The characteristics of lymph node metastasis and prognostic factors for carcinoma of papilla of Vater after pancreaticoduodenectomy

Objective To analyze the characteristics ot lymph node metastasis and prognostic factors for carcinoma of papilla of Vater (CPV) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).Methods From January 2005 to December 2010,94 patients with CPV underwent PD and dissection of regional lymph nodes at the Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital.We carefully evaluated nodal involvement in the patients to determine the lymphatic spread of CPV and analyzed the clinicopathological variables in relation to prognosis.Results The overall rate of nodal involvement was 46.8％.Using the UICC staging (7th edition),lymphatic invasion in pT1,pT2,pT3 and pT4 were 15.4％ (2/13),62.7％ (32/51),80.0％ (8/10) and 100％ (2/2),respectively.The metastatic rates in the posterior pancreaticoduodenal lymph nodes,the mesopancreatic lymph nodes,the hepatoduodenal ligamental lymph nodes and the proper hepatic periarterial lymph nodes were 30.9％ (29/94),21.3％ (20/94),11.7％(11/94) and 6.4％ (6/94),respectively.Significant prognostic factors were tumor pT stage (P＜0.01),duodenal wall infiltration (P =0.001),liver metastasis (P =0.001),pancreatic paren chymal invasion (P=0.004),nodal involvement (P＜0.01) and different regional lymph nodes invasion (the posterior pancreaticoduodenal,P＜0.01; the mesopancreatic,P＜0.01; the hepatoduodenal ligamental,P＜0.01; the proper hepatic periarterial,P=0.010).Cox regression analysis for overall survival revealed that the posterior pancreaticoduodenal nodal involvement (P＜0.01),the mesopancreatic nodal involvement (P＜0.01) and duodenal wall infiltration (P=0.019) were significant independent prognostic risk factors.Conclusions The mesopancreatic lymph nodes and the posterior pancreaticoduodenal lymph nodes should equally be regarded as the first stop in lymphatic spread of CPV.Therefore,we should pay much attention to these regional lymph node dissections,especially to ensure complete resection of the uncinate process and the mesopancreas. Key words: Duodenal neoplasms; Lymphocytes, tumor-infiltrating; Pancreaticoduodenectomy; Prognosis