Perioperative outcomes of older adult patients with pancreatic cancer based on nutritional status: a retrospective cohorat study

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of preoperative nutritional status on postoperative outcomes in older adult patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.Methods: The background and perioperative factors of patients who underwent pancreatectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma between 2007 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.Results: Patients aged 75 years or over (older adults) were significantly associated with hypertension, upfront surgery, and lower prognostic nutritional index. In addition, these patients had a significantly lower rate of portal vein resection, less blood loss, and shorter operation time than patients aged less than 75 years (non-older adults). During the postoperative course, older adult patients had a higher rate of pneumonia and lower overall survival than younger patients, although recurrence‐free survival was comparable. In addition, older adult patients showed preoperative malnutrition as a risk factor for postoperative in‐hospital death.Conclusion: Surgical treatment for pancreatic cancer in older adult patients was performed safely. However, preoperative malnutrition is a risk factor for in‐hospital death and such patients require nutritional support and less‐invasive surgery.