The inflammatory pancreatic head mass: significant differences in the anatomic pathology of German and American patients with chronic pancreatitis determine very different surgical strategies.

BACKGROUND: The indications for surgery and the surgical strategy selected for chronic pancreatitis (CP) vary widely, perhaps because of unaccounted characteristics of different patient populations such as the "inflammatory mass" in the head of the pancreas, commonly described in Europe but not in America. METHODS: We compared the pancreatic morphology, anatomic complications, indications leading to intervention, and the operation performed in 93 consecutive patients with CP operated upon either at a German (n = 48) or an American (n = 45) center specializing in pancreatic surgery. Pretreatment computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging scans were reevaluated by 2 independent radiologists, especially to measure the anterior-posterior diameter of the pancreatic head (the inflammatory mass). RESULTS: The prevalence of endocrine and exocrine insufficiency was not significantly different. The median diameter of the pancreatic head mass was significantly larger in the German group (4.5 vs. 2.6 cm, P < 0.001). Inflammatory mass-dependent symptoms [gastric outlet obstruction (9/48 vs. 1/45; P = 0.02) and hemorrhage (7/48 vs. 0/45; P = 0.013)] were more frequent in the German group. Bile duct stenosis (19/48 vs. 11/43; P = 0.18) and suspicion of malignancy (5/48 vs. 11/43; P = 0.10) were comparable, whereas chronic pain (15/48 vs. 28/43; P = 0.001) was a more frequent indication for surgery in the US group. Splenic or portal vein thrombosis was found only in the German group. The duration of nonoperative therapy was significantly longer in the German group (median 56 vs. 26 months; P = 0.02). In the US group, a pancreatoduodenectomy with antrectomy was performed in most (89%) cases, whereas in the German group a duodenum-preserving head resection was preferred in more than half (25/47) of the cases (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms, duration of conservative therapy, and selection of surgical treatment all differed significantly between German and American patients with CP. These differences seem to be dependent upon surprising but unexplained disparities in the pathologic pancreatic anatomy between the 2 populations.

Quality of life in pancreatic cancer: analysis by stage and treatment.

In pancreatic cancer patients, survival and palliation of symptoms should be balanced with social and functional impairment, and for this reason, health-related quality of life measurements could play an important role in the decision-making process. The aim of this work was to evaluate the quality of life and survival in 92 patients with different stages of pancreatic adenocarcinoma who underwent surgical and/or medical interventions. Patients were evaluated with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy questionnaires at diagnosis and follow-up (3 and 6 months). At diagnosis, 28 patients (30.5%) had localized disease (group 1) and underwent surgical resection, 34 (37%) had locally advanced (group 2), and 30 (32.5%) metastatic disease (Group 3). Improvement in quality of life was found in group 1, while in group 3, it decreased at follow-up (p=0.03). No changes in quality of life in group 2 were found. Chemotherapy/chemoradiation seems not to significantly modify quality of life in groups 2 and 3. Median survival time for the entire cohort was 9.8 months (range, 1-24). One-year survival was 74%, 30%, and 16% for groups 1, 2, and 3 respectively (p=0.001). Pancreatic cancer prognosis is still dismal. In addition to long-term survival benefits, surgery impacts favorably quality of life.

Branch-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms: observations in 145 patients who underwent resection.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas arising in branch ducts are thought to be less aggressive than their main-duct counterparts, and guidelines for their conservative management were recently proposed. This study describes the combined experience of 2 tertiary centers with branch-duct IPMNs aiming to validate these recommendations. METHODS: A review of 145 patients with resected, pathologically confirmed, branch-duct IPMNs between 1990 and 2005 was conducted. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients (45.5%) had adenoma, 47 (32%) borderline tumors, 16 (11%) carcinoma in situ, and 16 (11%) invasive carcinoma. Median age was similar between benign and malignant subgroups (66 vs 67.5 years, respectively). Jaundice was more frequent in patients with cancer (12.5% vs 1.8%, respectively, P = .022) and abdominal pain in patients with benign tumors (45% vs 25%, respectively, P = .025). Forty percent of tumors were discovered incidentally. Findings associated with malignancy were the presence of a thick wall (P < .001), nodules (P < .001), and tumor diameter >or=30 mm (P < .001). All neoplasms with cancer were larger than 30 mm in size or had nodules or caused symptoms. After a mean follow-up of 45 months, the 5-year disease-specific survival for branch-duct IPMNs with noninvasive neoplasms was 100% and, for invasive cancer, was 63%. CONCLUSIONS: This large cohort of resected branch-duct IPMNs shows that cancer is present in 22% of cases and validates the recent guidelines that indicate absence of malignancy in tumors <30 mm, without symptoms or mural nodules.

Evolving patterns in the detection and outcomes of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: the Massachusetts General Hospital experience from 1977 to 2005.

OBJECTIVE: To assess changing patterns in the detection and outcomes of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs). DESIGN: Retrospective review from May 21, 1977, through September 16, 2005. SETTING: Massachusetts General Hospital, a tertiary care center. PATIENTS: We evaluated 168 patients (51% male; mean age, 56 years) who underwent surgery for histologically confirmed PNENs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surgical outcomes, survival, and changes in presentation of PNENs in 2 time groups: 1977-1999 (77 patients) and 2000-2005 (91 patients). RESULTS: Ninety-eight patients (58.3%) had nonfunctioning PNENs, 86 of which were incidental. Insulinomas were the most common type of functional neoplasm (33.3%), followed by gastrinomas and glucagonomas; 12 patients (7.1%) had multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1. Of the neoplasms, 107 (63.7%) were located in the pancreatic body or tail. A pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed in 37 patients (22.0%), distal pancreatectomy was done in 88 (52.4%), and the rest had either middle segment pancreatectomy or enucleation. There were no operative deaths. We classified 76.8% of neoplasms as benign; of those classified as malignant, 25.6% had liver metastases. Of the patients, 10.1% received adjuvant therapy. Complete follow up was available in 90.5% of patients (mean, 63.3 months). Five- and 10-year actuarial survival rates were 77% and 62%, respectively. Incidentally discovered nonfunctioning neoplasms were significantly more frequent in the last 5 years (60.4% vs 40.3%; P = .007), with a trend toward smaller neoplasms (mean, 4.2 cm vs 5.6 cm; P = .19) and lesser likelihood of malignancy (21.8% vs 40.0%; P = .08). CONCLUSIONS: We report a large single-center experience with PNENs. Increasing numbers of PNENs are being resected, largely owing to the incidental detection of nonfunctioning neoplasms. This may lead to the treatment of smaller and less malignant neoplasms.