Abstract:
Objective To investigate the clinical value of adjuvant therapy after conversion resection for pancreatic cancer.
Methods The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 173 patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent surgical resection after neoadjuvant and/or induction therapy in The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University from January 2019 to December 2021 were collected. There were 107 males and 66 females, aged (59±9)years. Observation indicators: (1) comparison of clinicopathological data between patients with and without adjuvant therapy after conversion resection for pancreatic cancer; (2) analysis of influencing factors for prognosis of pancreatic cancer after conversion resection; (3) follow‑up and prognosis; (4) survival benefit of adjuvant therapy in subgroup populations. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(Q1,Q3), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Mann‑Whitney U test. Count data were expressed as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi‑square test. Comparison of ordinal data was conducted using the non‑parameter rank sum test. The Graphpad prism 8 software was used to draw survival curves, the Kaplan‑Meier method was used to calculate survival time and survival rates, and the Log‑Rank test was used for survival analysis. The COX proportional hazards regression model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses. Interaction analysis was used to determine the benefit of adjuvant therapy in subgroup populations.
Results (1) Comparison of clinicopathological data between patients with and without adjuvant therapy after conversion resection for pancreatic cancer. Of the 173 pancreatic cancer patients, there were 108 cases with adjuvant therapy after conversion resection and 65 cases without adjuvant therapy after conversion resection, respectively. Age and body mass index were (58±9)years and (23.2±2.8)kg/m2 in patients with adjuvant therapy, versus (61±8)years and (22.2±2.8)kg/m2 in patients without adjuvant therapy, showing significant differences in the above indicators between them (t=-2.036, 2.200, P<0.05). (2) Analysis of influencing factors for prognosis of pancreatic cancer after conversion resection. Results of multivariate analysis showed that CA19‑9 normalization, pathological N staging, degree of tumor differentiation and postoperative adjuvant therapy were independent factors influencing overall survival time in pancreatic cancer patients receiving conversion resection (hazard ratio=1.598, 1.541, 2.004, 2.571, 95% confidence interval as 1.041-2.453, 1.021-2.327, 1.288-3.118, 1.721-3.843, P<0.05). (3) Follow‑up and prognosis. All 173 patients were followed up for 24.5(5.0,52.0)months. The postoperative median overall survival time of 173 patients was 28.9(5.7,51.9)months, and the 1‑, 2‑, 3‑year overall survival rates were 90%, 59%, 40%, respectively. Of 2019, 2020, 2021, the proportions of patients receiving adjuvant therapy after conversion resection were 62.8%(27/43), 57.7%(30/52) and 65.4%(51/78) respectively. The postoperative median overall survival time was 42.2(8.8,49.7)months in patients with adjuvant therapy after conversion resection, versus 20.4(5.7,51.9)months in patients without adjuvant therapy after conversion resection, showing a significant difference between them (χ²=29.893, P<0.05). (4) Survival benefit of adjuvant therapy in subgroup populations. Results of interaction analysis showed that in subgroup populations with CA19‑9 normalization, pathological stage N0, pathological stage N1-2, moderate to well differentiated tumors, adjuvant therapy after conversion resection can bring a better survival benefit for patients with pancreatic cancer (adjustment hazard ratio=0.220, 0.300, 0.410, 0.340, 95% confidence interval as 0.120-0.400, 0.170-0.560, 0.240-0.690, 0.210-0.690).
Conclusions Postoperative adjuvant therapy is an independent factor influencing overall survival time in pancreatic cancer patients receiving conversion resection. Adjuvant therapy after conversion resection can bring additional survival benefits for pancreatic cancer, particularly for patients who respond favorably to neoadjuvant and/or induction therapy.