Prophylactic pancreatectomy for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm does not negatively impact quality of life: a preliminary study.
BACKGROUND
Uncertainties remain over whether prophylactic surgery or surveillance is the better management option for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas. The aim of this preliminary study was to determine if differences in anxiety and quality of life exist between patients who have surgery or undergo surveillance.


METHODS
Recruited patients were given the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, a general survey that evaluates anxiety, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Pancreas, a disease-specific survey that assesses quality of life. Questionnaires were scored by standardized algorithms and compared using Student's t test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test.


RESULTS
Sixteen patients had surgery and 16 patients were undergoing surveillance. Mean age was 66.8 ± 19.9 years. Responses from both groups were remarkably similar. Surgery patients scored higher on the anxiety questionnaire than surveillance patients, although not statistically significant (p = 0.09). Surgery patients scored lower on the functional well-being domain of the quality-of-life instrument (p = 0.03), though there were no differences in overall quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
Prophylactic surgery does not reduce quality of life, and a protocol of surveillance does not appear to generate undue anxiety in this select patient group. Further investigation with more patients is required to validate these findings.
Lee
Minna K
MK
Department of Surgery, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 161 Fort Washington Avenue, Suite 820, New York, NY 10032-3784, USA.
DiNorcia
Joseph
J
Pursell
Lisa J
LJ
Holden
Marc M
MM
Tsai
Wei-Yann
WY
Stevens
Peter D
PD
Goetz
Nicole
N
Grann
Victor R
VR
Chabot
John A
JA
Allendorf
John D
JD
D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D057832:Watchful Waiting
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