Introduction: Predictors of survival following pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) are well described for pancreatic cancers but are less detailed in ampullary (AC), bile duct (BDC) and duodenal cancers (DC). We therefore sought to evaluate the long-term results of PD for AC, BDC and DC, and to determine for each tumour the predictive factors of survival.
Methods: Medical charts of patients operated on between 2001 and 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine predictors of survival.
Results: One hundred thirty-five patients were identified. Mean follow-up was 47 ± 33 months. Median survival was not reached for DC and was 66 and 24 months for AC and BDC, respectively. Two-year and five-year survival rates were 80 and 51% for DC and 69 and 51% for AC, respectively. BDC had a significantly poorer prognosis, with two-year and five-year survival rates of 51 and 34%, respectively. Predictors of survival were weight loss, N stage and International Union Against Cancer (UICC) stage for AC, T stage and resection margin status for BDC and N stage for DC.
Conclusion: AC, BDC and DC display distinctive predictors of survival related to the biological aggressiveness. Preoperative malnutrition worsens the prognosis. The effect of adapted nutritional management on the survival improvement has to be studied.