Common Hepatic Artery Abutment or Encasement Is an Adverse Prognostic Factor in Patients with Borderline and Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

The involvement of the hepatic artery is a risk factor for unresectability after neoadjuvant treatment in borderline pancreatic adenocarcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (BR-PDAC) benefits from neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) with the intent of surgical salvage in the absence of disease progression during chemotherapy (CT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Scarce literature exists about prognostic factors of resectability at the time of diagnosis or during neoadjuvant treatment, especially regarding vascular relationships.

MATERIALS

We reviewed our prospective BR-PDAC cohort to determine resectability predictors. We collected data about clinical baseline characteristics, vessels' involvement, type of NAT, CA19-9 evolution, and radiological outcome. We performed a descriptive analysis and a logistic regression model to define resectability predictors; we finally compared overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) for those predictors.

RESULTS

One hundred patients started NAT, with a resection rate of 44 % (40 pancreaticoduodenectomies, 4 distal pancreatectomies). The most frequent vessel relationship was the abutment of the superior mesenteric artery (44 %), and 26 patients had ≥2 vessels involved. Prognostic factors of resectability were CA19-9 response >10 % (OR 3.07, p = 0.016) and Hepatic Artery involvement (OR 0.21, p = 0.026). Median overall survival was better for CA19-9 responders than for non-responders (20.9 months and 11.8 months respectively, p < 0.001), and similar to normalized CA19-9 (25.0 months, p = 0.48). There were no differences in terms of OS or PFS with the involvement of the HA (17.7 vs 17.1 months, p = 0.367; and 8.7 vs 12.0 months, p = 0.267).

CONCLUSION

The involvement of the Hepatic Artery seems to confer a worse prognosis regarding resectability. A decrease of only >10 % of CA19-9 is a predictive factor for resectability and better overall and progression-free survival.

Predictive factors for resection and survival in type A borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients after neoadjuvant therapy: A retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Pancreatic cancer is the seventh leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and surgical resection with radical intent remains the only potentially curative treatment option today. However, borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (BR-PDAC) stand in the gray area between the resectable and unresectable disease since they are technically resectable but have a high probability of incomplete exeresis. Neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) plays an important role in ensuring resection success.Different survival prognostic factors for BR-PDAC have been well described, but evidence on the predictive factors associated with resection after NAT is scarce. This study aims to study if CA 19-9 plasmatic levels and the tumor anatomical relationship with neighboring vascular structures are prognostic factors for resection and survival (both Overall Survival and Progression-Free Survival) in patients with type A BR-PDAC.

METHODS

This will be a retrospective cohort study using data from type A BR-PDAC patients who received NAT in the Bellvitge University Hospital. The observation period is from January 2010 until December 2019; patients must have a minimum 12-month follow-up. Patients will be classified according to the MD Anderson Cancer Center criteria for BR-PDAC.

DISCUSSION

Patients with BR-PDAC have a high risk for a margin-positive resection. Serum Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 plasmatic levels and vascular involvement stand out as disease-related prognostic factors.This study will provide valuable information on the prognostic factors associated with resection. We will exclude locally advanced tumors and expect this approach to provide more realistic resection rates without selecting those patients that undergo surgical exploration. However, focusing on an anatomical definition may limit the results' generalizability.

Anatomic Criteria Determine Resectability in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

BACKGROUND

The introduction of multi-agent chemotherapy and radiation therapy has facilitated potential resection with curative intent in selected locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) patients with excellent outcomes. Nevertheless, there remains a remarkable lack of consensus on the management of LAPC. We sought to describe the outcomes of patients with LAPC and objectively define the multidisciplinary selection process for operative exploration based on anatomical factors.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with LAPC were evaluated for pancreatic surgery in the multidisciplinary clinic of a high-volume institution, between 2013 and 2018. Prospective stratification (LAPC-1, LAPC-2, and LAPC-3), based on the involvement of regional anatomical structures, was performed at the time of presentation prior to the initiation of treatment. Resection rates and patient outcomes were evaluated and correlated with the initial anatomic stratification system.

RESULTS

Overall, 415 patients with LAPC were included in the study, of whom 84 (20%) were successfully resected, with a median overall survival of 35.3 months. The likelihood of operative exploration was associated with the pretreatment anatomic LAPC score, with a resection rate of 49% in patients classified as LAPC-1, 32% in LAPC-2, and 11% in LAPC-3 (p < 0.001). Resected patients with improvement of the LAPC score at the time of exploration had significantly longer median overall survival compared with those with no change or progression of LAPC score (60.7 vs. 29.8 months, p = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Selected patients with LAPC can undergo curative-intent surgery with excellent outcomes. The proposed Johns Hopkins anatomic LAPC score provides an objective system to anticipate the probability of eventual surgical resection after induction therapy.

Preoperative CT predictors of survival in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma undergoing curative intent surgery

PURPOSE

To evaluate the associations between computed tomography (CT) imaging features extracted from the structured American Pancreatic Association (APA)/Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR) template and overall survival in patients with resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

METHODS

This retrospective analysis included consecutive patients with PDAC who consented to genomic tumor testing and underwent preoperative imaging and curative intent surgical resection from December 2006 to July 2017. Two radiologists assessed preoperative CT imaging using the APA/SAR PDAC-reporting template. Univariable associations between overall survival and imaging variables were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS

The study included 168 patients (66 years ± 11; 91 women). 126/168 patients (75%) received upfront surgical resection whereas 42/168 (25%) received neoadjuvant therapy prior to surgical resection. In the entire cohort, features associated with decreased overall survival were tumor arterial contact of any kind (hazard ratio (HR) 1.89, 95% CI 1.13-3.14, p = 0.020), tumor contact with the common hepatic artery (HR 2.33, 95% CI 1.35-4.04, p = 0.009), and portal vein deformity (HR 3.22, 95% CI 1.63-6.37, p = 0.003). In the upfront surgical group, larger tumor size was associated with decreased overall survival (HR 2.30, 95% CI 1.19-4.42, p = 0.013). In the neoadjuvant therapy group, the presence of venous collaterals was the only feature associated with decreased overall survival (HR 2.28, 95% CI 1.04-4.99, p = 0.042).

CONCLUSION

The application of the APA/SAR pancreatic adenocarcinoma reporting template may identify predictors of survival that can aid in preoperative stratification of patients.

Pancreatectomy with Hepatic Artery Resection for Pancreatic Head Cancer

BACKGROUND

To report our experiences and outcome of pancreatectomy with hepatic artery resection (PT-HAR) for advanced pancreatic head cancer.

METHODS

A retrospective study of clinical data from 14 patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma undergoing PT-HAR in a tertiary academic center between March 2010 and June 2017 was performed. Furthermore, a comparison in a match-pair analysis (1:3) with patients received standard pancreatectomy during the same period was conducted to evaluate the clinical outcome.

RESULTS

The PT-HAR cohort included pancreaticoduodenectomy (n = 11) and total pancreatectomy (n = 3). Of them, six underwent portal/superior mesenteric vein resection and reconstruction and three underwent hepatic artery reconstruction. Four patients without arterial reconstruction developed liver perfusion failure. No perioperative mortality occurred, with a median postoperative hospital stay of 10.5 days (range 6-39). The median overall survival was 30 months (95% confidence interval 9.8-50.2 months), with the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of 81.8%, 63.6%, and 42.4%, respectively. The matched-pair data analysis showed no significant differences between PT-HAR and standard pancreatectomy, except that liver perfusion failure occurred more frequently after PT-HAR.

CONCLUSIONS

PT-HAR can be performed with acceptable morbidity, mortality, and survival for advanced pancreatic head cancer. Considering the potential risk of liver perfusion failure, only highly selected patients are eligible for PT-HAR without reconstruction.

MDCT findings predicting post-operative residual tumor and survival in patients with pancreatic cancer

OBJECTIVES

To predict residual tumor (R) classification and overall survival (OS) on preoperative MDCT in patients who underwent first-line surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA).

METHODS

Three hundred sixteen patients with PDA who underwent MDCT and first-line surgery were included. Patients were divided into a test (n = 216) and a validation group (n = 100). The R classification was categorized into R0 (no residual tumor) and R1/R2 (microscopic/macroscopic residual tumor). We assessed the correlation between the MDCT findings and the R classification. For survival analysis, we used the Kaplan-Meier estimation and Cox proportional hazard model to determine the prognostic factors for OS. Validation of the prediction models for the R classification and OS was performed using C statistics and calibration plot.

RESULTS

Peritumoral fat stranding (odds ratio (OR) 3.826), suspicious distant metastasis (OR 2.916), portal vein involvement (OR 2.795), and tumor size (OR 1.045) were independent predictors for residual tumor (p < .05). On survival analysis, common hepatic artery involvement (hazard ratio (HR) 5.656), R1/R2 stage (HR 2.476), and N1 stage (HR 1.745) were predictors of poor OS (p < .05). C statistics for prediction models for R classification and OS were 0.816 and 0.662, respectively. Calibration plots showed good predictive performance in a high probability of the R1/R2 stage or poor OS.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative MDCT is useful for predicting the R classification using the tumor size, peritumoral fat stranding, portal vein involvement, and suspicious distant metastasis, as well as for anticipating poor OS using the N1 stage, common hepatic artery involvement, and R1/R2 stage in patients with PDA.

KEY POINTS

• Thorough assessment of the involvement of common hepatic artery or portal vein and peritumoral fat stranding is warranted for predicting prognosis in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. • Not only encasement but also abutment of common hepatic artery or portal vein by tumor predicts poor prognosis after upfront surgery. • If residual tumor or poor overall survival is anticipated on preoperative MDCT, neoadjuvant treatment can be performed.