Upfront versus resection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for pancreatic adenocarcinomas with venous contact: comparative analysis of operative and survival outcomes.

Background: Neoadjuvant treatment before resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma having contact with the splenomesentericoportal venous axis could improve the results of extended pancreatectomies. We compared the outcomes of upfront (UR) and resection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data of patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with venous resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2020. Operative, pathologic, and survival outcomes were compared between upfront and resection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Results: Of the 169 patients, 55 patients underwent preoperative chemotherapy and 114 underwent upfront. No differences were found in operative time, morbidity, and mortality between the 2 groups. At pathologic examination, patients who underwent resection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy had a significantly smaller tumor size, higher rate of R0 resection, less lymph node involvement, and a lower rate of pathologic venous invasion (P < .05). The median overall survival was 27.96 months, and the overall survival rates at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years were 82%, 39%, 22%, and 11%, respectively. Multivariate Cox analysis found neoadjuvant treatment (hazard ratio: 0.60; 95% confidence interval: 0.38-0.97; P = .03), and intraoperative transfusion (hazard ratio: 2.25; 95% confidence interval: 1.47-3.46; P = .0002) as independent prognostic factors for overall survival. A dose-dependent effect of perioperative transfusion on overall survival was found (no transfusion, = 2 red blood cells, >2 red blood cells; median overall survival 41.1 months vs 27.01 months vs 19.4 months; P = .0003).

Conclusion: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves the pathologic and survival outcomes of pancreaticoduodenectomy with venous resection for pancreatic adenocarcinomas. The dose-dependent effect of perioperative transfusion on overall survival warrants further investigation.