Objective  To investigate the characteristics and clinical value of lymph node metastasis according to the clinical data of regional lymph node resection in pancreatic head carcinoma.

  Methods  We summarized and statistically analyzed the lymph node numbers in lymph node dissection specimens of 160 cases of pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma from February 2010 to October 2013 in Fudan University, Shanghai Cancer Center retrospectively and explored the relationship between various clinical factors and lymph node metastasis; and summarized the clinical data in group 16 lymph node metastasis of the patients and investigated the clinical significance of lymph node dissection in these patients.

  Results  After the pathological diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, 72.5% of all the 160 patients had lymph node metastasis (116 cases of 656 lymph node metastases). Among them, 26 patients had group 16 lymph node metastasis. Lymph node metastasis was not related to gender, age, tumor size, or differentiation, but related to tumor clinical staging. In this study, we found that the lymph node metastasis in group 16 was in subgroup 16b1. patients without lymph nodes metastasis, patients with lymph nodes metastasis while without group 16 lymph nodes metastasis and patients with both lymph nodes metastasis and group 16 lymph nodes metastasis, the postoperative median survival time was 25.6 months, 17.25 months and 10.95 months, respectively (P < 0.001). Patients with lymph node metastasis in subgroup 16b1 and cancer antigen 19-9>370 U/mL had a shorter survival period.

  Conclusions  Proper subgroup 16b1 lymph node resection is necessary for radical pancreaticoduodenectomy.