Long term morbidity of neoadjuvant chemoradiation for pancreatic head adenocarcinoma

Purpose To report the long term risks of neoadjuvant chemoradiation (NCRT) after duodenopancreatectomy (DP) for adenocarcinoma of the head of pancreas. Methods Between January 1996 and December 2002, 26 patients with biopsy-proven adenocarcinoma of the head of pancreas were treated by this combination of therapies. Results Two patients had delayed NCRT-related small bowel infarction: one died from superior mesenteric artery stenosis 36 months after DP without recurrence at laparotomy; there was one limited infarction 16 months after DP. Conclusions long term vascular morbidity after NCRT is significant.