P-P19 Incidentally detected Double Duct Sign (InDDuS): a study on the long-term outcomes

Background The long-term outcomes of patients with biliary and pancreatic ductal dilatation (double duct sign-DDS), without a detectable underlying cause, is unclear in the current literature. This study aims to review the five-year outcomes of patients with incidentally detected double duct sign. Methods This is a retrospective study of patients that were found to have DDS between January 2010 to December 2015 at a tertiary referral Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary unit. Patients were identified from the departmental performance team and cross-checked with the Radiology department. Patients who had malignancy and benign causes of DDS (such as pancreatitis and gallstones) were excluded. Five-year patient outcomes were collected from subsequent MDT outcomes and clinic letters. Results Initial screen identified 108 patients with DDS. Of these, 37 patients (81% female, median age 69 years, range 26-94 years) had no identifiable cause and were analysed. Main presenting complaints were abdominal pain (n = 22), weight loss (n = 9), and asymptomatic (n = 3). Twelve had anaemia, 14 had derange LFTs and 2 patients had elevated serum CA19-9. A median of two (range 0-9) further investigations were performed to determine the underlying cause of DDS (US = 6, CT = 24, MRCP=17, endoscopy=16). Median follow up of 7.2 (range 5-11) years detected no pancreatic or ampullary cancer amongst all patients. Conclusions Results from this study suggests DDS without evidence of malignancy on Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) have minimal risk of developing pancreatic or ampullary cancer in the next five years. Thus, they can be safely discharged from follow up.

Survival and Recurrence in Pancreatobiliary Versus Intestinal Histology of Ampullary Carcinoma

Background: Ampullary carcinoma is rare with a more favourable prognosis compared to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The role of histological classification, including pancreatobiliary (PB) and intestinal (INT), on survival and recurrence outcomes in ampullary cancer is still debatable. Methods: 42 patients were identified between 1996-2010. Results: Nineteen classic pancreatoduodenectomies (PD) and 23 pylorus-preserving PDs were performed. Pathological review revealed 23, 18 and 1 patients with the PB, INT and mixed histology, respectively. Adjuvant chemoradiation (ACRT), chemotherapy, and radiation were given to 14 (33.3%), 4 (9.5%) and 2 (4.8%) patients, respectively. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) from time of surgery were higher in the PB histological variant compared to INT (p=0.005 and 0.012, respectively). A landmark (LM) analysis found higher survival in the PB variant patients compared to INT (RFS p=0.023; OS p=0.048). There was no difference in RFS between both histological variants for patients who underwent surgery alone (p=0.42). However, the PB had higher RFS compared to the INT histology for patients who underwent ACRT (p=0.008). Conclusion: Ampullary carcinoma with PB histological variant was associated with significant survival benefit. The PB versus INT survival benefit was seen in the setting of ACRT, but not with surgery alone.

Screening for Hilar Biliary Invasion in Ampullary Cancer Patients

Background: The treatment for ampullary cancer is pancreatoduodenectomy or local ampullectomy. However, effective methods for the preoperative investigation of hilar biliary invasion in ampullary cancer patients have not yet been identified. In this study, we aimed to determine an appropriate method for investigating hilar biliary invasion of ampullary cancer.Methods: Among 43 ampullary cancer patients, 34 underwent endoscopic treatment (n = 9) or surgery (n = 25). Imaging findings (thickening and enhancement of the bile duct wall on contrast-enhanced CT (CECT), irregularity on endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC), thickening of the entire bile duct wall on intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS), and partial thickening of the bile duct wall on IDUS) and biliary biopsy results were compared with respect to their ability to diagnose hilar biliary invasion of ampullary cancer.Results: Hilar invasion was not observed in every patient. Among the patients who did not undergo biliary stent insertion, the combination of partial thickening of the bile duct wall on IDUS and biliary biopsy showed the highest accuracy (100%) for diagnosing biliary invasion. However, each imaging finding and biliary biopsy yielded some false positive results.Conclusions: Although some false positive results were obtained with each method, the combination of partial thickening of the bile duct wall on IDUS and biliary biopsy was useful for diagnosing hilar biliary invasion of ampullary cancer. However, hilar invasion of ampullary cancer is rare; therefore, the investigation of hilar biliary invasion of ampullary cancer might be unnecessary.Trial registration: not applicable

Circulating Cell-Free DNA as a Prognostic Biomarker in Resectable Ampullary Cancer

Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in ampullary cancer patients was measured to clarify the correlation between cfDNA and clinicopathological factors and the impact of cfDNA on survival outcomes. Patients with ampullary cancer undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy were included. Correlations between cfDNA and clinicopathological and prognostic factors were determined. The cfDNA levels in patients ranged from 1282 to 21,674 copies/mL, with a median of 6687 copies/mL. The cfDNA level was significantly higher in patients with lymph node involvement, lymphovascular invasion, abnormal serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, and stage II and III cancer. Poor prognostic factors for ampullary cancer included high cfDNA > 6687 copies/mL, lymph node involvement, abnormal serum CEA > 5 ng/mL, and advanced stage II and III cancer. The 1- and 5-year survival rates were 92.0% and 66.5%, respectively, for patients with low cfDNA < 6687 copies/mL and 84.0% and 49.9%, respectively, for patients with high cfDNA > 6687 copies/mL (p < 0.001). After multivariate analysis, only the cfDNA level and stage were independent prognostic factors of ampullary cancer. Thus, the cfDNA level could act as a surrogate marker of both disease extent and biological aggressiveness of ampullary cancer. Moreover, cfDNA plays a significant role in the prognosis of resectable ampullary cancer.