Pancreatectomy after neoadjuvant therapy in borderline resectable pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Background: Pancreatectomy after neoadjuvant therapy in patients without disease progression is the standard treatment for borderline pancreatic cancer; however, no national series have been published to date.
Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate morbidity and mortality of patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer undergoing pancreatectomy after neoadjuvant therapy.
Material and methods: A total of 15 patients treated between 2011 and 2018 were analyzed. The epidemiologic data, type of neodajuvant therapy, radiological evaluation of the response to neoadjuvant therapy, morbidity, mortality and survival were evaluated. These 15 patients who underwent pancreatectomy after neoadjuvant therapy were compared with 15 pancreatectomized patients without previous neoadjuvant therapy.
Results: Mean age was 66.5 years and 8 patients were men. The most common neoadjuvant therapy regimens were FOLFIRINOX (n = 6) and gemcitabine/paclitaxel (n = 5); 8 patients required additional radiation therapy. The radiological evaluation of the response to neoadjuvant therapy showed stable disease in 10 patients and partial response in 4. Eleven patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy and 4 underwent splenectomy and pancreatectomy. Ten patients required some type of vascular resection. Morbidity was 60% (9/15), there were no deaths and mean survival was 23.4 months. There were no significant differences in morbidity, mortality and survival with the 15 pancreatectomized patients without previous neoadjuvant therapy.
Conclusion: Neoadjuvant therapy has extended resectability of advanced pancreatic cancer. In high volume centers, pancreatectomy after neoadjuvant therapy has similar morbidity, and survival to those of pancreatic resections without previous neoadjuvant therapy.