Outcome after pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignancy in elderly patients.

Background/Aims: To evaluate short-term outcomes and long-term survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignancy in elderly Chinese patients (aged 70 years or older) compared with younger patients. Methodology: Between January 2005 and December 2013, 216 consecutive patients who underwent a PD with pancreatic cancer or periampullary cancers in our institution were recruited in this study. Sixty-eight patients aged 70 years or older when they underwent PD, while 148 patients younger than 70. Results: There were no significant differences in postoperative mortality (p=0.104), overall morbidity (p=0.057) and surgical complications (p=0.200) between the elderly patients and the younger patients. Elderly patients had a significantly higher incidence of cardiac events (p=0.008) and pneumonia (p=0.041) postoperatively. The postoperative hospital stay in the older age group was significantly longer (p=0.013). The overall survival did not differ between the two age groups both when patients with pancreatic cancer were analyzed (p=0.836) and when patients with periampullary cancers were analyzed (p=0.817). Conclusions: Our results showed that pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignancy in Chinese patients over 70 years old could be performed safely. Age should not be considered as a contraindication to pancreaticoduodenectomy.