Outcomes after pancreatic resections for secondary tumors in the pancreas: a single-center experience

Isolated extrapancreatic metastatic disease within the pancreas is uncommon. This study aimed to examine the indications and outcomes of pancreatic resection for metastatic disease in nonpancreatic, nonneuroendocrine malignancy at a high-volume center.

This was a retrospective analysis of a prospectively managed database of pancreatic resections for metastatic disease for primary nonpancreatic, nonneuroendocrine tumors at the University Hospital Southampton. The collected and analyzed data included patient demographics, operative and perioperative outcomes, survival, and recurrence.

A total of 844 patients who underwent pancreatic resection were examined. Of note, 26 consecutive patients met the inclusion criteria, representing 3.3% of the unit's throughput. The median disease-free interval was 65 months. Most resections were performed for renal cell carcinoma, followed by melanoma, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. The perioperative morbidity was 42.9%, with 12 cases of postoperative complications. There were no perioperative deaths. The median overall survival was 41 months, whereas the median disease-free survival was 17 months for the entire cohort.

When coupled with the low morbidity and mortality rates of a high-volume pancreatic surgery center using careful patient selection, pancreatic metastectomy has the potential to result in good long-term survival.