Intraoperative paraaortic lymph node sampling during resection for pancreatic cancer: evolving role in the modern...

The role of paraaortic lymph node (PALN) sampling for pancreatic cancer (PC) remains controversial. This study aimed to assess the yield of PALN sampling and its impact on long-term outcomes.

Patients treated from 2005 to 2018 were included. Since 2015, patients with borderline resectable or unresectable (BR/UR) tumours received standardized neoadjuvant therapy (NAT), whereas patients with resectable tumours underwent upfront resection.

Among 771 patients with PALN excision, metastasis was confirmed in 76 patients (10%) and 59 proceeded to planned resection. PALN metastasis was associated with early recurrence and shorter survival after upfront resection (1-year recurrence-free rate: 23% vs 57% for resectable tumours, P < 0.001, 9% vs 52% for BR/UR tumours, P = 0.006; median overall survival (OS): 19 vs 31 months for resectable tumours, P < 0.001, 17 vs 23 months for BR/UR tumours, P = 0.057). In contrast, they were both similar between patients with/without PALN metastasis following NAT for BR tumours (1-year recurrence-free rate, 50% vs 58%, P = 0.88; median OS, 28 vs 35 months, P = 0.45, respectively).

Occult metastasis to PALNs is not uncommon in patients with potentially resectable PC. Its prognostic impact depends on the treatment strategy, and the intraoperative decision for resection should be individualized.