Standardization of surgical care in a high-volume center improves survival in resected pancreatic head cancer.

BACKGROUND: Durable clinical gains in surgical care are frequently reliant on well-developed standardization of practices. We hypothesized that the standardization of surgical management would result in improved long-term survival in pancreatic cancer.

METHODS: Seventy-seven consecutive, eligible patients representing all patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy and received comprehensive, long-term postoperative care at the University of Florida were analyzed. Patients were divided into prestandardization and poststandardization groups based on the implementation of a pancreatic surgery partnership, or standardization program.

RESULTS: Standardization resulted in a reduction in median length of stay (10 vs 12 days; P = .032), as well as significant gains in disease-free survival (17 vs 11 months; P = .017) and overall survival (OS; 26 vs 16 months; P = .004). The improvement in overall survival remained significant on multivariate analysis (hazard ratio = .46, P = .005).

CONCLUSIONS: Standardization of surgical management of pancreatic cancer was associated with significant gains in long-term survival. These results suggest strongly that management of pancreatic head adenocarcinoma be standardized likely by regionalization of care at high performing oncologic surgery programs.