Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the operative indications for pancreatic cancer with paraaortic lymph node metastases (No. 16 [+]).
Methods: Between July 1981 and March 2007, 335 patients with pancreatic cancer including 45 No. 16 (+) patients underwent extended radical surgery at the Department of Surgery II, Nagoya University. The overall survival rates and clinicopathological parameters were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses.
Results: Although there was no significant difference in survival between the No. 16 (+) patients and the unresectable cases, there were some long-term survivors among the No. 16 (+) patients. Multivariate analysis of the No. 16 (+) patients identified age (59 years or younger), tumor size (>4 cm), and pathologically confirmed portal invasion (pPV[+]) as independent prognostic factors. The survival of No. 16 (+) patients without these factors was significantly better than the unresectable cases. The survival of patients with only 1 metastatic paraaortic lymph node also was significantly better than the unresectable cases, and tended to be better than those with more than 2 metastatic nodes.
Conclusions: No. 16 (+) pancreatic cancer patients with age 60 years or older, tumor size 4 cm or less, and pPV(-) may benefit from resection.