DUCTAL ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE PANCREAS HEAD - SURVIVAL AFTER REGIONAL VERSUS EXTENDERS LYMPHADENECTOMY

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence o f regional versus extended lymphadenedomy on survival in patients with ductal adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas. From 1988 to 1996 we performed partial duodeno-pancreatectomies (Whipple procedure) comb ined with either regional (n=20, group A) or extended retroperitoneal (n=33, group B) lymphadenectomy in 53 patients with ductal adenocarcin oma of the pancreas head. METHODOLOGY: The outcome of the two groups w as compared by constructing survival curves and evaluating demographic , intraoperative and histopathologic data from all patients (n=44) wit h curative (RO) resections. RESULTS: For patients after RO resection t here was no significant difference in terms of survival between group A and B. Only tumor stage (p = 0.0258), portal vein invasion (p = 0.01 90) and tumor grade (p = 0.0021) had a significant influence on surviv al, regardless of the type of operation. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that no further improvement of the survival rate can be achieved by ex tended retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy, compared to regional lymphaden ectomy.