Margin status and neoadjuvant chemoradiation in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer.

304 Background: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of margin status and neoadjuvant therapy in determining outcomes for borderline resectable (BLR) pancreatic cancer and how neoadjuvant chemoradiation impacts margin of resection. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify patients who underwent resection for BLR pancreatic cancer based on the AHPBA/SSO/SSAT consensus definition. Outcomes including overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) were determined based on margin status, location of positive margin (artery, vein, or pancreas), and receipt of neoadjuvant chemoradiation. Results: One hundred and three patients who met the definition of BLR pancreatic cancer and underwent resection between April 1993 and July 2010 were reviewed. Mean age at diagnosis was 65 with a median follow up time of 19.7 months. Neoadjuvant chemoradiation was administered in 49.5% of patients. Twenty-five percent of patients underwent portal and/or superior mesenteric vein resection, and 7% hepatic artery resection. Microscopic positive margin rate was 54%. Median OS was 17.2 months for patients with positive margins versus 24.9 months for patients with negative margins (p=0.003). Median DFS was 13.1 months for patients with positive margins versus 18.6 months for patients with negative margins (p=0.001). There was no difference in OS or DFS for patients with positive margins based on location or number of positive margins. Of the patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiation, 61.7% had a negative margin of resection versus a 38.3% negative margin of resection rate for patients who did not receive neoadjuvant chemoradiation (p=0.02). Among patients with a positive margin, there was no difference in OS or DFS with or without neoadjuvant chemoradiation. Conclusions: A positive margin of resection, irrespective of location or number, is associated with worse outcome in patients with BLR pancreatic cancer. The use of neoadjuvant chemoradiation is associated with higher rates of margin free resection.