Patients With Acinar Cell Carcinoma of the Pancreas After 2005: A Large Population Study.

Objectives: Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas is a rare tumor with limited data. We aim to evaluate the characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma after 2005.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma treated in Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute (2005-2018) and identified cases from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (2005-2015).

Results: A total of 306 cases in our institute (n = 11) and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (n = 295) were identified. The median age was 67 years, and 73.5% were male. The 5-year survival was 36.8% for all patients (median, 27 months). About 37% underwent surgical resection. The 5-year survival was 65.6% for resected patients as compared with 16.9% for unresected ones (P < 0.0001). Among locoregional and metastatic diseases, surgery significantly prolonged survival as well (P = 0.0003). Stage IV patients who received chemotherapy had a better survival than those without it (median, 16 vs 3 months; P = 0.0019). Aging, stage IV, and no surgery were independent predictors of poor overall survival.

Conclusions: For pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma, surgery is a potentially curative treatment contributing to long-term survival and suggested even in advanced diseases. Chemotherapy improved survival for metastatic patients.