Adjuvant therapy after resection of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm-derived pancreatic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Introduction: The management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN)-derived pancreatic cancer is extrapolated from pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasm (PanIN)-derived pancreatic cancer. However, these cancers are biologically and clinically distinct and evidence regarding the role of adjuvant therapy (AT) is unclear. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to consolidate current evidence regarding survival benefit of AT for IPMN-derived pancreatic cancer.

Methods: Systematic searches of the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were performed from inception to February 2nd, 2025. Studies that reported survival analyses comparing AT versus surgery alone for resected IPMN-derived pancreatic cancer were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Hazard ratios were pooled using generic inverse-variance random-effects models.

Results: A total of 26 studies were included in this review. All studies were observational and 16 had low risk of bias while 10 had high risk of bias. AT was not associated with an OS benefit on pooled multivariable analysis (HR: 0.78 [0.47, 1.28]) in the total population. In subgroups of patients with pathology node-positive (pN1 or pN2) disease, advanced T-stage and overall AJCC tumor stage, elevated CA19-9 (>37 IU), and poor grade of differentiation, AT was associated with OS benefit.

Conclusions: Current data suggests that routine AT after resection of IPMN-derived pancreatic cancer is not associated with an OS benefit and may constitute overtreatment. However, patients with high-risk features such as large or high-grade tumors, nodal disease, and elevated CA19-9 may benefit from AT.

Keywords: Adjuvant, Chemotherapy; Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm; Invasive IPMN; Pancreatic Cancer; Pancreatic Neoplasms.