The results of surgery for renal cell carcinoma metastases of the pancreas

Abstract

Background

Pancreatic metastases from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are rare. This study evaluated the surgical pathology and outcomes after resection of RCC metastases to the pancreas.

Material and methods

A retrospective review of from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2021, of patients who underwent pancreatic surgery for metastases from RCC. Data were retrieved from a prospectively managed database and patient demographics, comorbidities, pathology, perioperative outcomes, and overall survival were analyzed. Median overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

There were 25 patients (17 males, 8 females, median age 66 range 51 – 79 year), all with metachronous metastases. Median time from resection of the primary to operation for pancreatic RCC was 95.6 (12.0 − 309.7) months. Twenty-four patients were operated with intended cure (four pancreaticoduodenectomies, three total pancreatectomies, 17 distal pancreatectomies) and one patient had abortive surgery due to dissemination. Postoperative surgical complications occurred in nine patients (36%), and one patient died during hospital stay. Eight patients (33.3%) developed exocrine and/or endocrine insufficiency after pancreatic resection. Fifteen patients (60%) had recurrence 21.7 (4.9 − 61.6) months after pancreatic operation. Five patients (25%) died from RCC during follow-up 46.3 (25.6 − 134.8) months after pancreatic resection. Five-year OS and DFS were83.6% and 32.3%, respectively. Median OS after pancreatic surgery was 134.8 months, independent of resection of previous extrapancreatic metastases.

Conclusions

Pancreatic resection for metastases from RCC offers favorable prognosis with a curative potential and should be considered a valuable treatment option even in the era of novel targeted treatment.

Keywords:

• Pancreatic resection
• renal cell carcinoma
• pancreatic metastases
• treatment outcome

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, WF, upon reasonable request. The data are not publicly available since this could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.