Outcome after pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignancy in elderly patients.

Background/aims: To evaluate short-term outcomes and long-term survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignancy in elderly Chinese patients (aged 70 years or older) compared with younger patients.

Methodology: Between January 2005 and December 2013, 216 consecutive patients who underwent a PD with pancreatic cancer or periampullary cancers in our institution were recruited in this study. Sixty-eight patients aged 70 years or older when they underwent PD, while 148 patients younger than 70.

Results: There were no significant differences in postoperative mortality (p = 0.104), overall morbidity (p = 0.057) and surgical complications (p = 0.200) between the elderly patients and the younger patients. Elderly patients had a significantly higher incidence of cardiac events (p = 0.008) and pneumonia (p = 0.041) postoperatively. The postoperative hospital stay in the older age group was significantly longer (p = 0.013). The overall survival did not differ between the two age groups both when patients with pancreatic cancer were analyzed (p = 0.836) and when patients with periampullary cancers were analyzed (p = 0.817).

Conclusions: Our results showed that pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignancy in Chinese patients over 70 years old could be performed safely. Age should not be considered as a contraindication to pancreaticoduodenectomy.