Managing Severe Health Challenges in Elite Athletes: Implications of Major Surgical Interventions like Pancreaticoduodenectomy on Mental Health and Athletic Performance

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to assess the clinical effectiveness of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) in treating pancreatic cancer and its subsequent impact on mental health outcomes, particularly among elite athletes who must maintain high physical and mental performance standards. Methods: A cohort of 70 pancreatic cancer patients, including former and current elite athletes, treated at our institution from January 2021 to October 2022 were selected. Patients were divided into two groups: a control group of 35 receiving standard PD and an observation group of 35 undergoing extended PD. We compared clinical outcomes including lymph node removal efficacy, surgery duration, hospital stay length, and surgical blood loss. Complication rates, as well as pre- and post-operative mental health statuses measured by the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), were also analyzed. Results: The observation group showed a higher objective remission rate (ORR) of 71.43% and a disease control rate (DCR) of 94.29%, significantly outperforming the control group (51.43%, 82.86%, P<0.05). The number of lymph nodes dissected and the proportion of positive lymph node dissections were also significantly higher in the observation group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of intraoperative bleeding and length of hospital stay (P>0.05). Complication rates were similar across both groups (P>0.05). Notably, post-operative SAS and SDS scores decreased in both groups, with significantly lower scores observed in the observation group (P<0.05), indicating better mental health outcomes. Conclusion: Extended PD demonstrates greater clinical effectiveness and more favorable mental health outcomes compared to standard PD, particularly relevant in the context of elite athletes who face the dual challenge of overcoming severe health issues while maintaining their athletic and psychological resilience. The findings underscore the importance of tailored surgical and psychological care strategies to support the unique needs of this population.