Opinions and use of neoadjuvant therapy for resectable, borderline resectable, and locally advanced pancreatic cancer: international survey and case-vignette study

Stefan HeinrichEmail author View ORCID ID profile,
Marc Besselink,
Markus Moehler,
Jean-Luc van Laethem,
Michel Ducreux,
Peter Grimminger,
Jens Mittler,
Hauke Lang,
Manfred P. Lutz,
Mickael Lesurtel and
on behalf of the Scientific and Research Committee of the E-AHPBA and the EORTC pancreas working group

BMC Cancer201919:675

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-019-5889-5

Received: 18 February 2019
Accepted: 26 June 2019
Published: 9 July 2019

Open Peer Review reports

Abstract

Background

Several new treatment options have become available for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), but the support for their use for resectable, borderline resectable and locally advanced PDAC is unclear.

Methods

A survey was distributed to the members of the European-African Hepato-Pancreato Biliary Association (E-AHPBA) and the pancreas group of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) regarding 1) definitions of local resectability, 2) indications for neoadjuvant therapy and 3) case-vignettes regarding the resectability and treatment of PDAC.

Results

In total, 114 participants from 37 countries were registered. About 35% of respondents, each, were of the opinion that borderline resectability is defined by any venous tumor contact and venous involvement < 180° or > 180°, respectively. The majority (75.4%) of participants believed that borderline resectable PDAC has a high risk for R1 resection and that neoadjuvant therapy might increase the R0-resection rate (79.8%) and improve oncological patient selection (84.2%). Chemotherapy was regarded useful to convert locally advanced to resectable PDAC by 55.7% of respondents. In the cases with resectable, borderline resectable, and locally advanced PDAC, 10 (8.8%), 78 (68.4%), 55 (48.2%) of participants would start with chemotherapy, respectively.

Conclusions

Although definitions for borderline resectability differ among European surgeons, there seems to be a rather strong support for preoperative chemotherapy in PDAC aiming at minimizing R1 resections while increasing resection rates.