Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells of the pancreas: An individual participant data meta-analysis

• Published in: Annals of hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery 2024, 28(2), , pp.125-133
• Main Authors: Mylonakis, Adam, Driva, Tatiana S, Lykoudis, Panagis, Frountzas, Maximos, Machairas, Nikolaos, Tsapralis, Dimitrios, Toutouzas, Konstantinos G, Schizas, Dimitrios
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Review; 일반외과학
• ISSN: 2508-5778; 2508-5859
• DOI: 10.14701/ahbps.23-161

Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells (UC-OGCs) of the pancreas is a rare neoplasm that accounts for less than 1% of all pancreatic malignancies. The aim of this study was to review the literature regarding UC-OGC, and to highlight its biological behavior, clinicopathologic characteristics, prognosis, and therapeutic options. A systematic review of the literature in PubMed/Medline and Scopus databases was performed (last search October 31st, 2023) for articles concerning pancreatic UC-OGC in the adult population. Fifty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria, involving 69 patients with a male-to-female ratio of 1.1:1 and a mean age of 62.96. Main symptoms included abdominal pain (33.3%), jaundice (14.5%), weight loss (8.7%), while fourteen patients (20.3%) were asymptomatic. Surgical resection was performed in 88.4% of cases. Survival rates at one, three, and five years were 58%, 44.7%, and 37.3% respectively. Sex, age, size (cut-off of 4 cm), location, and adjuvant treatment did not significantly affect patient survival. UC-OGC of the pancreas is a rare subtype of undifferentiated pancreatic carcinoma with a better prognosis than conventional pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma or undifferentiated carcinoma without giant cells. The establishment of a dedicated patient registry is imperative to further delineate the optimal treatment for this uncommon clinical entity.