[Indications for the surgical management of pancreatic neoplasms]

Due to its rising incidence, pancreatic neoplasia, which mainly include adenocarcinomas, neuroendocrine and cystic neoplasia of the pancreas, is becoming increasingly relevant in everyday clinical practice.Based on a systematic literature search, a working group of pancreatic experts developed evidence-based recommendations for surgical indications in pancreatic neoplasia to improve the quality.There is a clear surgical indication for primary or secondary resectable pancreatic carcinomas without metastasis, for functionally active, symptomatic and functionally inactive neuroendocrine neoplasia of more than 2 cm in size and for cystic neoplasm with symptoms or signs of malignancy including all intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasia (IPMN) of the main duct and mixed type, all mucinous-cystic neoplasia (MCN) > 4 cm and all solid pseudopapillary neoplasia (SPN). Surgery can be indicated for pancreatic carcinomas with isolated arterial vascular infiltration or for long periods of stable oligometastasis, regarding neuroendocrine neoplasias for metastasis or debulking surgery as well as for branch-duct IPMN with risk criteria and MCN <4 cm. There is no primary indication for surgery in locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer or asymptomatic serous-cystic neoplasia (SCN).The indication for surgery should always be individualized taking into account age, comorbidities and patient wishes.

Pancreatic Apoplexy: Fulminant Necrotizing Pancreatitis Leading to Completion Pancreatectomy Within 3 Days After Partial Pancreaticoduodenectomy

OBJECTIVES

Patient characteristics with postoperative acute necrotizing pancreatitis and completion pancreatectomy (CP) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) remain unclear.

METHODS

Data from all patients who underwent a PD with need for CP (January 2011-December 2019) at a German University Hospital were analyzed regarding the indications and timing of CP, laboratory and histopathological findings, and overall outcome.

RESULTS

Six hundred twelve patients underwent PD, 33 (5.4%) of them needed a CP. Indications were grade C pancreatic fistula with or without biliary leak (46% and 12%), biliary leak (6%), and hemorrhage due to pancreatic fistula (36%). Eight patients (24%) underwent CP within 3 days after PD. These fulminant courses ("pancreatic apoplexy") were accompanied by significantly higher levels of lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, serum amylase, serum lipase, drain amylase, and drain lipase compared with patients with CP after the third day. Pancreatic apoplexy was histologically associated with higher rates of pancreatic necrosis (P = 0.044) and hemorrhage (P = 0.001). A trend toward higher mortality was observed (75% vs 36%, P = 0.058).

CONCLUSIONS

Pancreatic apoplexy, defined as fulminant necrotizing pancreatitis after PD leading to CP within 3 days, is associated with characteristic laboratory and histopathological findings and a trend to higher mortality.

GIST: Correlation of risk classifications and outcome

In clinical practice, there are often discrepancies between the oncological prognosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and the actual clinical course. This study aimed to check with our collective how reliably the current classifications (Miettinen, Fletcher) predict the prognosis of GIST and to evaluate whether an extension of the classifications by the parameter proliferation activity could make sense. This prospective study enrolled 58 patients who underwent surgery on GIST from 01/2006 to 12/2016. The postoperative course (curation, recurrence, progress) was correlated with the identified risk classification and the proliferative activity. Coincidences with other tumors were strikingly common in patients with GIST (43%). Based on the risk group assignment of GIST, no assessment of the probability of the occurrence of second neoplasia could be derived. Individual patients were under- or over-graduated concerning the assessment of biological behavior based on the standard risk classifications. The inclusion of proliferative activity did not allow for a more precise predictive power - neither to the risk of recurrence and metastasis nor to the development of a second neoplasia. The study showed that there is currently no parameter or logarithm that reliably predicts the biological behavior of GIST. Due to the frequency of coincidence of second neoplasia and (rare) distant metastases, for everyday clinical practice, appropriate staging diagnostic and regular follow-up care should also be used for benign GIST.

DAXX, ATRX, and MSI in PanNET and Their Metastases: Correlation with Histopathological Data and Prognosis

INTRODUCTION

Studies on pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) regarding loss of ATRX, DAXX, or frequency of microsatellite instability (MSI) show inconclusive results. So far, data on corresponding metastaseshave not been published.

METHODS

We performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) of ATRX, DAXX, MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, and PMS2 on 74 PanNETs and 19 metastases. ATRX- and DAXX-negative PanNETs were further sequenced for mutations. We used polymerase chain reaction for MSI on cases with IHC loss of MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, and PMS2.

RESULTS

Immunohistochemical loss of DAXX and ATRX was observed in 8/74 (11%) and 6/74 (8%) PanNETs. Loss of DAXX immunoreactivity was statistically associated with higher tumor grade and showed a tendency toward a decreased overall survival. Sequencing of DAXX- (7/11 [64%]) and ATRX-negative (5/11 [45%]) PanNETs revealed a mutation in 6/7 (86%) and 2/5 (40%). The specificity of immunohistochemical loss of DAXX and ATRX for mutation was 80% and 67%, respectively. The expression status of DAXX compared to primary tumor differs in 2/12 (17%) lymph node metastases. We further identified 3/74 (4%) tumors as MSI, associated with a poor prognosis.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

Our study supports the hypothesis that a loss of DAXX immunoreactivity can identify a more aggressive subtype of PanNET with high confidence, while ATRX loss is a weaker indicator. Our results also strengthen the role of DAXX immunolabeling as a prognostic marker. We could show that ATRX might be less suitable as a surrogate for sequencing. Our results indicate that IHC of DAXX and ATRX may identify PanNET subtypes as targets for more aggressive therapy.

Perioperative or adjuvant nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine for resectable pancreatic cancer: Updated final results of the randomized phase II AIO-NEONAX trial

4133

Background: Perioperative chemotherapy (CTX) in resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is still not considered standard of care and data are limited. The NEONAX trial examined gemcitabine (Gem) plus nab-paclitaxel (nab-P), in the perioperative or adjuvant therapy of resectable PDAC (NCCN criteria). Methods: NEONAX is a prospective, randomized phase II trial with two independent experimental arms. 127 resectable PDAC patients in 22 German centers were randomized 1:1 to perioperative (2 pre- and 4 postoperative cycles, arm A) or adjuvant (6 cycles, arm B) of Gem (1000mg/m2) and nab-P (125mg/m2) on days 1,8,15 of a 28-day cycle. Results: We previously reported the primary endpoint disease free survival (DFS) at 18 mo. in the modified intention-to-treat (ITT)-population (defined as R0/R1 resected pts. that either started neoadjuvant (A) or adjuvant (B) CTX. The pre-defined DFS rate of 55% at 18 mo. was not reached in both arms (A: 32.2%, B: 41.4%). Here we present the final results of the secondary endpoints median overall survival (mOS), pN0-resection rate, perioperative morbidity/mortality and safety in the ITT-population. Most common grade ≥3 treatment emergent adverse events in the safety population were neutropenia (arm A 21.1%, arm B 12.3%), fatigue (arm A 8.8%, arm B 5.3%) and anemia (arm A 10.5%, arm B 1.8%). The most frequent post-/perioperative complications of all grades in pts. undergoing resection were infections (arm A: 24.4%, arm B: 8.8%), pancreatic fistulas (arm A: 14.6%; arm B: 13.3%) and bleedings (arm A: 9.7%; arm B: 6.7%). Perioperative mortality was 2.4% in the neoadjuvant and 6.7% in the upfront surgery setting. The median number of resected lymph nodes was comparable in both arms (A: n = 21, B: n = 26). The pN0-resection rate was 33.3% in the neoadjuvant/perioperative arm A and 29.5% in the upfront surgery arm B. R0 resection rates were 87.8% in arm A and 67.4% in arm B, respectively. Median OS as a key secondary endpoint in the ITT population was 25.2 mo. in arm A and 16.7 mo. for upfront surgery, a difference of 8.5 mo. This difference corresponds to a mDFS of 11.5 mo. in arm A and 5.9 mo. in arm B. 91.5% of pts. in arm A started and 84.7% completed neoadjuvant CTX but only 42.4% of pts. in arm B started adjuvant CTX. Conclusions: Perioperative treatment with Gem/nab-P was well tolerated and showed an encouraging mOS of 25.2 mo., this is well in the range of the data in SWOG 1505 (23.6 mo.) or PREOPANC (15.7 mo.). The corresponding mOS in the upfront surgery arm was 16.7 mo. The 8.5 mo. difference may be explained by the fact that many pts. in arm B did not receive adjuvant treatment whereas the vast majority of pts. in arm A completed at least preoperative CTX. Neoadjuvant/perioperative treatment is a promising novel option for pts. with resectable PDAC. The optimal treatment regimen is subject of current clinical trials. Clinical trial information: NCT02047513.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on colorectal cancer (CRC) care: Data from 22 German cancer centers (CC) and the Institute of Pathology, Ruhr-University Bochum - the AIO (Working Group for Internal Oncology of the German Cancer Society) CancerCOVID Consortium - AIO-YMO/KRK 520/ass

3626

Background: CRC still is one of the leading causes of cancer related death though prognosis has improved through guideline based management. The COVID-19 pandemic lead to re-allocation of resources subordinating all sections of care for CRC patients. We present data on changes of CRC care during the pandemic from 22 German AIO CC and our high volume Institute of Pathology (pathology). Methods: Data was collected retrospectively comparing the months (mo) of the first wave (fw) (4-6/2020) and second wave (sw) (11-12/2020) of the pandemic with corresponding periods (cp) in 2019 focusing on the number of precancerous (ICD-O/0+2) and malignant (ICD-O/3+6) colorectal lesions (CRL) diagnosed by our pathology, the number/stage of primary diagnoses (PD) and the number of surgeries (surg) at AIO CC. There, quality criteria of CRC care were also assessed (number of PD discussed within a multidisciplinary tumor board (tb), received social service (soc)/ psychological (psy) counseling or recruited into a clinical trial). Statistical analysis was performed using students t-test for paired data. Results: Numbers of CRL detected upon histology (row 1-3), number of cases, surg and quality criteria from AIO CC (row 4-9) are displayed in the table. We saw a dip in diagnosed CRL and number of surg (p=0.007) only during fw, whereas PD dipped significantly in both waves. A significant reduction in diagnosis of stage III CRC was detected for 2019 vs. 2020 (p=0.001), not for other stages. Quality criteria showed a significant reduction in clinical trial inclusion, a small dip in soc/psy counseling and persistently high tb presentation. Conclusions: We detected a significant decrease of premalignant lesions and primary cancers during the first year of the pandemic which may impact cancer mortality in the future. Certified German CC provided CRC care with significant reduction in clinical trial inclusion only, suggesting high stability of established certified cancer care infrastructure.[Table: see text]

Randomized phase III trial of induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy alone for nonresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer: First results of the CONKO-007 trial

4008

Background: Chemotherapy (CT) is the standard of care in nonresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer. The CONKO-007 trial studied the role of sequential CT and chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods: In this randomized multicenter phase III trial resectability was judged by an independent surgical board. Patients (pts) received induction chemotherapy (IC) for 3 months (3 cycles gemcitabine (Gem, 1000 mg/m² d1, 8, 15, q4w) or FOLFIRINOX (6 cycles, q2w)). After IC pts without progression were randomized to either continuing CT for another 3 months or receiving CRT (cumulative dose of 50.4Gy, single dose 1.8Gy + Gem 300 mg/m² weekly, followed by 1 cycle of Gem 1000 mg/m² at d1, 8, 15). The primary endpoint of the study was overall survival (OS) since the begin of IC. Determination of sample size calculated 590 pts to be randomized. Due to the exclusion of pts with progressive disease after IC a total of 830 pts should be enrolled. Due to delayed patient accrual the primary endpoint was changed to R0 resection rate resulting in an estimated sample size of 525 pts. Results: Between 04/2013 and 02/2021 a total of 525 pts were enrolled in 47 sites. 402 pts received IC with FOLFIRINOX and 93 pts with Gem. After IC 190 pts were excluded due to progression or toxicity, 335 were randomized, their median FU was 16 months. Hematological toxicities were significantly increased in the CRT arm, non-hematological toxicities were comparable. R0 CRM- resection rate and pCR rate was significantly higher in the CRT arm. R1-resections occurred significantly more often in the CT arm. Median progression-free survival (PFS) (HR 0.919, 95% CI 0.702-1.203, p=0.540) and OS (HR 0.964, 95% CI 0.760-1.225, p=0.766) did not differ significantly in both arms, whereas the PFS rate tended to be higher in the CRT arm after 2 years. OS rates for CRM- R0 surgery with 87.5. ± 0.05% (1y) and 67.2 ± 0.05% (2y) were significantly higher (p<0.01) than for CRM+ R0 surgery with 66.7 ± 0.15% (1y) and 41.2 ± 0.1% (2y) as well as for patients without or incomplete surgery with 68.5 ± 0.03% (1y) and 26.4 ± 0.03% (2y). Conclusions: The addition of radiotherapy after IC improves the R0 CRM - resection and pCR rate without significant change in R0 resection rate (primary endpoint). Pts with R0 CRM - resections had a better prognosis compared to patients with either R0 CRM+ or incomplete or without surgery. However, this effect on resectability did not translate into a statistically significant PFS or OS benefit in the whole cohort. Clinical trial information: NCT01827553. [Table: see text]

New Therapy Options for Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Pancreas—The Emergent Substance GP-2250 and Gemcitabine Prove to Be Highly Effective without the Development of Secondary Resistances In Vitro and In Vivo

Simple Summary

Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the pancreas is a highly aggressive form of neuroendocrine tumor associated with poor survival and increasing occurrence. GP-2250 is an emergent substance showing antineoplastic properties, especially in combination with Gemcitabine. This study was the first to evaluate the antineoplastic effects of GP-2250 on pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma. The combination of GP-2250 and Gemcitabine showed highly synergistic effects in a cell culture model, as well as in mice, without the development of secondary resistances. These findings form the basis for further clinical evaluation of a highly promising combination therapy.

Abstract

Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the pancreas (pNEC) is an aggressive form of neuroendocrine tumor characterized by a rising incidence without an increase in survival rates. GP-2250 is an oxathiazinane derivate possessing antineoplastic effects, especially in combination with Gemcitabine on the pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The cytotoxic effects of the monotherapy of GP-2250 (GP-2250_mono) and Gemcitabine (Gem_mono), as well as the combination therapy of both, were studied in vitro using an MTT-assay on the QGP-1 and BON-1 cell lines, along with in vivo studies on a murine xenograft model of QGP-1 and a patient-derived xenograft model (PDX) of Bo99. In vitro, Gem_mono and GP-2250_mono showed a dose-dependent cytotoxicity. The combination of GP-2250 and Gemcitabine exhibited highly synergistic effects. In vivo, the combination therapy obtained a partial response in QGP-1, while GP-2250_mono and Gem_mono showed progressive disease or stable disease, respectively. In Bo99 PDX, the combination therapy led to a partial response, while the monotherapy resulted in progressive disease. No development of secondary resistances was observed, as opposed to monotherapy. This study was the first to evaluate the effects of the emerging substance GP-2250 on pNEC. The substance showed synergism in combination with Gemcitabine. The combination therapy proved to be effective in vitro and in vivo, without the development of secondary resistances.

[Surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer-What is new?]

The incidence of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is continuously increasing and will become the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Europe and the USA by 2030. With a 5-year overall survival rate of less than 10% the prognosis remains poor. So far surgical tumor resection remains the only curative treatment option, which is now partially supported by multimodal neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy concepts. Due to the aggressive tumor biology patients with advanced pancreatic cancer in particular can profit from these multimodal therapy concepts. Additionally, in recent years surgical treatment was optimized, the criteria for tumor resectablity were defined and minimally invasive surgery was widely introduced. This review article summarizes the newest developments and the new German S3 guidelines concerning surgery of pancreatic cancer.

[Diagnostic Imaging of pancreatic carcinoma-Update of the new guideline]

The new German S3 guidelines on ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma were published for the first time on the homepage of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) in December 2021 as a new update and thus the second update (first update 2013) and contain a large number of innovations in terms of diagnostics and treatment. The guidelines were organized and led by the German Society for Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS). In this article we would like to present the central content and innovations related to the radiological diagnostics of ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The most important innovations are the highest recommendation strength in favor of computed tomography (CT) when assessing tumor spread as well as the adaptation of the European guidelines for cystic tumors by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) as the method of first choice. A further innovation is the implementation of a structured reporting of CT findings for describing the anatomical tumor resectability on the basis of the publication presented by the Abdominal Imaging Working Group and the Oncological Imaging Working Group of the German Radiological Society. There is no evidence for the implementation of radiological imaging in the field of aftercare or in the field of screening.

Preservation of aberrant right hepatic arteries does not affect safety and oncological radicality of pancreaticoduodenectomy—own results and a systematic review of the literature

Background

Aberrant right hepatic arteries (aRHA) are frequently encountered during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Their effects on surgical morbidity and resection margin are still debated. This study aimed to compare the short term and long term outcomes in patients with and without aRHA.

Methods

A single-center retrospective analysis of 353 consecutive PD during a 5-year period was done. The type of arterial supply was determined preoperatively by CT and confirmed at surgery. Hiatt types III-VI included some type of aRHA and comprised the study group. Hiatt types I and II were considered irrelevant for PD and used as controls. Primary endpoints were the rates of major postoperative complications and the rate of R0-resection in cases of malignant disease. Secondary endpoints included duration of surgery, postoperative stay, number of harvested lymph nodes and survival in patients with pancreatic cancer. Own results were compared to existent data using a systematic review of the literature.

Results

No aRHA had to be sacrificed or reconstructed. Surgical morbidity and specific complications such as post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage (PPH), pancreatic fistula and bile leak were the same in patients with and without aRHA. There was no significant difference in operative time, blood loss, length of ICU- and hospital stay. Patients with malignancy had similar high rates of R0-resection and identical number of harvested lymph nodes. Survival of patients with pancreatic cancer was not affected by aRHA.

Conclusions

aRHA may be preserved in virtually all cases of PD for resectable pancreatic head lesions without increasing surgical morbidity and without compromising oncological radicality in patients with cancer, provided the variant anatomy is being recognised on preoperative CT and a meticulous surgical technique is used.

Impact of pylorus preservation on delayed gastric emptying after pancreaticoduodenectomy-analysis of 5,000 patients based on the German StuDoQ|Pancreas-Registry

BACKGROUND

Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is one of the most common complications after pancreatic head resection. It leads to increased length of hospital stay, high costs for healthcare systems and reduced quality of life. The primary aim of the study was to assess the impact of pylorus preservation, respectively resection on the occurrence of DGE in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

METHODS

All cases of pylorus-resecting PD (PRPD) and pylorus-preserving PD (PPPD) entered in the StuDoQ|Pancreas nationwide registry of the German Society of General and Visceral Surgery from 01/01/2014 until 31/12/2018 including demographics, surgical techniques, histopathological and perioperative data were retrospectively analyzed. This study was approved by the ethics committee of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany.

RESULTS

Data of 5,080 patients were enrolled. PPPD was the method of choice (70.4%). Pylorus preservation had no impact on the occurrence of DGE (20.3% vs. 21.5%, P=0.33), but further risk factors could be identified. The comparison of PPPD and PRPD groups showed statistically significant differences in the surgical approach (primary open approach, 94.8% vs. 98.0%, P<0.001), duration of surgery (326.4 vs. 352.1 minutes, P<0.001), technique of pancreatic anastomosis (pancreaticojejunostomy vs. pancreaticojejunostomy), 78.6% vs. 85.2%, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Patient factors, intraoperative factors, duration of surgery and postoperative factors (postoperative pancreatic fistula, biliary leakage and other surgical complications) were identified as risk factors for DGE. Future research should focus on register-based, prospective, randomised-controlled studies such as the currently recruiting "PyloResPres trial".

Pancreatoduodenectomy with or without prophylactic falciform ligament wrap around the hepatic artery for prevention of postpancreatectomy haemorrhage: a randomized clinical trial (PANDA trial)

BACKGROUND

Postpancreatectomy haemorrhage (PPH) is a rare but potentially fatal complication after pancreatoduodenectomy. Preventive strategies are lacking with scarce data for support. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a prophylactic falciform ligament wrap around the hepatic and gastroduodenal artery can prevent PPH from these vessels.

METHODS

In a randomized, controlled, multicentre trial, patients who were scheduled for elective open partial pancreatoduodenectomy with pancreatojejunostomy between 5 November 2015 and 2 April 2020 were randomly allocated in a 1 : 1 ratio to undergo pancreatoduodenectomy with (intervention) or without (control) a falciform ligament wrap around the hepatic artery. The primary endpoint was the rate of clinically relevant PPH from the hepatic artery or gastroduodenal artery stump within 3 months after pancreatoduodenectomy. Secondary endpoints were the rates of associated postoperative complications, for example postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) and PPH.

RESULTS

Altogether, 445 patients were randomized with 222 and 223 in each group. Among the patients included in modified intention-to-treat analysis (207 in the intervention group and 210 in the control group), the primary endpoint was observed in six of 207 in the intervention group compared with 15 of 210 in the control group (2.9 versus 7.1 per cent respectively; odds ratio 0.39 (95 per cent c.i. 0.15 to 1.02); P = 0.071). Per protocol analysis showed a significant reduction in the intervention group (odds ratio 0.26 (95 per cent c.i. 0.09 to 0.80); P = 0.017). A soft pancreas texture (43 per cent) and the rate of a clinically relevant POPF were evenly (20 per cent) distributed between the groups. The rate of any clinically relevant PPH including the primary endpoint and other bleeding sites was not significantly different between intervention and control groups (9.7 versus 14.8 per cent respectively).

CONCLUSION

A falciform ligament wrap may reduce PPH from the hepatic artery or gastroduodenal artery stump and should be considered during pancreatoduodenectomy. Registration number: NCT02588066 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).

Identification and validation of a multivariable prediction model based on blood plasma and serum metabolomics for the distinction of chronic pancreatitis subjects from non-pancreas disease control subjects

OBJECTIVE

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a fibroinflammatory syndrome leading to organ dysfunction, chronic pain, an increased risk for pancreatic cancer and considerable morbidity. Due to a lack of specific biomarkers, diagnosis is based on symptoms and specific but insensitive imaging features, preventing an early diagnosis and appropriate management.

DESIGN

We conducted a type 3 study for multivariable prediction for individual prognosis according to the TRIPOD guidelines. A signature to distinguish CP from controls (n=160) was identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry on ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-plasma and validated in independent cohorts.

RESULTS

A Naive Bayes algorithm identified eight metabolites of six ontology classes. After algorithm training and computation of optimal cut-offs, classification according to the metabolic signature detected CP with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.85 ((95% CI 0.79 to 0.91). External validation in two independent cohorts (total n=502) resulted in similar accuracy for detection of CP compared with non-pancreatic controls in EDTA-plasma (AUC 0.85 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.89)) and serum (AUC 0.87 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.95)).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study that identifies and independently validates a metabolomic signature in plasma and serum for the diagnosis of CP in large, prospective cohorts. The results could provide the basis for the development of the first routine laboratory test for CP.

Lipomatous pancreas facilitates late onset of renal cell carcinoma metastases

BACKGROUND

Late metastasizing into pancreatic tissue is a special hallmark of renal cell carcinomas (RCC). A very low prevalence leads to scarce data about therapy, prognosis and spreading pathways. The aim of the study was to analyze whether a high fat content in the pancreas facilitates RCC metastases formation. A model for density measurement of pancreatic tissue has been developed and evaluated. Pancreatic fat content was measured comparing Hounsfield units (HU) of CT scans.

METHODS

In a consecutive single centre retrospective database of 3600 patients with pancreatic resections, only 12 patients (0.3%) cases of RCC metastases in the pancreas were found. HU were measured in 3 pancreatic regions: head, body and tail in patients' CT scans. HU values were compared to a control population and results aligned with recent literature.

RESULTS

We revealed a prevalence of pancreatic metastases of RCC in 0.3% of cases. The formation of RCC in the pancreas occurred within 14 ± 5.6 years after initial diagnosis of RCC. 83.3% of the patients were alive after a follow-up period of up to 48 months. Clinical data analysis revealed an affinity for metastatic formation to lipomatous pancreas. This could be objectivized by HU analysis in CT scans.

CONCLUSION

Pancreatic metastases occur late after the first diagnosis of renal carcinoma and show an affinity for lipomatous pancreatic tissues. Due to its rarity in occurrence, multicentric studies are highly recommended to further analyze this correlation between fatty pancreas and RCC.

Plasma Metabolome Profiling Identifies Metabolic Subtypes of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers. Developing biomarkers for early detection and chemotherapeutic response prediction is crucial to improve the dismal prognosis of PDAC patients. However, molecular cancer signatures based on transcriptome analysis do not reflect intratumoral heterogeneity. To explore a more accurate stratification of PDAC phenotypes in an easily accessible matrix, plasma metabolome analysis using MxP® Global Profiling and MxP® Lipidomics was performed in 361 PDAC patients. We identified three metabolic PDAC subtypes associated with distinct complex lipid patterns. Subtype 1 was associated with reduced ceramide levels and a strong enrichment of triacylglycerols. Subtype 2 demonstrated increased abundance of ceramides, sphingomyelin and other complex sphingolipids, whereas subtype 3 showed decreased levels of sphingolipid metabolites in plasma. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that sphingolipid-related pathways differ most among subtypes. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) implied PDAC subtypes differed in their metabolic programs. Interestingly, a reduced expression among related pathway genes in tumor tissue was associated with the lowest survival rate. However, our metabolic PDAC subtypes did not show any correlation to the described molecular PDAC subtypes. Our findings pave the way for further studies investigating sphingolipids metabolisms in PDAC.

Long-term survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has the worst prognosis of all malignant tumors due to unavailable screening methods, late diagnosis with a low proportion of resectable tumors and resistance to systemic treatment. Complete tumor resection remains the cornerstone of modern multimodal strategies aiming at long-term survival. This study was performed to investigate the overall rate of long-term survival (LTS) and its contributing factors.

METHODS

This was a retrospective single-center analysis of consecutive patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for PDAC between 2007 and 2014 at the St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. Clinical and laboratory parameters were assessed and evaluated for prediction of LTS with Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

The overall rate of LTS after PD for PDAC was 20.4% (34/167). Median survival was 24 months regardless of adjuvant treatment. Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels, tumor grade, lymph vessel invasion, perineural invasion and reduced general condition were significantly associated with LTS in univariate analysis (P < 0.05). Serum levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, tumor grade, abdominal pain, male, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and duration of postoperative hospital stay were independent predictors of cancer survival in multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer related characteristics are associated with LTS in multimodally treated patients after curative PDAC surgery.

[Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas : Diagnostics, surgical treatment and postoperative outcome]

BACKGROUND

Malignant solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPN) are rare tumor entities of the pancreas. The prognosis for SPN is generally excellent, although some tumors have malignant potential and tend to metastasize or relapse.

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to investigate whether there are histopathological or surgical risk factors that enable the biological potential of SPN to be estimated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data from patients with SPN treated in two large German pancreas centers from 2009 to 2018 were evaluated with respect to the occurrence of SPN, surgical management, histopathological tumor characteristics and the postoperative outcome.

RESULTS

A total of 22 patients with SPN (17 women, 5 men) were operated on. The median age of the patients was 37 years (range 19-69 years). At the time of surgery 20 patients showed tumor growth limited to the pancreas. A female patient with recurrence of an externally resected SPN had lymph node involvement. Another female patient had a hepatic metastatic recurrence (Union Internationale contre Cancer (UICC) stage IV) of an externally resected SPN. Although all patients survived recurrence-free during the follow-up, this patient developed liver metastases again. The survival rate up to the end of the follow-up (median 43 months; range 1-132 months) of this study was 100%.

CONCLUSION

There is a lack of knowledge of the possible parameters that can be used to predict the biological behavior of SPN. Apart from an increased likelihood of recurrence after resection of an SPN recurrence, no clear risk factors could be identified in the examined patient collective that could indicate an increased malignant potential and a possibly poorer outcome. Only a radical surgical resection with lymphadenectomy enables a reliable assessment of the tumor stage and the removal of possibly affected lymph nodes, which could be the cause of a recurrence if left intact.

A Double Metachronous Ureter Metastasis following Curative Resection of Rectal Cancer

A malignant ureteral obstruction is most often due to primary tumors of the ureter. However, it can occur secondary due to external tumor compression or metastatic infiltration. Distant metastases to the ureter are extremely rare. We present a case of a rare double distant metachronic metastasis to the right ureter as well as to the right renal pelvis in a 58-year-old female with a history of anterior resection for rectal cancer 2 years earlier. She presented with recurrent urinary tract infection and right hydronephrosis caused by an ureteral mass. The patient underwent a right nephroureterectomy via laparotomy. Two metastases of the rectal cancer in the ureteral mucosa were verified at histology. On account of the infiltration of the right ureteral orifice, a completion transurethral resection of the tumor was performed. A follow-up 3 and 6 months later showed no signs of tumor relapse and the patient was doing well. The differential diagnosis of malignant ureteral obstruction in patients with history of colorectal cancer should include the rare possibility of distant metastasis from the primary tumor.

[Statement of the surgical working group for liver, gall bladder and pancreatic diseases (CALGP) of the German Society for General and Visceral Surgery (DGAV) on rapid report V19-03: association between volume of cases and quality in complex pancreatic surgery]

The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) was commissioned by the Federal Joint Committee (G‑BA) to carry out a systematic literature search and assessment of the evidence for the association between the hospital and surgeon volume of cases and the quality of the treatment results in complex pancreatic surgery. The results are presented in the rapid report V19-03. The report confirms an association between the number of cases and the quality of the treatment results in favor of hospitals and surgeons with high volume case numbers; however, a statement with respect to the minimum numbers of complex pancreatic interventions is not given. The surgical working group for liver, gall bladder and pancreatic diseases (CALGP) of the German Society for General and Visceral Surgery (DGAV) comments on these conclusions.

Late recurrences of pancreatic cancer in patients with long-term survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer remains a relevant clinical problem due to poor prognosis. Even after curative pancreaticoduodenectomy tumor recurrences occur in up to 80%. Risk factors for postoperative tumor recurrences have been identified before, but data on risk factors for tumor recurrences in patients with long-term-survival is scarce.

METHODS

In this retrospective study consecutive long-term survival-patients (defined as at least 60 months survival) undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer from 2007-2014 were identified in the 2nd largest pancreatic surgery center in Germany. Clinical, pathohistological and laboratory values were analyzed to identify risk factors for tumor recurrence.

RESULTS

Thirty-four of one-hundred-sixty-seven patients were identified as long-term-survival-patients in the study period. Of those, 10 patients (29.4%) suffered from tumor recurrence. Lymph vessel invasion was identified as an independent risk factor (P=0.031, hazard ratio 13.127, 95% confidence interval: 1.270-135.698). Median postoperative time to tumor recurrence in long-term-survival-patients was 49 months. Overall survival after diagnosis of tumor recurrence was 33 months. 80% (N=8) of the patients were asymptomatic. Half of the patients (N=5) suffered from local disease, with 40% undergoing curative tumor resection. CA 19-9 levels were significantly elevated at 57 U/mL (normal <27 U/mL).

CONCLUSIONS

Tumor recurrence in long-term-survival-patients is typically asymptomatic. Especially long-term-survival-patients with lymph vessel invasion are more likely to develop tumor recurrence. Therefore, a structured follow-up program including CT-scans and CA 19-9 surveillance must be continued in all patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy even in cases of long-term-survival.

Insulinbedarf und Glukosehomöostase bei Menschen nach partieller und totaler Pankreatektomie im Vergleich zu Menschen mit anderen Diabetesformen

Einleitung Pankreasresektionen werden bei schwerwiegenden Pankreaserkrankungen durchgeführt. Bei Komplikationen einer chronischen Pankreatitis, teilweise jedoch auch bei Raumforderungen, kann eine Pankreasteilresektion sinnvoll sein. Eine totale Pankreatektomie führt zum absoluten Insulinmangel und der Notwendigkeit einer Insulintherapie. Bei Teilresektionen (partielle Pankreatektomie) werden weniger gravierende Konsequenzen für den Glukosemetabolismus erwartet. Es ist das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit, die Insulinregime nach Pankreatektomie mit denen anderer Diabetesformen zu vergleichen.

Material und Methodik Es wurden Patientencharakteristika und Details der postoperativen Insulintherapie von pankreasoperierten Patienten einer spezialisierten Universitätsklinik für Viszeralchirurgie ausgewertet. Diese Daten wurden mit Kohorten nicht operierter Patienten mit Typ-1-Diabetes (T1DM; absoluter Insulinmangel) bzw. Typ-2-Diabetes (T2DM; Insulinresistenz und relativer Insulinmangel), jeweils unter Insulintherapie, verglichen. Ergänzt wurde diese Datenanalyse durch eine Literaturrecherche zu den Stichworten „pancreatogenic diabetes“, „type 3c diabetes“ und „pancreatectomy diabetes“.

Ergebnisse Daten von 32 (68,8 % Frauenanteil) bzw. 41 (43,9 % Frauenanteil) Patienten nach totaler bzw. partieller Pankreatektomie wurden analysiert. Vor der totalen Pankreatektomie hatten 56,3 % der Patienten einen Diabetes mellitus, postoperativ bestand bei allen Patienten eine Insulinpflichtigkeit. Dabei waren die Insulindosierungen im Vergleich mit Patienten mit T1DM (unter intensivierter Insulintherapie) signifikant niedriger (p < 0,0001). Die Dosierungen von Basal- (48,6 % weniger) und Mahlzeiteninsulin (38,1 % weniger) waren gleichermaßen betroffen. Eine partielle Pankreatektomie führte deutlich seltener zu einem Diabetes mellitus, und eine Insulintherapie war nur bei 26,8 % der Patienten erforderlich.

Diskussion Der basale und prandiale Insulinbedarf nach Pankreatektomie ist niedriger als bei einem T1DM und einem T2DM. Dies sollte bei der Blutzuckereinstellung nach Pankreatektomie berücksichtigt werden.