Risk of the Watch-and-Wait Concept in Surgical Treatment of Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm

IMPORTANCE: The natural history of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) remains uncertain. The inconsistencies among published guidelines preclude accurate decision-making. The outcomes and potential risks of a conservative watch-and-wait approach vs a surgical approach must be compared. OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of the surgical management of IPMNs, focusing on the time of resection. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study was conducted in a single referral center; all patients with pathologically proven IPMN who received a pancreatic resection at the institution between October 2001 and December 2019 were analyzed. Preoperatively obtained images and the medical history were scrutinized for signs of progression and/or malignant features. The timeliness of resection was stratified into too early (adenoma and low-grade dysplasia), timely (intermediate-grade dysplasia and in situ carcinoma), and too late (invasive cancer). The perioperative characteristics and outcomes were compared between these groups. EXPOSURES: Timeliness of resection according to the final pathological findings. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The risk of malignant transformation at the final pathology. RESULTS: Of 1439 patients, 438 (30.4%) were assigned to the too early group, 504 (35.1%) to the timely group, and 497 (34.5%) to the too late group. Radiological criteria for malignant conditions were detected in 53 of 382 patients (13.9%), 149 of 432 patients (34.5%), and 341 of 385 patients (88.6%) in the too early, timely, and too late groups, respectively (P < .001). Patients in the too early group underwent more parenchyma-sparing resections (too early group, 123 of 438 [28.1%]; timely group, 40 of 504 [7.9%]; too late group, 5 of 497 [1.0%]; P < .001), while morbidity (too early group, 112 of 438 [25.6%]; timely group, 117 of 504 [23.2%]; too late group, 158 of 497 [31.8%]; P = .002) and mortality (too early group, 4 patients [0.9%]; timely, 4 [0.8%]; too late, 13 [2.6%]; P = .03) were highest in the too late group. Of the 497 patients in the too late group, 124 (24.9%) had a previous history of watch-and-wait care. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Until the biology and progression patterns of IPMN are clarified and accurate guidelines established, a watch-and-wait policy should be applied with caution, especially in IPMN bearing a main-duct component. One-third of IPMNs reach the cancer stage before resection. At specialized referral centers, the risks of surgical morbidity and mortality are justifiable.