Advantage of oncological outcome of robotic-assisted pancreatoduodenectomy (RPD) in stage I pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC)

Background: Robotic-assisted pancreatoduodenectomy (RPD) has been widely performed in the treatment of pancreatic tumors. The oncologic outcome in the early stage of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) operated by RPD has not been evaluated. Methods: Clinical data of pathology confirmed stage I PDAC from January 2015 to December 2020 in Ruijin hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine was collected and retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) group and the RPD group. Clinicopathological data and prognosis data were compared and analyzed. Results: A total of 426 patients were enrolled in this study, including 342 patients in the OPD group and 84 patients in the RPD group. The baseline characteristics of both groups were equivalent. Incidence of R1 resection was significantly lower in RPD group (3 [3.6%] vs 40 [11.7%], P = .044). RPD group was associated with better disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) (DFS: Haszard Ratio [HR]: 0.681, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.491–0.945, P = .022; OS: HR: 0.667, 95% CI: 0.478–0.932, P = .017). T2 stage was associated with poor DFS and OS (DFS: HR: 1.471, 95% CI: 1.092–1.981, P = .011; OS: HR: 1.616, 95% CI: 1.209–2.160, P = .035). R1 resection was associated with poor OS (HR: 1.483, 95% CI: 1.028–2.140, P = .035) while adjuvant therapy was associated with better OS (HR: 0.589, 95% CI: 0.452–0.766, P < .001). Kaplan–Meier estimate showed significantly longer DFS and OS in RPD group (DFS: P = .004; OS: P = .009). Conclusion: For stage I PDAC patients, RPD surgery achieved higher R0 resection rates and better DFS and OS. T1 stage was associated with better DFS. R0 resection and adjuvant therapy were the accesses to better OS.