Histopathology in the evaluation of total pancreatectomy for ductal carcinoma

Whipple resections for pancreatic head carcinoma are often inadequate because tumor is left behind in the body and tail. Thirty-six patients have undergone total pancreatectomy for various conditions, of which 25 have undergone total pancreatectomy, for ductal carcinoma. Thirty-seven per cent of these 25 patients have shown histologic evidence that a Whipple resection would not have adequately removed tumor-bearing pancreatic tissue. Three patients had carcinoma spreading up and along the common bile duct from a primary ductal carcinoma in the head of the pancreas. Four patients had tumor infiltrating in continuity into the pancreatic body and tail at a distance from the palpable tumore in the head well to the left of a Whipple transection site. Five patients had widespread multifocal autonomous tumor involving other areas in the gland but with tumor palpable only in the head of the pancreas. Three patients (12%) died postoperatively. The two year survival rate is 32%, and the five year survival, 19%. Histological factors affecting the survival prognosis include 1) positive nodes, 2) tumor extension up the common duct, and 3) intrapancreatic extension and multicentricity of tumor mandating total pancreatectomy for hope of cure in at least 38% of cases.