Purpose: On the basis of the ACCORD trial, FOLFIRINOX is effective in metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC), making it a rational choice for locally advanced PDAC (LA). Aims of this study are to evaluate the accuracy of imaging in determining the resectability of PDAC and to determine the surgical and clinicopathologic outcomes of pancreatic resections after neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX therapy. Patients and Methods: Clinicopathologic data were retrospectively collected for surgical PDAC patients receiving neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX or no neoadjuvant therapy between April 2011 and February 2014. Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association/Society of Surgical Oncology/Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract consensus guidelines defined LA and borderline. Imaging was reviewed by a blinded senior pancreatic surgeon. Results: Of 188 patients undergoing resection for PDAC, 40 LA/borderline received FOLFIRINOX and 87 received no neoadjuvant therapy. FOLFIRINOX resulted in a significant decrease in tumor size, yet 19 patients were still classified as LA and 9 as borderline. Despite post-FOLFIRINOX imaging suggesting continued unresectability, 92% had an R0 resection. When compared with no neoadjuvant therapy, FOLFIRINOX resulted in significantly longer operative times (393 vs 300 minutes) and blood loss (600 vs 400 mL), but significantly lower operative morbidity (36% vs 63%) and no postoperative pancreatic fistulas. Length of stay (6 vs 7 days), readmissions (20% vs 30%), and mortality were equivalent (1% vs 0%). On final pathology, the FOLFIRINOX group had a significant decrease in lymph node positivity (35% vs 79%) and perineural invasion (72% vs 95%). Median follow-up was 11 months with a significant increase in overall survival with FOLFIRINOX. Conclusions: After neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX imaging no longer predicts unresectability. Traditional pathologic predictors of survival are improved, and morbidity is decreased in comparison to patients with clearly resectable cancers at the time of presentation.

Objectives Serous cystic neoplasm (SCN) is a cystic neoplasm of the pancreas whose natural history is poorly known. The purpose of the study was to attempt to describe the natural history of SCN, including the specific mortality. Design Retrospective multinational study including SCN diagnosed between 1990 and 2014. Results 2622 patients were included. Seventy-four per cent were women, and median age at diagnosis was 58 years (16–99). Patients presented with non-specific abdominal pain (27%), pancreaticobiliary symptoms (9%), diabetes mellitus (5%), other symptoms (4%) and/or were asymptomatic (61%). Fifty-two per cent of patients were operated on during the first year after diagnosis (median size: 40 mm (2–200)), 9% had resection beyond 1 year of follow-up (3 years (1–20), size at diagnosis: 25 mm (4–140)) and 39% had no surgery (3.6 years (1–23), 25.5 mm (1–200)). Surgical indications were (not exclusive) uncertain diagnosis (60%), symptoms (23%), size increase (12%), large size (6%) and adjacent organ compression (5%). In patients followed beyond 1 year (n=1271), size increased in 37% (growth rate: 4 mm/year), was stable in 57% and decreased in 6%. Three serous cystadenocarcinomas were recorded. Postoperative mortality was 0.6% (n=10), and SCN's related mortality was 0.1% (n=1). Conclusions After a 3-year follow-up, clinical relevant symptoms occurred in a very small proportion of patients and size slowly increased in less than half. Surgical treatment should be proposed only for diagnosis remaining uncertain after complete workup, significant and related symptoms or exceptionally when exists concern with malignancy. This study supports an initial conservative management in the majority of patients with SCN. Trial registration number IRB 00006477.

Background: There are no established guidelines for pathologic diagnosis/reporting of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs). Design: An international multidisciplinary group, brought together by the Verona Pancreas Group in Italy–2013, was tasked to devise recommendations. Results: (1) Crucial to rule out invasive carcinoma with extensive (if not complete) sampling. (2) Invasive component is to be documented in a full synoptic report including its size, type, grade, and stage. (3) The term “minimally invasive” should be avoided; instead, invasion size with stage and substaging of T1 (1a, b, c; ≤0.5, >0.5–≤1, >1 cm) is to be documented. (4) Largest diameter of the invasion, not the distance from the nearest duct, is to be used. (5) A category of “indeterminate/(suspicious) for invasion” is acceptable for rare cases. (6) The term “malignant” IPMN should be avoided. (7) The highest grade of dysplasia in the non-invasive component is to be documented separately. (8) Lesion size is to be correlated with imaging findings in cysts with rupture. (9) The main duct diameter and, if possible, its involvement are to be documented; however, it is not required to provide main versus branch duct classification in the resected tumor. (10) Subtyping as gastric/intestinal/pancreatobiliary/oncocytic/mixed is of value. (11) Frozen section is to be performed highly selectively, with appreciation of its shortcomings. (12) These principles also apply to other similar tumoral intraepithelial neoplasms (mucinous cystic neoplasms, intra-ampullary, and intra-biliary/cholecystic). Conclusions: These recommendations will ensure proper communication of salient tumor characteristics to the management teams, accurate comparison of data between analyses, and development of more effective management algorithms.

Objective To evaluate mid-term outcomes and predictors of survival in non-operated patients with pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) with worrisome features or high-risk stigmata as defined by International Consensus Guidelines for IPMN. Reasons for non-surgical options were physicians’ recommendation, patient personal choice or comorbidities precluding surgery. Methods In this retrospective, multicentre analysis, IPMNs were classified as branch duct (BD) and main duct (MD), the latter including mixed IPMNs. Univariate and multivariate analysis for overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were obtained. Results Of 281 patients identified, 159 (57%) had BD-IPMNs and 122 (43%) had MD-IPMNs; 50 (18%) had high-risk stigmata and 231 (82%) had worrisome features. Median follow-up was 51 months. The 5-year OS and DSS for the entire cohort were 81% and 89.9%. An invasive pancreatic malignancy developed in 34 patients (12%); 31 had invasive IPMNs (11%) and 3 had IPMN-distinct pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (1%). Independent predictors of poor DSS in the entire cohort were age >70 years, atypical/malignant cyst fluid cytology, jaundice and MD >15 mm. Compared with MD-IPMNs, BD-IPMNs had significantly better 5-year OS (86% vs 74.1%, p=0.002) and DSS (97% vs 81.2%, p<0.0001). Patients with worrisome features had better 5-year DSS compared with those with high-risk stigmata (96.2% vs 60.2%, p<0.0001). Conclusions In elderly patients with IPMNs that have worrisome features, the 5-year DSS is 96%, suggesting that conservative management is appropriate. By contrast, presence of high-risk stigmata is associated with a 40% risk of IPMN-related death, reinforcing that surgical resection should be offered to fit patients.

Objectives: To describe the characteristics of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) with predominant involvement of the main pancreatic duct (MPD), analyzing predictors for survival and recurrence. Background: IPMNs involving the MPD harbor a high likelihood of malignancy and different biological features. The appropriateness of including cases with minimal noncircumferential MPD involvement has been challenged because these show clinicopathological features that are similar to branch duct IPMN. Accordingly, their exclusion has led to a redefinition of MPD IPMN (MD-IPMN). Methods: Retrospective review of resected MD-IPMN from 1990 to 2013. All slides were reviewed by a single pancreatic pathologist and classified on the basis of epithelial type and invasive component. Results: A total of 223 patients underwent resection for IPMN involving the MPD. Of these, 50 were excluded because of minimal MPD involvement. Among the 173 patients analyzed, median age was 68 years and 55% were males. Predominant epithelial phenotype was intestinal (50%). Forty-eight patients (28%) had low- or intermediate-grade dysplasia, whereas 125 (72%) had either high-grade dysplasia (33%) or invasive carcinoma (39%). Of the 67 invasive IPMNs, 39 were tubular carcinomas (58%) and invasion was minimal (<5 mm) in 28 (42%). The 5-year overall survival rate was 69% and the disease-specific survival rate was 83%. The estimated recurrence rate at 10 years was 25%. Size and type of the invasive component, lymph node positivity, and a positive resection margin were predictors for both survival and recurrence (P < 0.05). Conclusions: MD-IPMN is mainly intestinal-type and malignant. After resection, it has a very favorable prognosis, especially in the absence of macroscopic invasive carcinoma.