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Updated: Oct 3, 2025
DIPLOMA Approach for Standardized Pathology Assessment of Distal Pancreatectomy Specimens
Published on: February 1, 2020
Optimal lymph-node dissection for pancreatic tail cancer
Shingo Seo1, Kenichiro Uemura2, Tatsuaki Sumiyoshi1
1Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan.
Purpose:
The optimal range of lymph-node dissection for pancreatic tail cancer remains unclear. We investigated the location and frequency of lymph-node metastases to identify the correct range of lymph-node dissection for pancreatic tail cancer.
Methods:
We analyzed clinical data retrospectively, on patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy for resectable left-sided pancreatic cancer, between February, 2006 and March, 2021. Eligible patients were divided into two groups according to the tumor location: those with pancreatic tail cancer (Pt group) and those with pancreatic body or body and tail cancer (non-Pt group).
Results:
Of the 96 patients analyzed, 61 (64%) were assigned to the Pt group and 35 (36%) were assigned to the non-Pt group. Metastases to stations 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, and 18 were found in 0 (0%), 0 (0%), 0 (0%), 4 (7%), 18 (30%), 2 (4%), and 10 (17%) patients in the Pt group, and in 1 (3%), 4 (12%), 2 (6%), 1 (3%), 18 (51%), 3 (9%), and 6 (17%) patients in the non-Pt group, respectively.
Conclusion:
Lymph-node dissection at stations 7, 8, and 9 might not be necessary in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer confined to the pancreatic tail.
