[Pancreatic metastases--diagnosis, radical surgery, complications and survival]

Although generally uncommon, pancreatic metastases are increasingly encountered in clinical practice. The benefit of pancreatic resections in this setting is unclear and still being discussed. Renal cell carcinoma is the most frequent primary tumour metastasing to the pancreas--R0 resections in cases of solitary metastases can be performed. Resections in malignant melanoma and ovarian cancer are rather considered as palliative. The aim of this study is to analyse our own set of patients operated on for metastases into the pancreas and evaluate the results of their surgical treatment.

We identified the patients operated on for metastases to the pancreas. Patient and tumour characteristics were summarized using descriptive statistics.

A total of 9 patients (out of 312 patients undergoing resection for malignancy in the period of 2006-2014) with pancreatic metastases were analysed. All but one were asymptomatic; the symptomatic patient suffered from GI bleeding. All patients had a metachronous lesion with a median length of 12 years (421 years) between the initial operation and pancreatic resection. The most common metastasing tumour was renal cell carcinoma (77%) with the highest incidence occurring at the head of the pancreas (44%). The most frequent procedure used was the pylorus-preserving pancreatic head resection (44%). The median operating time was 247 min, (126375 min). Six patients were complication free, the median of their hospital stay was 9.5 days (812 days). Complications included PPH type C and PF type B both of which required surgical intervention; however, PF type A required no intervention. No postoperative deaths occurred, multiple metastases were found in 4 patients with renal cell carcinoma metastases. The median of follow-up has been 11.5 months, (334 months).

Survival after pancreatic resections due to renal cell carcinoma is favourable. Mortality is low and morbidity is similar to that associated with pancreatic resections due to other aetiologies, making surgery a valid and safe treatment option. Lifelong follow-up of patients after nephrectomy is advised. Resections in pancreatic metastases of malignant melanoma or ovarian carcinoma are considered as palliative, their indication being individual following interdisciplinary consultation.