Preoperative imaging characteristics predict poor survival and inadequate resection for left-sided pancreatic adenocarcinoma: a multi-institutional analysis.

BACKGROUND: Optimal treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma of the neck, body and tail (PDAC-NBT) necessitates R0 surgical resection. Preoperative radiographic identification of patients likely to achieve successful oncologic resection remains difficult. This study seeks to identify preoperative imaging characteristics predictive of non-R0 resections or impaired survival for PDAC-NBT. METHODS: Patients at five high-volume centers who underwent resection for PDAC-NBT were retrospectively analyzed. The most immediate preoperative cross-sectional scan was assessed along with outcome measures of overall survival and margin status. RESULTS: 330 patients were treated between 2001 and 2016. Margin status included 247 R0 (78.2%), 67 R1 (21.2%), and 2 R2 (0.6%). A non-R0 resection predicted worse survival (p = 0.0002). On preoperative imaging, patients with tumors greater than 20 mm, tumor attenuation greater than 70 Hounsfield units, or who demonstrated pancreatic atrophy and/or calcifications also had worse survival (p = 0.010, p = 0.036, p = 0.025 respectively). Patients with tumors interfacing with the splenic artery or vein or extending posteriorly achieved fewer R0 resections (p = 0.0006, p = 0.0004, p = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Preoperative cross-sectional imaging can identify tumor characteristics associated with poor survival and non-R0 resection. Further investigation is needed to identify the appropriate surgical and treatment modifications necessary to clinically benefit this subset of patients.

Oncoplastic breast conserving surgery is associated with a lower rate of surgical site complications compared to standard breast conserving surgery.

BACKGROUND: Oncoplastic breast conserving surgery (OBCS) integrates plastic surgery techniques in the resection of breast cancer and lowers the rate of re-excision while improving breast cosmesis. The goal of this study is to compare the surgical site complication rate of OBCS with that of standard BCS. METHODS: A single institution chart review evaluated all patients undergoing BCS for treatment of breast cancer. Patients treated from January 2009 to December 2010, prior to adoption of oncoplastic techniques, were identified as the standard surgery (SS) group. Patients treated with OBCS from January 2013 to July 2015 were identified as the oncoplastic surgery (OS) group. All surgical site complications were recorded. RESULTS: Overall, 561 patients were evaluated. The SS group comprised 273 patients compared with 288 patients in the OS group. Surgical site complications occurred in 49 patients (17.9%) in the SS group compared with 23 patients (8.0%) in the OS group (p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: Overall, BCS has a low rate of significant surgical site complications. OBCS has a lower rate of surgical site complications compared to standard BCS.