OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical outcome of extended retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy as surgical therapy for adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas.

METHODSTwenty patients with adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas were treated by standard pancreatoduodenectomy (standard group) between 1994 and 1997, and 46 patients with the same disease underwent extended retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy associated with standard pancreatoduodenectomy (radical group) between 1998 and 2002. Clinical and pathological parameters in both groups were reviewed. The postoperative morbidity, mortality, and survival data were compared.

RESULTSThe mean total number of lymph nodes resected was significantly higher in the radical group than in the standard group (P < 0.05). Of the 46 patients in the radical group, 26.09% (12/46) had metastatic adenocarcinoma in the resected retroperitoneal lymph nodes. There was one perioperative death in the standard group and two in the radical group. Postoperative diarrhea and lymphatic leakage were only observed in the radical group. Transfusion requirements and postoperative morbidity did not differ between the two groups. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 63.16%, 31.58%, and 21.05% in the standard group, and 65.91%, 37.71%, and 21.21% in the radical group (P > 0.05). When the subgroups of patients with positive lymph nodes were analyzed, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 41.67%, 16.67%, and 8.33% in the standard group, and 64.52%, 32.26%, and 12.9% in the radical group (P < 0.05). A trend toward a better survival was observed in the first 2 years after operation in the radical group, but with no significant differences 2 years later.

CONCLUSIONThe addition of an extended lymphadenectomy may improve the early survival without increasing the morbidity, but has no significant effect on long-term survival.