En el 45,1% de las primeras, el intervalo entre el diagnóstico de DM y el de ACDP fue <1 año, y en el 17,65%, 15,69% y 21,57% los lapsos correspondieron a 1 y 5 años, entre 5 y 10 años y >10 años respectivamente. Conclusiones: la prevalencia de DM en ACDP fue superior a la registrada en la población general (37% vs 12,7%), siendo del 45,10% cuando se presentó dentro del primer año del diagnóstico oncológico. Nuestros resultados concuerdan con la bibliografía internacional que relaciona la DM de reciente diagnóstico como factor asociado a la presencia de ACDP por factores de riesgo compartidos, variables fisiopatológicas de la DM o a consecuencia de la terapéutica farmacológica de la misma.

Introduction: diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered to be a risk factor for the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Objectives: describe the prevalence of DM and of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) at the diagnosis of PDAC, among patients assisted in a gastroenterological reference center. Analyze differences in personal and nutritional characteristics in patients with both PDAC and DM; with both PDAC and IFG; and with PDAC but neither DM nor IFG. Determine the time lapse between the diagnosis of DM and the diagnosis of PDAC. Materials and methods: between October 2019 and March 2020, we analyzed 465 clinical records of PDAC-diagnosed patients over 18 years, from Oncology and Nutrition Sections. Results: 171 clinical records (36.7%) showed both PDAC and DM; 294 clinical records (63.2%) showed PDAC but not DM. In 45.1% of the former, the interval between the diagnosis of DM and that of PDAC was <1 year, and in 17.65%, 15.69% and 21.57%, the lapses corresponded to 1 and 5 years, between 5 and 10 years y >10 years, respectively. Conclusions: the prevalence of DM in PDAC patients (37%) is higher than that registered in the overall population (12.7%), reaching a 45.10% when detected during the first year of oncological diagnosis. Our results match the international literature relating recently-diagnosed DM with the presence of PDAC, as effect of shared risk factors between both diseases, or DM pathophysiology factors, or DM pharmacological therapeutic

Mesopancreatic excision for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma improves local disease control and survival.

BACKGROUND: Survival in ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head (hPDAC) is poor. After implementation of the circumferential resection margin (CRM) into standard histopathological evaluation, the margin negative resection rate has drastically dropped. However, the impact of surgical radicality on survival and the influence of malignant infiltration of the mesopancreatic fat remains unclear. At our institution, a standardized dissection of the mesopancreatic lamina and peri-pancreatic vessels are obligatory components of radical pancreatoduodenectomy. The aim of our study was to histopathologically analyze mesopancreatic tumor infiltration and the influence of CRM-evaluated resection margin on relapse-free and overall survival. METHOD: Clinicopathological and survival parameters of 264 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for hPDAC were evaluated. RESULTS: The rate of R0 resection R0(CRM-) was 48.5%, after the implementation of CRM. Mesopancreatic fat infiltration was evident in 78.4% of all consecutively treated patients. Patients with mesopancreatic fat infiltration were prone to lymphatic metastases (N1 and N2) and had a higher rate of positive resection margin (R1/R0(CRM+)). In multivariate analysis, only R0 resection was shown to be an independent prognostic parameter. Local recurrence was diagnosed in only 21.1% and was significantly lower in patients with R0(CRM-) resected hPDACs (10.9%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Mesopancreatic excision is justified, since mesopancreatic fat invasion was evident in the majority of our patients. It is associated with a significantly improved local tumor control as well as longer relapse-free and overall survival.

Site of relapse of ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas affects survival after multimodal therapy.

BACKGROUND: Ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies. To date, no guidelines exists for isolated resectable metachronous disease. It is still unknown, which patients may benefit from relapse surgery. The aim of our study was to compare disease free survival (DFS) and post relapse survival (PRS) in patients with isolated local recurrence, metachronous hepatic or pulmonary metastases. METHODS: Patients with isolated resectable local recurrence, metachronous hepatic or pulmonary metastases were included for survival analyses. PRS of surgically treated patients (local (n = 11), hepatic (n = 6) and pulmonary metastases (n = 9)) was compared to conservatively treated patients (local (n = 17), hepatic (n = 37) and pulmonary metastases (n = 8)). RESULTS: Resected PDAC patients suffering from isolated metachronous hepatic metastases initially had a higher T-stage and venous invasion (V1) compared to the other patients. DFS in the metachronous pulmonary metastases group was longer compared to DFS of the hepatic metastases and local recurrence groups. Surgical resection significantly improved PRS in patients with local recurrence and pulmonary metastases, when compared to patients receiving chemotherapy alone. Very-long term survivors (> 5 years) were detected following secondary resection of local recurrence and 45% of these patients were still alive at the end of our study period. CONCLUSION: Although DFS in PDAC patients suffering from isolated local recurrence was dismal and comparable to that of patients with isolated hepatic metastases, very-long term survivors were present only in this group. These results indicate that a surgical approach for isolated local recurrence, if anatomically possible, should be considered.

Whether early stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients could benefit from the post-operation chemotherapy regimens: a SEER-based propensity score matching study / 浙江大学学报·医学版

To investigate whether chemotherapy could prolong the postoperative survival time in patients with early stages pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A total of 5280 stage ⅠA -ⅡB PDAC patients diagnosed from 2010 to 2015 were selected from surveillance，epidemiology，and end results (SEER) database. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was adopted to reduce the baseline differences between the groups. Univariate survival analysis was conducted with the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate survival analysis was performed with the Cox proportional hazards model. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses showed that age, differentiation, stage, chemotherapy were independent risk factors for the survival of PDAC patients. After PSM, it is found that adjuvant chemotherapy could prolong the median overall survival time (mOS) for stage ⅠB, ⅡA and ⅡB patients. However, for stage ⅠA patients, there were no significant differences in 3-year survival rate and mOS between patients with chemotherapy (=283) and without chemotherapy (=229) (57.4% vs 55.6%, vs all >0.05). Further analyses show that among 101 patients with well differentiated PDAC and 294 patients with moderately differentiated PDAC, there were no significant differences in survival rate and mOS between patients with and without chemotherapy (all >0.05). Among 117 patients with low-differentiated + undifferentiated PDAC, 3-year survival rate and mOS in patients with chemotherapy were significantly better than those without chemotherapy (48.5% vs 34.1%, vs all <0.05). Chemotherapy regimen used currently is not beneficial for patients with moderately and well differentiated stage ⅠA PDAC, but it is an independent prognostic factor for low-differentiated + undifferentiated PDAC patients.

[Neoadjuvant treatment of primarily resectable and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer]. / Neoadjuvante Therapie beim primär resektablen und Borderline-resektablen Pankreaskarzinom.

Due to the increasing prevalence pancreatic cancer represents a severe tumor burden to the population and will be ranked second for cancer-related mortality by the year 2030. If a curative approach is pursued a radical R0 resection of the tumor with sufficient cancer-free resection margins (≥1 mm) should be performed. This has been shown to be associated with a clear benefit for survival. For treatment planning of pancreatic cancer the tumor stage plays a pivotal role. In cases of distant metastases a palliative concept is normally initiated. If no distant metastases are detected neoadjuvant treatment can be performed in cases of borderline resectability or locally advanced stages in order to downsize these tumors. In this situation a neoadjuvant treatment has been shown to significantly increase resectability rates and to improve the tumor stage (downstaging). The most recent randomized trials were able to show a significant survival advantage of neoadjuvant treatment for borderline resectable pancreatic cancer. In cases of primarily resectable pancreatic cancer the current standard of care is an upfront resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Initial data are also available indicating a survival benefit even for resectable pancreatic cancer after neoadjuvant treatment; however, reliable randomized controlled trials showing a survival advantage of neoadjuvant treatment compared to the current standard treatment of adjuvant chemotherapy following resection are missing. Numerous randomized controlled trials investigating the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable pancreatic cancer are currently underway.

Treatment of pancreatic cancer-neoadjuvant treatment in borderline resectable/locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is currently ranked fourth place of cancer related mortality. Only a minority of 10-20% of patients with PDAC have a primarily resectable disease, while 50-60% of the patients are diagnosed with irresectable disease. A certain group of patients is defined as "borderline resectable", which is mainly relied to contact of the tumor to major abdominal vessels. For preoperative evaluation of resectability CT and MRI is commonly used. Although CT-scanning, which is the standard preoperative imaging modality, has striking limitations concerning evaluation of lymph node status as well as vessel involvement and approximately 20% of the patients are staged incorrectly. A central part of modern therapy of locally advanced or not primarily resectable PDAC is neoadjuvant therapy. Especially neoadjuvant chemotherapy according to the FOLFIRINOX protocol resulted in high resection rates of initially not resectable patients. Furthermore, treatment with FOLFIRINOX was shown to be an independent predictor of improved prognosis and resection after neoadjuvant treatment with FOLFIRINOX was associated with improved survival. Neoadjuvant treatment was able to increases the rates of R0 resection, which depicts an independent prognostic factor and FOLFIRINOX outmatched other treatment regimes (e.g., gemcitabine-based radio-chemotherapy) concerning achievement of a R0 resection. While most evidence of neoadjuvant treatment of PDAC is conferred by retrospective analysis, there is growing data from randomized controlled trials, confirming the beneficial effects of neoadjuvant therapy on the prognosis of PDAC. Thus, patients with borderline resectable and locally advanced PDAC should be evaluated for neoadjuvant treatment. If there is no progression of the disease during neoadjuvant treatment exploration with the goal of R0 resection should be performed. If possible, patients should be included in well-designed randomized controlled trials at specialized pancreatic centers.

Cáncer de páncreas en edad pediátrica / Pancreatic cancer in pediatric age

Introducción: Los tumores malignos pancreáticos en pediatría son extremadamente infrecuentes. La sobrevida en el cáncer pancreático a cinco años es baja. Objetivo: Informar a la comunidad médica acerca de una variante poco frecuente de tumor maligno pancreático en edad pediátrica. Presentación del caso: Paciente masculino de 17 años de edad, de la raza negra, que asiste a consulta en julio de 2017 por dolor en hemiabdomen superior, se considera una gastritis y se medica con dieta y antiácidos. Posteriormente comienza con dolor abdominal recurrente, pérdida de peso, anorexia, dispepsias, ictericia en piel y mucosas. Acude al gastroenterólogo quien indica una endoscopia digestiva alta y realiza el diagnóstico del tumor mediante biopsia endoscópica transduodenal. Se opera y reseca gran tumor de cabeza del páncreas junto con primera, segunda y tercera porción del duodeno (pancreatoduodenectomía). El tumor en conjunto midió aproximadamente 15 X 20 cm de diámetro y fue una cirugía completa sin lesión microscópica residual. El resultado de la biopsia indicó que se trataba de un adenocarcinoma acinar del páncreas pobremente diferenciado. Conclusión: Existen pocos casos publicados en la edad pediátrica con esta variante de tumor pancreático. Se documenta la importancia de la cirugía en la cura de la enfermedad(AU)

Introduction: Pancreatic malignancies in pediatrics are extremely infrequent, among them ductal adenocarcinoma and acinar adenocarcinoma. Survival in pancreatic cancer at five years is low. Objective: To inform the medical community about an uncommon variant of pancreatic malignant tumor in pediatric age. Case presentation: Male patient of 17 yesar of age, of the black race, who attended consultation in July of 2017 for pain in upper abdomen, is considered a gastritis and is medicated with diet and antacids. Subsequently begins with recurrent abdominal pain, weight loss, anorexia, dyspepsia, and skin and mucous. Go to the gastroenterologist who indicates an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and perform the diagnosis of the tumor by transduodenal endoscopic biopsy. A large head tumor of the pancreas is operated on and resected together with the first, second and third portion of the duodenum (pancreatoduodenectomy). The tumor as a whole measured approximately 15 X 20 cm in diameter and was a complete surgery without residual microscopic lesion. The result of the biopsy indicated that it was an acinar adenocarcinoma of the poorly differentiated pancreas. Conclusion: There are few cases published in the pediatric age with this variant of pancreatic tumor. The importance of surgery in the cure of the disease is documented(AU)

Comparative Effectiveness of nab-Paclitaxel Plus Gemcitabine vs FOLFIRINOX in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: A Retrospective Nationwide Chart Review in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: nab-Paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (nab-P + G) and FOLFIRINOX (FFX) are among the most common first-line (1L) therapies for metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (MPAC), but real-world data on their comparative effectiveness are limited. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study compared the efficacy and safety of 1L nab-P + G versus FFX, overall and under specific treatment sequences. Medical records were reviewed by 215 US physicians who provided information on MPAC patients who initiated 1L therapy with nab-P + G or FFX between April 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015. Study outcomes were overall survival (OS) and tolerability. OS was compared using Kaplan-Meier curves and adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: In total, 654 medical records were reviewed, including those of 337 and 317 patients initiated on nab-P + G and FFX as 1L MPAC therapy, respectively. nab-P + G-initiated patients were older, less likely to have ECOG ≤ 1, and had more comorbidities than FFX-initiated patients. Median OS (mOS) was 12.1 and 13.8 months for nab-P + G- and FFX-initiated patients, respectively (HR = 0.99, P = 0.96). Among patients with ECOG ≤ 1, mOS was 14.1 and 13.7 months, respectively (HR = 1.00, P = 0.99). Among patients with 1L nab-P + G and FFX, 36.1% and 41.3% received 2L therapy and experienced mOS of 16.3 and 16.6 months, respectively (HR = 1.04, P = 0.76). The rates of diarrhea, fatigue, mucositis, and nausea and vomiting were significantly higher in the FFX than nab-P + G cohort. CONCLUSION: The real-world survival was similar between patients receiving 1L nab-P + G or FFX both overall and among patients who received active 2L treatments. In addition, nab-P + G was associated with significantly lower rates of common AEs compared with FFX. FUNDING: Celgene.

Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy for adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

Since the first report on laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) appeared in the 1990s, the procedure has been performed increasingly frequently to treat both benign and malignant lesions of the pancreas. Many earlier publications have shown LDP to be a good alternative to open distal pancreatectomy for benign lesions, although this has never been studied in a prospective, randomized manner. The evidence for the use of LDP to treat adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is not as well established. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the current evidence for LDP in cases of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. We conducted a review of English language publications reporting LDP results between 1990 and 2013. All studies reporting results in patients with histologically proven pancreatic adenocarcinoma were included. Thirty-nine publications were found and included in the results for a total of 309 cases of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (potential double publications were not eliminated). Most LDP procedures are performed in selected cases and generally involve smaller tumors than open distal pancreatectomy (ODP) procedures. Some of the papers report unselected cases and include procedures on larger tumors. The number of lymph nodes harvested using LDP is comparable to the number obtained with ODP, as is the frequency of R0 resections. Current data suggest that similar short term oncological results can be obtained using LDP as those obtained using ODP.

Sensibilidad y especificidad del CA 19-9 para el diagnóstico de neoplasias pancreatobiliares en pacientes con ictericia de origen obstructivo / Sensitivity and specificity of CA-19-9 for the diagnosis of pancreatobiliary neoplasms in patients with obstructive-origin jaundice

Objetivo: Describir el comportamiento biológico del CA 19-9 en colestasis para determinar su utilidad para el diagnóstico de cáncer pancreatobiliar en pacientes con ictericia de origen obstructivo. Sede: Hospital General de México, O.D. Diseño: Prospectivo, longitudinal y comparativo. Análisis estadístico: prueba t y Kolmogorov-Smirnov para muestras independientes; prueba de valor diagnóstico (sensibilidad, especificidad y valor global). Se realizó análisis con curvas ROC para identificar sensibilidad y especificidad con los diferentes puntos de corte. Pacientes y métodos: Se incluyeron 54 pacientes con diagnóstico de ictericia de origen obstructivo. Se dividieron en dos grupos de acuerdo al diagnóstico final, enfermedad maligna vs enfermedad benigna. Se realizó determinación sérica de CA 19-9 al ingreso y al resolver la colestasis y se correlacionaron los niveles con el diagnóstico final. Resultados: En pacientes ictéricos, con un punto de corte de 60 U/mL para distinguir entre enfermedad maligna y benigna, el CA 19-9 tiene una sensibilidad de 80% y una especificidad de 90%. Una vez resuelta la colestasis con punto de corte de 39 U/mL se obtiene una sensibilidad de 71% con una especificidad de 96%. La normalización del marcador después del drenaje biliar es altamente sugerente de patología benigna. La persistencia de niveles elevados (mayores de 60 U/mL) es altamente sugerente de malignidad con una sensibilidad de 58% y especificidad de 100%. Conclusiones: La colestasis sí modifica la sensibilidad y especificidad del CA 19-9 para el diagnóstico de neoplasias malignas pancreatobiliares, por lo que en presencia de ictericia de origen obstructivo el punto de corte de 60 U/mL ofrece una sensibilidad de 80% con una especificidad de 90% para distinguir entre enfermedad benigna y maligna. Una vez resuelta la colestasis, la persistencia de niveles elevados es altamente sugerente de malignidad.

Objective: To describe the biological behavior of the tumor marker CA 19-9 in cholestasis to determine its usefulness for the diagnosis of pancreatobiliary cancer in patients with obstructive-origin jaundice. Sede: General Hospital of Mexico, third level health care center. Mexico City. Design: Prospective, longitudinal, and comparative study. Statistical analysis: T and Kolmogorov Smirnov tests for independent samples; diagnostic value test (sensitivity, specificity, and global value). Analysis with ROC curves was performed to identify sensitivity and specificity at the different cutting points. Patients and methods: We included 54 patients with a diagnosis of obstructive-origin jaundice. They were divided in two groups according to the final diagnosis, malignant disease vs. benign disease. Serum CA 19-9 was determined at admittance and once cholestasis had been resolved, and the levels were correlated with the final diagnosis. Results: In jaundice patients, with a cut point of 60 U/mL to distinguish between malignant and benign disease, the CA 19-9 marker has a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 90%. Once cholestasis had been resolved with a cut point of 39 U/mL, sensitivity was of 71% with a 96% specificity. Normalization of the marker after bile drainage is highly suggestive of benign pathology. The persistence of high levels (higher than 60 U/mL) is highly suggestive of malignancy with a sensitivity of 58% and specificity of 100%. Conclusions: Cholestasis does modify the sensitivity and specificity of the CA 19-9 marker for the diagnosis of pancreatobiliary malignant neoplasms; therefore, in the presence of obstructive-origin jaundice, the 60 U/mL cut point offers a sensitivity of 80% with a specificity of 90% to be able to distinguish between malignant and benign disease. Once cholestasis has been resolved, persistence of high levels is highly suggestive of malignancy.