Pancreatic cancer metastatic to a limited number of lymph nodes has no impact on outcome (original) (raw)

2016, HPB : the official journal of the International Hepato Pancreato Biliary Association

The purpose of this study was to determine the association of the extent of metastatic lymph node involvement with survival in pancreatic cancer. This is a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of patients who underwent resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma, 1999-2011. 165 patients were identified and divided into 3 groups based on the number of positive lymph nodes - 0 (group A), 1-2 (B), >3 (C). Each group had 55 patients. Those in group C were more likely to have a higher T stage, poorly differentiated grade, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), higher mean intraoperative blood loss, positive margins, tumor location involving the uncinate process, and a higher likelihood of undergoing a pancreaticoduodenectomy. Median overall survival (OS) for group A, B and C was 25.5 months (mo), 21 mo and 12.3 mo, respectively (p < 0.001). No survival difference was noted for survival between groups A and B (p = 0.86). The ratio of involved lymph nodes <0.2 was predi...