Appropriate Lymph Node Dissection Sites for Cancer in the Body and Tail of the Pancreas: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Simple Summary Distal pancreatectomy has become the standard surgery for patients with pancreatic body-tail cancers. The optimal area for dissection remains controversial, and there is an emphasis on preserving as much tissue as possible while eradicating the cancer. This multicenter, retrospective study evaluated the frequency and patterns of lymph node metastasis based on tumor site among 235 patients with pancreatic body-tail cancers to determine the optimal lymph node dissection area for distal pancreatectomy. Patients with pancreatic body cancer tumors showed no metastasis to the splenic hilum lymph node. Spleen-preserving pancreatectomy might be feasible for Pb cancer. Distal pancreatectomy (DP) with lymphadenectomy is the standard surgery for pancreatic body-tail cancer. However, the optimal lymph node (LN) dissection area for DP remains controversial. Thus, we evaluated the frequency and patterns of LN metastasis based on the tumor site. In this multicenter retrospective study, we examined 235 patients who underwent DP for pancreatic cancer. Tumor sites were classified as confined to the pancreatic body (Pb) or pancreatic tail (Pt). The efficacy index (EI) was calculated by multiplying the frequency of metastasis to each LN station by the five-year survival rate of patients with metastasis to that station. LN metastasis occurred in 132/235 (56.2%) of the patients. Patients with Pb tumors showed no metastasis to the splenic hilum LN. Distal splenic artery LNs and anterosuperior/posterior common hepatic artery LNs did not benefit from dissection for Pb and Pt tumors, respectively. In multivariate analysis, splenic artery LN metastasis was identified as an independent predictor of poor overall survival in patients with pancreatic body-tail cancer. In conclusion, differences in metastatic LN sites were evident in pancreatic body-tail cancers confined to the Pb or Pt. Spleen-preserving pancreatectomy might be feasible for Pb cancer.