Superior mesenteric vein/portal vein contact in preoperative imaging indicates biological malignancy in anatomically resectable pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer in contact with the superior mesenteric vein/portal vein is classified as resectable pancreatic cancer; however, the biological malignancy and treatment strategy have not been clarified. Data of 186 patients who underwent pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer were evaluated using a prospectively maintained database. The patients were classified as having resectable tumors without superior mesenteric vein/portal vein contact and having superior mesenteric vein/portal vein contact of ≤180°. The disease-free survival, overall survival, and prognostic factors were analyzed. In the univariate analysis, superior mesenteric vein/portal vein contact in resectable pancreatic cancer was a significant prognostic index for disease-free survival and overall survival. In the multivariate analysis for poor disease-free survival, the superior mesenteric vein/portal vein contact remained significant (hazard ratio = 2.13, 95% confidence interval: 1.29–3.51; p