Lymphatic flow and neural plexus invasion associated with carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Lymph node status and neural plexus invasion are the most important prognostic factors that may be amenable to surgery for carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas. The pattern of lymphatic spread and neural plexus invasion were evaluated by analysis of various clinicopathologic factors. Twenty patients with carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas underwent pancreatectomy with systemic regional lymph node dissection at Kanazawa University Hospital. A precise evaluation of their lymph node involvement and neural plexus invasion was determined. Sixteen of 20 patients (80%) had lymph node involvement. The lymph nodes with a high metastatic rate were those along the splenic artery (50%), the inferior body lymph nodes (35%), the lymph nodes around the common hepatic artery (25%), and the paraaortic lymph nodes (20%). There was no relationship between tumor size, histologic type, and lymph node involvement. Plexus invasion was observed in 14 patients (70%). The most frequent site was the splenic plexus, but between 15% and 20% of the patients had celiac or superior mesenteric plexus invasion. There was no relationship between tumor size, histologic type, and neural plexus invasion. Based on these results, extended lymphadenectomy including the paraaortic lymph nodes, celiac lymph nodes, and superior mesenteric lymph nodes may improve the prognosis for patients with carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas. Extrapancreatic neural plexus dissection, especially of the celiac plexus and superior mesenteric plexus, also is necessary. Cancer 1996; 78:2485-91.