Analysis of 5-year survivors after a macroscopic curative pancreatectomy for invasive ductal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND

Surgical resections for invasive ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas can provide the only chance of cure, although the 5-year survivors are not always equated with cure.

METHODS

A total of 229 who underwent a macroscopic curative pancreatectomy for invasive ductal adenocarcinoma between 1990 and 2003 and have been observed for more than 5 years from the time of resection were retrospectively analyzed. The data of patients who survived more than 5 years were compared with those died within 5 years. The recurrence pattern and factors that influenced an additional 5-year survival in the 5-year survivors were investigated.

RESULTS

Forty patients (17%) survived more than 5 years, and the survival rate for an additional 5 years after surviving 5 years was 72%. A multivariate Cox hazards analysis showed that negative surgical margins status, less frequency of lymphatic invasion, stage </= IIB, and negative lymph node involvement were independent factors associated with long-term survival. Thirty patients (75%) were alive without recurrence, and eight (20%) died of disease within 7.3 years. Intrapancreatic nerve invasion was a significant factor predicting additional long-term survival in the 40 5-year survivors.

CONCLUSIONS

Limited cancer extension with negative lymph node metastases significantly contributes to the chance of surviving more than 5 years. A low incidence of intrapancreatic nerve invasion in the 5-year survivors affects the subsequent favorable survival.