Risk stratification of clinically relevant delayed gastric emptying after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) remains one of the major complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), with discrepant reports of its contributing factors. This study aimed to develop a nomogram to identify potential predictors and predict the probability of DGE after PD. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 422 consecutive patients who underwent PD from January 2019 to December 2021 at our institution. The LASSO algorithm and multivariate logistic regression were performed to identify independent risk and protective factors associated with clinically relevant delayed gastric emptying (CR-DGE). A nomogram was established based on the selected variables. Then, the calibration curve, ROC curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), and clinical impact curve (CIC) were applied to evaluate the predictive performance of our model. Finally, an independent cohort of 45 consecutive patients from January 2022 to March 2022 was enrolled to further validate the nomogram. RESULTS: Among 422 patients, CR-DGE occurred in 94 patients (22.2%). A previous history of chronic gastropathy, intraoperative plasma transfusion ≥ 400 ml, end-to-side gastrointestinal anastomosis, intra-abdominal infection, incisional infection, and clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) were identified as risk predictors. Minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD) was demonstrated to be a protective predictor of CR-DGE. The areas under the curve (AUCs) were 0.768 (95% CI, 0.706-0.830) in the development cohort, 0.766 (95% CI, 0.671-0.861) in the validation cohort, and 0.787 (95% CI, 0.633-0.940) in the independent cohort. Then, we built a simplified scale based on our nomogram for risk stratification. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified seven predictors and constructed a validated nomogram that effectively predicted CR-DGE for patients who underwent PD.

Evaluation of the diagnostic performance of the EFSUMB CEUS Pancreatic Applications guidelines (2017 version): a retrospective single-center analysis of 455 solid pancreatic masses.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the diagnostic performance of EFSUMB CEUS Pancreatic Applications guidelines (version 2017) before and after the addition of iso-enhancement and very fast/fast washout as supplementary diagnostic criteria for PDAC. METHODS: In this retrospective study, patients diagnosed with solid pancreatic lesions from January 2017 to December 2020 were evaluated. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is reported to show hypo-enhancement in all phases according to the EFSUMB guidelines. First, based on this definition, all lesions were categorized as PDAC and non-PDAC. Then, iso-enhancement and very fast/fast washout were added as supplementary diagnostic criteria, and all lesions were recategorized. The diagnostic performance was assessed in terms of the accuracy (ACC), sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). The reference standard consisted of histologic evaluation or composite imaging and clinical follow-up findings. RESULTS: A total of 455 nodules in 450 patients (median age, 58.37 years; 250 men) were included. The diagnostic performance using the EFSUMB CEUS guidelines for PDAC had an ACC of 69.5%, SEN of 65.4%, SPE of 84%, PPV of 93.5%, NPV of 40.6%, and ROC of 0.747. After recategorization according to the supplementary diagnostic criteria, the diagnostic performance for PDAC had an ACC of 95.8%, SEN of 99.2%, SPE of 84%, PPV of 95.7%, NPV of 96.6%, and ROC of 0.916. CONCLUSION: The EFSUMB guidelines and recommendations for pancreatic lesions can effectively identify PDAC via hypo-enhancement on CEUS. However, the diagnostic performance may be further improved by the reclassification of PDAC lesions after adding iso-enhancement and very fast/fast washout mode. KEY POINTS: • In the EFSUMB guidelines, the only diagnostic criterion for PDAC is hypo-enhancement, to which iso-enhancement and very fast/fast washout mode were added in our research. • Using hypo-enhancement/iso-enhancement with very fast/fast washout patterns as the diagnostic criteria for PDAC for solid pancreatic masses on CEUS has high diagnostic accuracy. • The blood supply pattern of PDAC can provide important information, and CEUS has unique advantages in this respect due to its real-time dynamic attenuation ability.

Dynamic hematological changes in patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy with or without splenectomy: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The clinical outcomes of patients who received distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy (DPS) and spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP) have been generally investigated. However, postoperative hematological changes after distal pancreatectomy with or without splenectomy are poorly understood. METHODS: Information from patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy (DP) between January 2014 and June 2019 at a single institution was reviewed. A linear mixed-effects model was used to compare dynamic hematological changes between different groups. RESULTS: A total of 302 patients who underwent DP were enrolled. In the long term, most postoperative hematological parameters remained significantly higher than preoperative levels in the DPS group, while postoperative lymphocyte, monocyte, basophil, and platelet levels returned to preoperative levels in the SPDP group. All postoperative hematological parameters except for red blood cell count and serum hemoglobulin level were significantly higher in the DPS group than in the SPDP group. There were no significant differences in hematological changes between the splenic vessel preservation (SVP) and Warshaw technique (WT) groups. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative hematological changes were significantly different between the DPS and SPDP groups. Compared to DPS, SPDP reduced abnormal hematological changes caused by splenectomy. SVP and WT were comparable in terms of postoperative hematological changes.

Retrospective analysis of seven cases of pancreatic mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma from a high-volume center and review of the literature.

BACKGROUNDS: The clinicopathologic features and biological behaviors of pancreatic mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (pMANEC) and its impacts on survival are poorly known. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed seven pMANEC cases from a single institution from September 2010 to January 2017 along with twenty-one previously reported cases from the literature. Survival and prognostic analyses were conducted using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression, respectively. RESULTS: Seven pMANEC cases were identified during the study interval. Among the six patients who underwent operations, five reached R0 resections, one experienced postoperative pancreatic fistula, and two suffered other complications. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were 7.5 months (2 to 36 months) and 15 months (6 to 36 months), respectively. A total analysis of twenty-eight pMANEC cases showed that patients were mostly older (median age, 59.5 years) and male (64.3%). The two most common symptoms were abdominal pain (53.6%) and obstructive jaundice (35.7%). The majority of pMANECs were non-functional (89.3%) and located in the pancreatic head (64.3%). The median diameter of pMANEC was 3.0 cm, with a wide range (0.5 to 19.0 cm). Lymph node metastasis (P = 0.015) was associated with decreased DSS, while age (P = 0.414), sex (P = 0.125), tumor size (P = 0.392), location (P = 0.913), functional status (P = 0.313), CA19-9 level (P = 0.608), and liver metastasis (P = 0.935) did not show significant prognoses on DSS. CONCLUSIONS: We reported seven pMANEC cases and outlined their clinical behaviors and prognoses with a review of twenty-one cases from the literature. Lymph node metastasis was found to be a negative prognostic factor of DSS based on the present study.

[Visually Isoattenuating Pancreatic Acinar Cell Carcinoma:Report of One Case].

Acinar cell carcinoma of pancreas(ACCP)is a rare pancreatic exocrine tumor that accounts for about 1% of pancreatic tumors. The typical imaging manifestations of ACCP are as follows:(1)the tumor is large in volume,partially or completely exophytic;(2)complete or incomplete capsule is visible with thin linear enhancement;(3)CT density and MRI signal:plain CT images reveals that the tumors have similar or slightly hypodense densities relative to the adjacent normal pancreas,the solid part of ACCP has low to intermediate signal intensity on T1WI and intermediate to high signal intensity on T2WI compared with the surrounding normal pancreas;(4)pattern of enhancement:tumors exhibit heterogeneous enhancement and it is less than that in the surrounding normal pancreas;(5)fissure-like,swirling necrosis that may be a characteristic change of tumor;(6)pancreatic and biliary duct dilatation is rare;(7)adjacent organs and blood vessels around the pancreas may be invaded;(8)distant metastasis of liver and other parts may be observed;(9)PET-CT shows high FDG uptake. An ACCP patient with atypical imaging manifestations was treated in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from November 2015 to August 2017. The lesion manifested iso-enhancement and many imaging examinations failed to find the tumor. The patient ultimately underwent surgery and diagnosed as ACCP by pathology.

Splenic Preservation Versus Splenectomy During Distal Pancreatectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Studies have been published comparing spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP) with distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy (DPS), but the results remain inconsistent. The aim of this study was to compare SPDP with DPS by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Literature searches of the Medline/PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were performed to identify relevant studies published before April 30,2015. Perioperative outcomes of SPDP and DPS were evaluated. The meta-analysis was performed in random- or fixed-effects models, as appropriate. A subanalysis was conducted to compare the two techniques of splenic preservation: splenic vessel preservation (SVP) and Warshaw technique (WT). RESULTS: Eighteen studies and 1156 patients were included in the comparison between SPDP and DPS. A total of 502 of these patients underwent SPDP and 654 underwent DPS. Meta-analysis showed the SPDP group had significantly fewer infectious complications (odds ratio [OR] 0.57, P = 0.006), less operative blood loss (P<0.0001), lower overall morbidity rate (OR 0.66, P = 0.002), and lower clinical pancreatic fistula rate (OR 0.42, P = 0.002) than the DPS group. Subanalysis indicated the SVP group had significantly lower rate of spleen infarction (OR 0.12, P<0.00001) and fewer secondary splenectomies (OR 0.13, P = 0.008) than the WT group. CONCLUSIONS: SPDP was a safe procedure associated with better short-term outcomes than DPS. SVP could provide more sufficient blood perfusion for the conserved spleen than WT. However, the evidence is limited, and more randomized controlled trials are warranted.

[The role of perioperative enteral and parenteral nutrition treatment in pancreatic cancer: a multicenter, prospective randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the two different nutritional supports, enteral nutrition and parenteral nutrition in the aspects of nutritional conditions, immune status, the incidence of perioperative complications and quality of life impacts in pancreatic cancer. METHODS: For the pancreatic cancer patients which pancreaticoduodenectomy were performed from January 2007 to December 2008 in five high-volume medical centres, prospective, randomized controlled study was carried out. The enrolled patients were randomly divided into enteral nutritional group (EN group) and parenteral nutritional group (PN group). Related indicators, such as nutritional conditions, immune status, incidence of complications, general status and quality of life were assessed. RESULTS: The 200 patients were enrolled, while 178 cases which 90 patients in EN group and 88 patients in PN group were qualified to evaluate. The 22 cases were dropped out. For the mean hospital stay ((23 ± 13) days and (27 ± 24) days respcectively), Karnofsky score and the life quality scoring, there are no statistical differences between the two groups. In post-operation day 7 and day 10, the prealbumin was (69 ± 16) mg/L and (80 ± 22) mg/L in EN group and it was (67 ± 19) mg/L and (70 ± 11) mg/L in PN group, which are all significantly decreased than preoperational levels ((186 ± 38) mg/L for enteral group and (179 ± 37) mg/L for parenteral group, t = -2.24, -2.13, -2.23, -2.20, all P < 0.05), but there was no statistically significant between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). Other general indicators such as the albumin, hemoglobin, total bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, serum potassium and serum sodium, revealed no statistical differences in the 2 groups (P > 0.05); The total lymphocytes, CD(+)3CD(+)4 and CD(+)3CD(+)8 lymphocytes in PN group was (0.687 ± 0.065)×10(9)/L, (0.363 ± 0.029)×10(9)/L, and (0.183 ± 0.018)×10(9)/L respectively in post-operation day 10, which they are significantly decreased than in preoperational levels of PN group and the respective counterpart of EN group in post-operation day10 (t = -2.04-2.83, P < 0.05). The 35 patients were suffered from different complications in the 2 groups, but there was no statistical differences among them (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Enteral nutritional support could not decrease the incidence of perioperative complications in pancreatic cancer patient, but it can improve the immunonutrition status in comparison with parenteral nutrition.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with synchronous and metachronous hepatic metastasis predicted by contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Background: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has proven valuable in diagnosing benign and malignant pancreatic diseases, but its value in evaluating hepatic metastasis remains to be further explored. This study investigated the relationship between CEUS features of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and concomitant or recurrent liver metastases after treatment. Methods: This retrospective study included 133 participants with PDAC who were diagnosed with pancreatic lesions with CEUS at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2017 to November 2020. According to the CEUS classification methods in our center, all the pancreatic lesions were classified as either with rich or poor blood supply. Additionally, quantitative ultrasonographic parameters were measured in the center and periphery of all pancreatic lesions. CEUS modes and parameters of the different hepatic metastasis groups were compared. The diagnostic performance of CEUS was calculated for diagnosing synchronous and metachronous hepatic metastasis. Results: The proportions of rich blood supply and poor blood supply were 46% (32/69) and 54% (37/69), respectively, in the no hepatic metastasis group; 42% (14/33) and 58% (19/33), respectively, in the metachronous hepatic metastasis (MHM) group; and 19% (6/31) and 81% (25/31), respectively, in the synchronous hepatic metastasis (SHM) group. The wash-in slope ratio (WIS ratio) between the center of the lesion and around the lesion and peak intensity ratio (PI ratio) between the center of the lesion and around the lesion had higher values in the negative hepatic metastasis group (P<0.05). In predicting synchronous and metachronous hepatic metastasis, the WIS ratio had the best diagnostic performance. The sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), accuracy (ACC), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were 81.8%, 95.7%, 91.2%, 90.0%, and 91.7%, respectively, for MHM; and 87.1%, 95.7%, 93.0%, 90.0%, and 94.3%, respectively, for SHM. Conclusions: CEUS would be helpful in image surveillance for synchronous or metachronous hepatic metastasis of PDAC.

Risk factors for postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients with insulinomas: analysis of 292 consecutive cases.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic fistula (PF) remains the most challenging complication in pancreatic surgery, yet few published studies have focused on the risk factors for postoperative PF in patients undergoing surgery for insulinomas. METHODS: From January 1990 to February 2010, a total of 292 patients with insulinomas underwent surgery at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Demographic data, intraoperative procedures, and postoperative data were collected. Particular attention was paid to variables associated with PF as defined by the International Study Group of Pancreatic Fistula (ISGPF). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify possible risk factors for PF. RESULTS: PF was found in 132 (45.2%) patients, of whom 90 were classified into ISGPF grade A, 33 grade B, and 9 grade C. Multivariate analysis showed that male patients (OR=2.56; P=0.007) and operative time >180 minutes (OR=3.756; P<0.0001) were independent risk factors for clinical PF. Pancreatic resection with stapler was a protective factor for both total PF (OR=0.022; P=0.010) and clinical PF (OR=0.097; P=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Male gender and operative time >180 minutes were independent risk factors for clinical PF, while pancreatic resection with a stapler was a protective factor. Whether body mass index (BMI) and other variables during operation are risk factors of PF needs further study.

Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with or without splenectomy: spleen-preservation does not increase morbidity.

BACKGROUND: The indications for laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (LSPDP) and its morbidity compared with laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy (LDPS) are ill-defined. This study aimed to share the indications for spleen-preservation and investigate the safety and outcome of LSPDP at our institution. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who were scheduled to receive laparoscopic surgery for distal pancreatic lesions was conducted. The indications, surgical procedures, intra-operative data, and outcomes of the two procedures were collected and compared by statistical analysis. RESULTS: LDPS and LSPDP were successfully performed in 16 and 21 patients respectively, whereas they were converted to open surgery in 9 patients. There were no significant differences in age, gender, operation time, blood loss, and conversion rate between the LDPS and LSPDP groups. The mean tumor size showed an inter-group difference (5.05 vs 2.53 cm, P<0.001). There were no significant differences in complication and morbidity rates between the two groups. All patients remained alive without recurrence during a follow-up of 9 to 67 months (median 35). CONCLUSION: LSPDP has a morbidity and outcome comparable to LDPS.

Surgical management of patients with insulinomas: Result of 292 cases in a single institution.

BACKGROUND: Insulinoma is rare tumor with an incidence of approximately four cases per million per year. There are few large sample, single-center series that focus on the surgical management strategy of insulinomas. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Medical records of patients diagnosed as insulinoma from 1990 to 2010 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical data were collected and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 328 patients were diagnosed with insulinomas; 292 of them underwent 320 operations, which included 46 laparoscopic surgeries. Tumor enucleation was the most common operative procedure. Multiple tumors were found in 30 cases; 17 cases were multiple endocrine neoplasia-1 syndrome. Thirteen patients with malignant insulinomas underwent tumor resection. Pancreatic fistula (PF) was the most frequent complication, and the incidence of clinical PFs (Grades B and C) was 14.4%. There was no significant statistical difference between open and laparoscopic surgery in blood loss, operative time, and complications. Metachronous tumors were noted in 11 patients. CONCLUSION: Surgery is the best treatment of choice for insulinoma patients. Surgical approach depends on tumor size, location, and its pathological characters. Laparoscopic management of insulinomas is feasible and safe for tumors located in the body or tail of the pancreas. Open surgery combined with intraoperative ultrasonography is recommended to avoid omission of lesions in patients with multiple insulinomas. An aggressive surgical approach is indicated for malignant insulinoma patients.

Pancreatic duct stones in patients with chronic pancreatitis: surgical outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic duct stone (PDS) is a common complication of chronic pancreatitis. Surgery is a common therapeutic option for PDS. In this study we assessed the surgical procedures for PDS in patients with chronic pancreatitis at our hospital. METHOD: Between January 2004 and September 2009, medical records from 35 patients diagnosed with PDS associated with chronic pancreatitis were retrospectively reviewed and the patients were followed up for up to 67 months. RESULTS: The 35 patients underwent ultrasonography, computed tomography, or both, with an overall accuracy rate of 85.7%. Of these patients, 31 underwent the modified Puestow procedure, 2 underwent the Whipple procedure, 1 underwent simple stone removal by duct incision, and 1 underwent pancreatic abscess drainage. Of the 35 patients, 28 were followed up for 4-67 months. There was no postoperative death before discharge or during follow-up. After the modified Puestow procedure, abdominal pain was reduced in patients with complete or incomplete stone clearance (P>0.05). Steatorrhea and diabetes mellitus developed in several patients during a long-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery, especially the modified Puestow procedure, is effective and safe for patients with PDS associated with chronic pancreatitis. Decompression of intraductal pressure rather than complete clearance of all stones predicts postoperative outcome.

[Surgical treatment strategy for malignant pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the surgical options for the malignant pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNETs). METHODS: The clinic data of 32 patients with malignant pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors who were admitted between January 2003 and December 2009 were summarized. There were 19 male and 13 female, aging from 17 to 71 years (mean age, 46.3 years). The general information, postoperative pathology results, surgical options and followup were also collected. RESULTS: There were 32 cases of malignant PNETs including functional malignant PNETs in 12 cases and nonfunctional malignant PNETs in 20 cases. Thirty-one patients accepted surgical treatments which included local resections in 4 patients, Whipple procedures in 7 patients, distal pancreatectomy in 17 patients and laparotomy in 3 patients. One patient accepted CT guided biopsy. Follow up were lost in two patients after operations. Five patients died in the first year after operations. Twenty-two patients still survived after mean follow up of 28 months (4 - 83 months). The survival rate for this group of patients was 83.5% in the first year, 72.6% in the second year and 54.4% in the fifth year. CONCLUSIONS: Malignant PNETs is the proper indication for surgical treatments. More accumulation of clinical data is needed to evaluate the significance of local resection of malignant PNETs in pancreatic head and cytoreductive surgery.

Primary pancreatic cystadenocarcinoma with ovarian metastases in a 38-year-old female: case report.

Pancreatic cystadenocarcinoma with ovarian metastases is rare and easily misdiagnosed as primary ovarian cancers. Here we report 38-year-old female manifested tumors in pancreas and ovary concurrently, which was difficult to distinguish the primary site. She was admitted to hospital because of abdominal distension and a palpable mass in the lower abdomen. Abdominal ultrasound showed a lesion in pancreas and two masses in bilateral ovaries. Computed tomography (CT) revealed the hypo-enhancing pancreatic mass and the large pelvic lesion simultaneously. The largest cross-sectional of the right mass was 12×15.1 cm and 15.4×18.3 cm for the left side, probably malignant lesions. In addition, the level of the serum CA19-9 and CA125 were higher than the normal level. Positron emission tomography CT (PET-CT) revealed there might be the cystadenocarcinoma in the pancreatic tail with multiple metastatic lesions implanted in the pelvic. After comprehensive examination, she received bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and biopsy of the pancreatic tumor. The pathological finding revealed that it was pancreatic cystadenocarcinoma with ovarian metastases. Postoperatively, she received the chemotherapy and the follow-up continued for 26 months until she died. This case reminded doctors that pancreatic primaries should be paid attention when dealing with metastatic ovarian malignancies although it was rare. Choosing effective diagnostic method and timely surgical intervention are essential to improve prognosis.

Pancreatic cancer with ovarian metastases: A case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer with ovarian metastases is rare and easily misdiagnosed. Most patients are first diagnosed with ovarian cancer. We report a rare case of ovarian metastases secondary to pancreatic adenocarcinoma. We also review the literature to analyze the clinical characteristics of, diagnostic methods for, and perioperative management strategies for this rare malignancy. CASE SUMMARY: A 48-year-old woman with an abdominal mass presented to our hospital. Computed tomography revealed lesions in the pancreas and lower abdomen. Radiological examination and histological investigation of biopsy specimens revealed either an ovarian metastasis from a pancreatic neoplasm or two primary tumors, with metastasis strongly suspected. The patient simultaneously underwent distal pancreatectomy plus splenectomy by a general surgeon and salpingo-oophorectomy with hysterectomy by a gynecologist. Histological examination of the surgical specimen revealed a pancreatic adenocarcinoma (intermediate differentiation, mucinous) and a metastatic mucinous adenocarci-noma in the ovary. CONCLUSION: For this rare tumor, surgical resection is the most effective treatment, and the final diagnosis depends on tumor pathology.

Prognostic and predictive value of a five-molecule panel in resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: A multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a devastating prognosis. The performance of clinicopathologic parameters and molecules as prognostic factors remains limited and inconsistent. The present study aimed to construct a multi-molecule biomarker panel to more accurately predict post-resectional prognosis of PDAC patients. METHODS: Firstly, a novel computational strategy integrating prognostic evidence from omics and literature on the basis of bioinformatics prediction (CIPHER) to generate the network, was designed to systematically identify potential high-confidence PDAC-related prognostic candidates. After specimens from 605 resected PDAC patients were retrospectively collected, 23 candidates were detected immunohistochemically in tissue-microarrays for the development cohort to construct a multi-molecule panel. Lastly, the panel was validated in two independent cohorts. FINDINGS: According to the constructed five-molecule panel, disease-specific survival (DSS) was significantly poorer in high-risk patients than in low-risk ones in development cohort (HR 2.15, 95%CI 1.51-3.05, P<0.0001; AUC 0.67). In two validation cohorts, similar significant differences between the two groups were also observed (HR 3.18 and 3.31, 95%CI 1.89-5.37 and 1.78-6.16, All P<0.0001; AUC 0.72 and 0.73). In multivariate analyses, this panel was the sole prognosticator that was significant in each cohort. Furthermore, its predictive power for long-term survival, higher than its individual constituents, could be largely enhanced by combination with traditional clinicopathological variables. Finally, adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) correlated with better DSS only in high-risk patients, uni- and multi-variately, in all the cohorts. INTERPRETATION: The novel prognostic panel developed by a systematically network-based strategy presents strong ability in prediction of post-resectional survival of PDAC patients. Furthermore, panel-defined high-risk patients might benefit more from ACT.

[Evaluation of RCAS1 as serum tumor marker for pancreatic cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of receptor-binding cancer antigen expressed on SiSO cells (RCAS1) as serum tumor marker on the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve methods were used to assay the serum content of RCAS1, CA19-9 and CA242 in 46 patients with pancreatic cancer, 18 patients and 20 normal tissues of chronic pancreatitis detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the results were analyzed by statistics methods. The expressions of RCAS1 protein were analyzed by immunohistochemical method in 32 patients with pancreatic cancer, 10 patients with chronic pancreatitis and 6 cases of normal pancreatic specimens. RESULTS: The serum levels of RCAS1, CA19-9 and CA242 in pancreatic cancer were higher than that in chronic pancreatitis respectively (P < 0.01). The area under curve of RCAS1, CA19-9 and CA242 were 0.826, 0.804 and 0.737, respectively. Subgroup analysis indicated that the RCAS1 and CA19-9 levels of pancreatic cancer patients without obstructive jaundice were lower than those for patients with obstructive jaundice (P < 0.01). CA19-9 levels of patients with resectable pancreatic cancer were lower than those with unresectable pancreatic cancer (P < 0.01). Immunohistochemistry showed that the expression rates of RCAS1 in pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis were 87.5% and 40.0%, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, the clinical value of RCAS1 is available. And the combination test of RCAS1 and CA19-9 have clinical value to evaluate if the pancreatic cancer can be resected before operation.

[Noninvasive examinations for localization of insulinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of the noninvasive examinations for localization of insulinoma. METHODS: The clinical materials of 88 cases of insulinoma treated in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2005 and November 2008 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 40 males and 48 females aged from 15 to 74 years old (averaged, 46.5 years old). RESULTS: The positive rates for localization were 19.3% (17/88), 52.4% (11/21), 95.5% (64/67), 1/6, 30.0% (6/20), 83.9% (26/31), 8/8 and 5/5 respectively in transabdominal ultrasound, enhanced CT, multislice spiral CT pancreatic perfusion, MRI, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy, endoscopic ultrasound, laparoscopic ultrasound and intraoperative ultrasound. Thirty-one multiple tumors in 8 patients were resected. The positive rates of locating the multiple insulinomas of multislice spiral CT pancreatic perfusion and Intraoperative Ultrasound were 48.4% (15/31) and 100% (14/14) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The locating diagnosis of insulinoma has came to noninvasive examination era. Multislice spiral CT pancreatic perfusion is the first choice for localization. Intraoperative ultrasound might play an important role in locating tumors for patients with multiple insulinomas.

Effect of Blumgart anastomosis in reducing the incidence rate of pancreatic fistula after pancreatoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic fistula is one of the most serious complications after pancreatoduodenectomy for treating any lesions at the pancreatic head. For years, surgeons have tried various methods to reduce its incidence. AIM: To investigate and emphasize the clinical outcomes of Blumgart anastomosis compared with traditional anastomosis in reducing postoperative pancreatic fistula. METHODS: In this observational study, a retrospective analysis of 291 patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy, including Blumgart anastomosis (201 patients) and traditional embedded pancreaticojejunostomy (90 patients), was performed in our hospital. The preoperative and perioperative courses and long-term follow-up status were analyzed to compare the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods. Moreover, 291 patients were then separated by the severity of postoperative pancreatic fistula, and two methods of pancreaticojejunostomy were compared to detect the features of different anastomosis. Six experienced surgeons were involved and all of them were proficient in both surgical techniques. RESULTS: The characteristics of the patients in the two groups showed no significant differences, nor the preoperative information and pathological diagnoses. The operative time was significantly shorter in the Blumgart group (343.5 ± 23.0 vs 450.0 ± 40.1 min, P = 0.028), as well as the duration of pancreaticojejunostomy drainage tube placement and postoperative hospital stay (12.7 ± 0.9 d vs 17.4 ± 1.8 d, P = 0.031; and 21.9 ± 1.3 d vs 28.9 ± 1.3 d, P = 0.020, respectively). The overall complications after surgery were much less in the Blumgart group than in the embedded group (11.9% vs 26.7%, P = 0.002). Patients who underwent Blumgart anastomosis would suffer less from severe pancreatic fistula (71.9% vs 50.0%, P = 0.006), and this pancreaticojejunostomy procedure did not have worse influences on long-term complications and life quality. Thus, Blumgart anastomosis is a feasible pancreaticojejunostomy procedure in pancreatoduodenectomy surgery. It is safe in causing less postoperative complications, especially pancreatic fistula, and thus shortens the hospitalization duration. CONCLUSION: Surgical method should be a key factor in reducing pancreatic fistula, and Blumgart anastomosis needs further promotion.

Multiple solid pancreatic lesions: Prevalence and features of non-malignancies on dynamic enhanced CT.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of multiple solid pancreatic lesions on dynamic enhanced CT performed for suspected pancreatic diseases, and to identify CT features of non-malignancies. METHODS: We investigated 8096 consecutive patients who underwent dynamic enhanced CT pancreas protocol at a tertiary center over 40 months. The final clinical /pathological diagnosis served as reference standard. The diagnostic accuracy of dynamic enhanced CT for non-malignancies was calculated. A univariate and multivariate analysis was conducted to identify features that predict non-malignancies. RESULTS: Multiple solid pancreatic lesions were identified in 121 patients. The prevalence of non-malignancies was 19.8% (24/121). The most common non-malignancy was autoimmune pancreatitis (n = 21; 17.4%). Common lesions with malignant potential included neuroendocrine neoplasia (n = 62; 51.2%), ductal adenocarcinoma (n = 15; 12.4%), metastasis (n = 9; 7.4%), and lymphoma (n = 7; 5.8%). Dynamic enhanced CT had a sensitivity of 79.2% and a specificity of 92.8% for diagnosing non-malignancies. Elevated serum IgG4 level (p < 0.001), hypo-enhancement in arterial phase (p = 0.001), hyper-enhancement in equilibrium phase (p = 0.009) and location in both proximal and distal pancreas (p = 0.036) were predictors of non-malignancies, whereas pancreatic duct morphology and vascular invasion status were not. CONCLUSION: Multiple solid pancreatic lesions were rare, with a wide spectrum. Dynamic enhanced CT provides clues for identifying non-malignancies.