Pancreatic metastases from other neoplasms are rare. The role of surgery for this clinical entity is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of resection in patients with pancreatic secondary lesions. We observed 44 patients with pancreatic metastases from other tumors. Renal cell carcinoma was the most common primary tumor (n = 19, 43.2%). Thirty-seven patients underwent surgery, and pancreatic resection with curative intent was feasible in 35 cases. Fifteen patients (43.2%) experienced major postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo > 2), and postoperative mortality rate was 5.4%. The median overall survival and disease-free survival were 38 (range 0-186) and 11 (range 0-186) months, respectively. Overall survival and disease-free survival were significantly longer for pancreatic metastases from renal cell carcinoma when compared to other primary tumors. Multivariate analysis confirmed a pathological diagnosis of metastasis from RCC as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OR 2.48; 95% CI, 1.00-6.14; p = 0.05). In conclusion, radical resection of metastases to the pancreas is feasible and safe, and may confer a survival benefit for selected patients. There is a clear benefit of metastasectomy in terms of patient survival for metastases from renal cell carcinoma, while for those with other primary tumors, surgery seems to be mainly palliative.
Keywords: metastasis; pancreatectomy; pancreatic metastases; pancreatic secondary tumors; renal cell carcinoma.