Background/Objectives: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) aims to prolong overall survival (OS) in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with vascular contact without progression of disease after (m)FOLFIRINOX. The primary objective of this study was to determine the potential value of SBRT. Methods: This nationwide, retrospective cohort study included patients with PDAC without progression of disease after at least four cycles of (m)FOLFIRINOX. The study comprised two cohorts, the SBRT and the No SBRT group. A landmark analysis excluded patients with a follow-up or OS time less than 12 months to minimize immortal time bias in the SBRT group. The primary outcome was OS from diagnosis. Secondary outcomes were the histopathological characteristics after resection. Results: Overall, 331 patients were included, of whom 231 were in the landmark analysis. In the overall cohort, the median OS was 20.7 months in the SBRT group versus 15.7 months in the No SBRT group (p = 0.004). In the landmark analysis, the median OS was 23.2 months in the SBRT group compared to 22.3 months in the No SBRT group (p = 0.554). These results indicate the presence of immortal time bias in the overall cohort in favor of the SBRT group. In the subgroup after resection, ypT0-2 (95% versus 76.5% [p = 0.026]), ypN0 (75% versus 37.3% [p < 0.004]), and absence of perineural invasion (50% versus 68.6% [p = 0.015]) were more prevalent in the SBRT group. Conclusions: In a landmark analysis, including only patients who survived at least 12 months after diagnosis, we found no difference in median OS between (m)FOLFIRINOX-only and (m)FOLFIRINOX with consecutive SBRT.

Models that predict the survival and quality of life (QoL) in patients with malignancies can support prognostic counselling and patient-centered evaluation of disease trajectories. Challenges in the development of such models include incomplete data in real-world registries, including missing baseline measurements and irregular, sparse availability of longitudinal QoL outcomes during treatment. These limitations complicate the incorporation of QoL into survival prediction and the reliable modeling of QoL over time. We address these limitations with a novel framework to predict survival and quality of life in the face of sparse data. The framework consists of a regularized missingness-avoiding random survival forest (MA-RSF) for survival prediction, and a conditional diffusion-based approach to predict QoL at various follow-up intervals. We apply the approach to a pancreatic cancer use-case, and evaluate it on a nationwide Dutch cohort. We find that our approach maintains high predictive accuracy (C-index 0.77) for survival prediction and minimizes reliance on sparse pre-treatment data, including QoL PROMs. In addition, we demonstrate that the QoL prediction expressed as the Static-Dynamic diffusion architecture reduces trajectory prediction error (RMSE) at key follow-up intervals compared to standard conditional generation (e.g. 12.9 vs 14.0 RMSE at 7 months). The proposed framework facilitates the prediction of survival and QoL outcomes in settings characterized by incomplete data and could enhance prognostic counseling in patients with malignancies, including pancreatic cancer.

Background Preoperative endoscopic biliary drainage may lead to complications (16%-24%), potentially hampering surgical exploration. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided choledochoduodenostomy (EUS-CDS) may reduce drainage-related complications, however it is unknown whether EUS-CDS could in itself hamper surgical exploration as series with surgeon reported outcomes are lacking. Aim is to assess the impact of preoperative EUS-CDS on pancreatoduodenectomy. Method Consecutive patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy after preoperative biliary drainage were included in all eight centers that performed EUS-CDS in the mandatory Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit (Jan 2020-Dec 2022). Primary outcome was major postoperative complications. Secondary outcomes included bile leak grade B/C, postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) grade B/C, and overall postoperative complications. A propensity score matching (1:3) analysis was performed. Surgeons who performed a pancreatoduodenectomy after EUS-CDS were asked to complete a survey. Results Overall, 937 patients with pancreatoduodenectomy after preoperative biliary drainage were included (42 EUS-CDS, 895 ERCP). Major postoperative complications occurred in eight patients (19%) in the EUS-CDS group and 292 patients (33%) in the ERCP group (RR 0.50; 95%CI, 0.23-1.07). No significant differences were observed in overall complications (RR 0.95; 95%CI, 0.51-1.76), bile leak (RR 1.25; 95%CI, 0.31-4.98) or POPF (RR 0.62; 95%CI, 0.25-1.56). Results were similar after matching. The survey was completed for 29 pancreatoduodenectomies; surgery was not (n=13, 45%), ‘slightly’ (n=8, 28%), ‘clearly’ (n=5, 17%) or ‘severely’ (n=2, 7%) more complex because of the EUS-CDS. Conclusion This early experience suggests that preoperative biliary drainage with EUS-CDS does not increase the rate of complications after pancreatoduodenectomy and only infrequently hampers surgical exploration.

BACKGROUND:Prognostic factors in resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) have been determined under the assumption that hazard ratios (HRs) remain static. However, PDAC is a dynamic disease with evolving conditional survival. The aim of this study was to determine if the impact of prognostic factors in PDAC is time-varying. METHODS:This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of the prospectively maintained Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Recurrence Database and New York University and Johns Hopkins Hospital Institutional Databases. Patients with complete macroscopic resection of histopathologically proven PDAC between 2014 and 2019 and available follow-up data were included. The time-varying impact of prognostic factors identified by univariable Cox regression was modeled using Aalen's Additive Regression Models (Aalen's models) and visualized as plots of cumulative hazard. RESULTS:In total, 3104 patients were included, of whom 938 (30.2%) received neoadjuvant therapy (NAT), whereas the rest underwent upfront surgery (US). A total of 201 (6.5%) patients achieved observed long-term survival (>5 years). Aalen's models showed that lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and nodal disease were prognostic up to 2 years postoperatively. At varying points thereafter, these variables lost their impact in the NAT but not US patients. Similarly, during the fourth year of follow-up, American Society of Anesthesiology scores became impactful in the NAT but not in the US patients. CONCLUSION:The impact of prognostic factors in resected PDAC across NAT and US patients is time-varying. Our results suggest that aggressive disease drives early mortality but, after NAT, tumor-biological factors lose prognostic importance to frailty and comorbidities over time.

BACKGROUND:Venous resection (VR) during left-sided pancreatic resection (LPR) is typically more challenging than during pancreatoduodenectomy, because the pancreatic head remains in situ. Theoretically, converting from LPR to total pancreatectomy (TP) could resolve this issue. This study compared clinical outcomes after LPR and TP with and without VR. METHODS:This nationwide retrospective study included all patients who underwent LPR for all indications or single-stage TP in the Netherlands from 2014 to 2019. RESULTS:One-thousand-seventy-five patients were analyzed: 996 underwent LPR and 79 TP. Twenty-eight (3%) LPRs were with VR (VR+), of which 17 wedge and 11 segmental resections. Of 21 (27%) TPs with VR, 11 were wedge and 10 segmental resections. In the LPR-group, VR+ was associated with a higher incidence of portomesenteric venous thrombosis (PVT) than VR- (3/28 vs. 5/968, p < 0.001), but not with major complications or mortality. Similarly, in the TP-group, higher rates of PVT were reported after VR+ (2/21 vs. 0/58, p = 0.004). The incidence of major complications and PVT were comparable between LPR-VR+ and TP-VR+, but postoperative mortality was higher in TP-VR+ (6/21 vs. 1/28 p = 0.032). CONCLUSION:Our findings suggest that, despite technical impediments of VR during LPR, switching to TP may not benefit patients.

Abstract Background The introduction of (m)FOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine-nab-paclitaxel has changed the perspective for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). Consequently, in experienced centres 23% of patients with LAPC undergo a resection with 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of up to 25%. In the Netherlands, the nationwide resection rate for LAPC remains low at 8%. The PREOPANC-4 program aims for a nationwide implementation of the international multidisciplinary best-practice to improve patient outcome. Methods Nationwide program implementing the international multidisciplinary best-practice for LAPC. In the training phase, multidisciplinary and surgical webinars are given by 4 international experts, leading to a clinical protocol, followed by surgical off-site and on-site proctoring sessions. In the implementation phase, the clinical protocol will be implemented in all centres, including a nationwide expert panel (2022–2024). Healthcare professionals will be trained in shared decision-making. Consecutive patients diagnosed with pathology-proven LAPC (i.e., arterial involvement > 90° and/or portomesenteric venous > 270° involvement or occlusion [DPCG criteria]) are eligible. Primary outcomes are median and 5-year OS from diagnosis, resection rate, in-hospital/30-day mortality and major morbidity (i.e., Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ IIIa), and radical resection (R0) rate. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, functioning, side effects, and patients’ healthcare satisfaction in all included patients. Outcomes will be compared with patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC) treated with neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX in the PREOPANC-2 trial (EudraCT: 2017–002036-17) and a historical cohort of patients with LAPC from the PACAP registry (NCT03513705). The existing prospective LAPC Registry and PACAP PROMs (NCT03513705) will be used for data collection. In qualitative interviews, treatment preferences, values, and experiences of LAPC patients, their relatives, and healthcare professionals will be assessed for the development of shared decision-making supportive tools. It is hypothesized that the program will double the nationwide LAPC resection rate to 16% with major morbidity < 50% and mortality ≤ 5%, and OS following resection similar to that observed in patients with BRPC. Discussion The PREOPANC-4 program aims to safely implement the international multidisciplinary best-practice for LAPC leading to benchmark outcomes for both short-term morbidity, mortality, and OS. Trial registration PREOPANC-4 program was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05524090) on September 1, 2022.

INTRODUCTION:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a poor prognosis and lacks local treatment options. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and safety of the first-in-human intraoperative ultrasound-guided intratumoral injection of radioactive holmium-166 microsphere in patients with PDAC. METHODS:Patients with proven PDAC eligible for open surgical resection were included. If resection was abandoned during exploration, study intervention was performed. Feasibility was defined by injection success and on-/off-target radiation. Safety was based on adverse event (AE) monitoring for 12 weeks categorized by severity grade and study attribution. RESULTS:Three of the thirteen included patients received study intervention. Injection was successful in all 3 patients. Mean tumor doses of 5.0, 17.0, and 39.0 Gy and maximum tumor doses of 25.0, 41.0 and 256.0 Gy were achieved. Off-target radiation was found once in the lungs and once in the colon with a mean dose <1.0 Gy. There were no AEs with high study attribution, 16, 14, and 19 AEs with low study attribution, including 3, 2, and 4 AEs with grade ≥3. Holmium-166 microspheres appeared hyperdense on CT. CONCLUSION:Intratumoral injection of holmium-166 microspheres in patients with unresectable PDAC seems feasible and safe. Research into minimally invasive image-guided application is advised.

Pancreatic cancer is considered a complex cancer requiring specific expertise in diagnostic workup and multimodality treatment. Often, multiple health care providers in different hospitals are involved during patient care. This fragmentation of care challenges health care providers in the network to deliver efficient, coherent, and continuous network care. We performed a human-centered design (HCD) sprint in order to find means to improve network care for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The sprint comprised 5 days with different goals: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. Experts and stakeholders were approached from the pancreatic cancer network to contribute. By using HCD, a goal was defined, various prototypes were explored, and one prototype was tested. The HCD Sprint led to a shared goal, which was to deliver pancreatic cancer network care in a (virtual) hospital in which there is "one narrative." This means that the patient's context and preferences are always clear and taken into account, care is characterized by a short time to diagnosis and treatment, and patient data are easily available for patients and involved clinicians. The accompanying prototypes were (1) network agreements, (2) patient itinerary, (3) transmural trajectory guidance, and (4) data sharing. For the latter, we developed and pilot-tested a real-time data sharing dashboard called CONNECT. The first pilot-test was promising and provided feedback for further development. In this viewpoint paper, we show that a HCD sprint is able to find possible means to improve pancreatic network care in a short time span. A real-time data sharing dashboard (CONNECT) was developed and pilot tested. The next steps include further development of the dashboard, implementation in our network, and long-term evaluation studies.

OBJECTIVE:To assess nationwide surgical outcome after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) in patients at very high risk for postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), categorized as ISGPS-D. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA:Morbidity and mortality after ISGPS-D PD is perceived so high that a recent randomized trial advocated prophylactic total pancreatectomy (TP) as alternative aiming to lower this risk. However, current outcomes of ISGPS-D PD remain unknown as large nationwide series are lacking. METHODS:Nationwide retrospective analysis including consecutive patients undergoing ISGPS-D PD (i.e., soft texture and pancreatic duct ≤3 mm), using the mandatory Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit (2014-2021). Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and secondary outcomes included major morbidity (i.e., Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIa) and POPF (ISGPS grade B/C). The use of prophylactic TP to avoid POPF during the study period was assessed. RESULTS:Overall, 1402 patients were included. In-hospital mortality was 4.1% (n=57), which decreased to 3.7% (n=20/536) in the last 2 years. Major morbidity occurred in 642 patients (45.9%) and POPF in 410 (30.0%), which corresponded with failure to rescue in 8.9% (n=57/642). Patients with POPF had increased rates of major morbidity (88.0% vs. 28.3%; P<0.001) and mortality (6.3% vs. 3.5%; P=0.016), compared to patients without POPF. Among 190 patients undergoing TP, prophylactic TP to prevent POPF was performed in 4 (2.1%). CONCLUSION:This nationwide series found a 4.1% in-hospital mortality after ISGPS-D PD with 45.9% major morbidity, leaving little room for improvement through prophylactic TP. Nevertheless, given the outcomes in 30% of patients who develop POPF, future randomized trials should aim to prevent and mitigate POPF in this high-risk category.

Mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs) of the pancreas are macroscopic precursors of pancreatic cancer. A similar cystic lesion but lacking the ovarian-type subepithelial stroma has been recently defined as a simple mucinous cyst (SMC); however, its nature remains unclear. This study aims to define the clinicopathological and molecular profiles of a cohort of MCNs and SMCs of the pancreas and their associated invasive carcinoma. Overall, 23 cases were identified, comprising 19 MCNs and 4 SMCs with co-occurring invasive carcinoma. A multiregional (two samples from each cystic lesion and one from the adenocarcinoma) DNA and RNA sequencing approach was used. The key findings can be summarized as follows: (1) Molecular association: In 22/23 cases (95.7%), the concomitant mucinous cyst and invasive carcinoma shared specific genomic alterations, establishing for the first time that SMC is a true precursor of pancreatic cancer. (2) Clinical behavior: carcinomas arising from SMC appeared to be more aggressive than those arising from MCN. (3) Mutational profile: both cyst types showed significant similarities to conventional pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), with KRAS and TP53 the most commonly altered genes. (4) Intracystic heterogeneity: while most molecular alterations were present in both analyzed cystic areas, RNF43 showed the highest heterogeneity. (5) CDKN2A: its alterations were predominantly restricted to the invasive component, suggesting a role in driving the invasion in a subset of cases. CNKN2A may also serve as a potential biomarker for identifying high-risk cysts. (6) RNAseq: most cases showed a switch from the classical to the basal transcriptome subtype during the progression from cystic neoplasms to invasive cancers. These findings establish SMCs as new precursors of pancreatic cancer and provide critical insights into the tumorigenesis of MCNs, with potential immediate implications for tumor taxonomy and clinical management. © 2025 The Author(s). The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Objective:To evaluate short and long-term outcomes after pancreatectomy in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) compared with patients with (borderline) resectable pancreatic cancer [(B)RPC].Background:Selected patients diagnosed with LAPC are increasingly undergoing resection after induction chemotherapy. To evaluate the benefit of this treatment approach, it is helpful to compare outcomes in resected patients with primary LAPC to outcomes in resected patients with primary (B)RPC.Methods:Two prospectively maintained nationwide databases were used for this study. Patients with (B)RPC undergoing upfront tumor resection and patients with resected LAPC after induction therapy were included. Outcomes were postoperative pancreas-specific complications, 90-day mortality, pathologic outcomes, disease-free interval, and overall survival.Results:Overall, 879 patients were included; 103 with LAPC (12%) and 776 with (B)RPC (88%). Patients with LAPC had a lower World Health Organization performance score and ageadjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index. Postoperative pancreas-specific complications were comparable between groups, except delayed gastric emptying grade C, which occurred more often in patients with LAPC (9% vs 3%, P = 0.03). Ninety-day mortality was comparable. About half of the patients in both groups [54% in LAPC vs 48% in (B)RPC, P = 0.21] had a radical resection (R0). Disease-free interval was 13 months in both groups (P = 0.12) and overall survival from the date of diagnosis was 24 months in patients with LAPC and 19 months in patients with (B)RPC (P = 0.34).Conclusions:In our nationwide prospective databases, pancreas-specific complications, mortality, and survival in patients with LAPC after pancreatectomy are comparable with those undergoing resection for (B)RPC. These outcomes suggest that postoperative morbidity and mortality after tumor resection in carefully selected patients with LAPC are acceptable.

Background Delayed gastric emptying is a major contributor to prolonged hospital stay following pancreatoduodenectomy. Although enhanced recovery after surgery guidelines recommend unrestricted feeding after pancreatoduodenectomy, nationwide studies evaluating the impact of different feeding strategies after surgery on delayed gastric emptying and length of hospital stay are limited. This study aimed to identify the use and impact of different feeding strategies after pancreatoduodenectomy on delayed gastric emptying and length of hospital stay. Methods This nationwide cohort study included consecutive patients after pancreatoduodenectomy from the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit (2021-2023). Primary endpoints were delayed gastric emptying grade B/C and length of hospital stay. Feeding strategies were categorized based on structured interviews with representatives from 15 centres. Multilevel analysis was used to assess associations between feeding strategy, delayed gastric emptying, and length of hospital stay. Predictors of delayed gastric emptying were determined. Results Overall, 2354 patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy were included, of whom 526 (23%) developed delayed gastric emptying grade B/C. Median length of hospital stay was 13 days longer in patients with delayed gastric emptying (23 versus 10 days; P < 0.001). Feeding strategies were: unrestricted feeding (3 centres, 637 patients; delayed gastric emptying 18%); step-up feeding (9 centres, 1462 patients; delayed gastric emptying 24%); and artificial feeding (3 centres, 255 patients; delayed gastric emptying 25%). No association was observed between feeding strategy and delayed gastric emptying: step-up versus unrestricted feeding (odds ratio 1.14, 95% confidence interval 0.53 to 2.47) and artificial versus unrestricted feeding (odds ratio 1.76, 0.65 to 4.73). Similarly, no association was found between feeding strategy and length of hospital stay. The strongest predictor of delayed gastric emptying was pancreatic fistula after surgery (odds ratio 3.16, 2.47 to 4.05). Conclusion This study found no significant association between feeding strategy and incidence of delayed gastric emptying or length of hospital stay after pancreatoduodenectomy. Efforts to reduce delayed gastric emptying should focus on reducing pancreatic fistula after surgery.

Background Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC) has a poor prognosis and substantially impairs health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Large studies on longitudinal HRQoL in patients with PAC, taking patient treatment into account, are lacking. This study aimed to investigate HRQoL over time in patients with PAC undergoing various treatments. Methods This nationwide cohort study included patients diagnosed with PAC between 2015 and 2020. Data were collected from the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Project (PACAP) and the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Patients were categorized into four groups based on treatment modality: resection (R-PAC), chemotherapy for localized disease (C- PAC), chemotherapy for metastatic disease (M1-C-PAC), and best supportive care (BSC). HRQoL was assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and-PAN26 questionnaires at baseline, during treatment, and at 0-3 months and 3-6 months after treatment. Linear mixed models were used to analyze changes in HRQoL over time, with clinically relevant changes defined as a minimal mean difference of 10 points in absolute scores and reported with 95% confidence intervals. Findings Overall, 1496 patients were included (673 [45.0%] female), of whom 675 (45.1%) in R-PAC, 319 (21.3%) in CPAC, 340 patients (22.7%) in M1-C-PAC, and 162 (10.8%) in BSC group. In R-PAC, hepatic symptoms and health care satisfaction improved while role and social functioning deteriorated and eating related problems, side effects and fear of future health increased during treatment. In C-PAC, insomnia, pancreatic pain, hepatic symptoms decreased while diarrhea, side effects and fear of future health increased. In M1-C-PAC, pain, insomnia, pancreatic pain, hepatic symptoms, ascites and constipation decreased, sexuality improved while fear of future health and side effects increased. In BSC, hepatic symptoms decreased and fl atulence increased. Interpretation This nationwide study identified specific improvements and deteriorations in various HRQoL domains during 6 months follow-up. This information may be valuable in the clinical setting to inform patients on potential outcomes of the course of HRQoL during various treatment strategies. Funding None. Copyright (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

OBJECTIVE:To identify strategies to prevent and treat delayed gastric emptying (DGE) after pancreatic surgery. BACKGROUND:Among all complications of pancreatic surgery, DGE has the largest impact on prolonged hospital stays. Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have addressed DGE after pancreatic surgery, either as primary or as secondary outcome. METHODS:RCTs involving pancreatic surgery with DGE as primary or secondary outcome were identified using the online database of the ISGPS Evidence Map of Pancreatic Surgery (2007-2023). Meta-analysis was performed for impact on DGE grade B/C for interventions studied by at least 2 RCTs. RESULTS:Overall, 152 RCTs were included with 22,260 patients undergoing pancreatic surgery. The overall rate of DGE grade B/C was 11.9%, including 12.7% after pancreatoduodenectomy and 4.2% after left pancreatectomy. No RCT identified an effective treatment of DGE grade B/C. Strategies that reduced the rate of DGE in at least one RCT included: prehabilitation, pancreatico-jejunostomy, antecolic gastrojejunostomy, Billroth II technique, pylorus resection, modified Roux-en-Y technique, no intraperitoneal drainage in left pancreatectomy, minimally invasive left pancreatectomy, minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy, mERAS, nasojejunal tube, and early oral feeding. Additional meta-analyses identified minimally-invasive left pancreatectomy as preventive for DGE grade B/C compared with open left pancreatectomy. CONCLUSIONS:This systematic review of RCTs identified 12 strategies that reduced the rate of DGE grade B/C after pancreatic surgery but no effective treatment strategy. Of the 12 preventive strategies, only minimally invasive left pancreatectomy was confirmed effective in a meta-analysis. Future RCTs should focus on both the prevention and treatment of DGE after pancreatic surgery.

AIM:Despite advances in understanding pancreatic adenocarcinoma, evidence on its metastatic patterns and impact on patient survival remains limited. This study aims to identify patterns of disease dissemination in synchronous versus metachronous metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPAC) and their association with overall survival (OS). METHODS:Patients diagnosed with synchronous- or metachronous-mPAC were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (2015-2021). Patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics were compared using Chi-squared tests. Survival data, calculated from detection of metastatic disease (OS-M), were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Log-rank tests. RESULTS:Overall, 10,788 patients with synchronous- and 508 with metachronous-mPAC were included. Median time to first metastasis in metachronous-mPAC was 13.2 months (IQR 9-23), varying significantly by metastatic site (liver-only 11.5; lung-only 28.0 months). Compared to synchronous-mPAC, patients with metachronous-mPAC had less liver metastases (48 % versus 75 %, p < 0.001), but more lung (29 % versus 21 %, p < 0.001) and peritoneal (35 % versus 25 %, p < 0.001) metastases. Synchronous metastases to liver-only, lung-only, lymph node-only, or multiple sites at first diagnosis had a median OS-M that was (nearly) half compared to metachronous metastases to the same sites. Bone-only or peritoneum-only metastases in synchronous-mPAC showed a median OS-M comparable to metachronous-mPAC. CONCLUSION:This nationwide population-based study reveals that metachronous-mPAC less commonly presents with liver metastases and more often metastasizes to lung, peritoneum or other atypical sites compared to synchronous-mPAC. These distinct metastatic patterns and their differences in survival may help enhance the prognostic estimation for individual patients from the detection of metastatic disease and warrants further research into the biology underlying metastasis development.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the utilization of routine imaging and the impact on survival after resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). BACKGROUND:Evidence on the benefit of routine imaging after resection of PDAC on early detection and treatment of disease recurrence is currently lacking. The availability of more effective treatment options for PDAC recurrence may have increased the utilization of routine imaging in daily clinical practice. METHODS:Patients who underwent resection of PDAC in the Netherlands (2014-2019) were included in this nationwide observational cohort study (NCT04605237). Patients were stratified based on surveillance strategy. Median overall survival (OS) was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. The association between surveillance strategy and asymptomatic recurrence, recurrence treatment, and OS was assessed using multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard analysis, respectively. RESULTS:A total of 1311 patients were included, with a median follow-up of 45 (IQR 34-61) months. Routine imaging was used in 139 patients (11%), with a median OS of 43 (IQR 35-not reached) months, compared to 22 (IQR 21-24) months in 1172 patients (89%) with a symptomatic surveillance ( P <0.001). Routine imaging was associated with asymptomatic recurrence (OR 3.79 [95% CI 2.27-6.32]; P <0.001), recurrence treatment (OR 2.50 [95% CI 1.21-5.18]; P =0.01) and improved OS (HR 0.56 [95% CI 0.44-0.71]; P <0.001). CONCLUSION:Routine imaging after resection of PDAC was independently associated with the detection of asymptomatic disease recurrence, recurrence treatment and improved survival, which further advocates towards inclusion of routine imaging after PDAC resection in clinical guidelines.

BACKGROUND:Healthcare systems face excessive pressure on sustainability due to financial, social and environmental concerns. Video visits offer an appreciated alternative for routine in-person visits in surgical subspecialties, with the potential to lower costs among hospitals and patients and carbon footprint. However, a comprehensive understanding of patients' and companions' costs to attend an outpatient clinic visit remains understudied. The study aims to provide insight into direct and indirect patient costs of a tertiary surgical outpatient clinic visit. METHODS:A cross-sectional survey study was conducted among adult patients scheduled for a tertiary outpatient surgery clinic visit from September 2020 to September 2021. The cost of a surgical visit was assessed using a study-specific questionnaire. Visit costs between subspecialties and visit modalities were compared with generalised linear modelling. RESULTS:Of the 961 included surgical patients (866 in-person and 95 video visits), those who received a video visit experienced a substantial halving of visit-related costs (€67 vs €172; β=-103.65, p<0.001) and reduction in costs with increasing age (β=-1.52, p=<0.001), attributable to decreased absenteeism from work for patients and companions, and the absence of travel expenses. CONCLUSION:Direct and indirect costs among patients and relatives for a visit to a tertiary surgical outpatient clinic are high. Reporting previously neglected, yet significant costs, including those borne by companions, could enhance awareness among clinicians and policymakers regarding the financial and societal impact of offering certain visit modalities and may influence the shared decision-making process.