BACKGROUND: There is an increasing frequency of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and PD with superior mesenteric-portal vein (SMPV) resection in elderly cancer patients. The study aimed to investigate the safety and the survival benefits of PD and PD with SMPV resection in patients under or over 70 years of age.
METHODS: We divided 296 patients who had undergone PD and PD with SMPV resection into two groups according to their ages: under or over 70 years old. The clinical data were compared between the two groups.
RESULTS: Preoperative comorbidity rate was higher in elder patients than in younger patients (P=0.001). The elder patients were more likely to have postoperative complications (P=0.003). Specifically, complications above grade III were more likely to occur in the elderly patients (P=0.030). Multivariable analysis showed that age (adjusted OR=2.557, P=0.015) and hypertension (adjusted OR=2.443, P=0.019) were independent predictors of postoperative complications. There was no significant difference in the mortality rates between the two groups (P=0.885). In the PD with SMPV resection series, elderly patients were more likely to have postoperative complications (P=0.063), but this difference was not statistically significant. There was no difference in the survival rate of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma between the two groups. Operation type (PD vs PD with SMPV resection) did not affect the survival of patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Age affects postoperative complication in patients undergoing either PD or PD with SMPV resection. However, extensive experience and advanced perioperative management lower the complication rate to an acceptable limit. Hence it is safe and worthwhile to perform PD for elderly patients. Because of low numbers in the SMPV subset, we could not conclude whether PD with SMPV resection is feasible in elderly patients.