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Hindi Research Article
Prognostic Factors in Pancreatic Cancer: The Role of Perineural, Vascular and Lymphatic Invasion and of Ca19-9
Berardi R1*, Mandolesi A2, Pellei C1, Maccaroni E1, Onofri A1, Lucarelli A1, Biagetti S2, Alfonsi S2, Caramanti M1, Savini A1, Bearzi I2 and Cascinu S1
1Clinica di Oncologia Medica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I - GM Lancisi - G Salesi, Ancona, Italy
2Anatomia Patologica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I - GM Lancisi - G Salesi, Ancona, Italy
- *Corresponding Author:
- Rossana Berardi
Medical Oncology Unit
Università Politecnica delle Marche-Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria
Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I – Lancisi – Salesi di Ancona
Via Conca 71 - 60126 Ancona - Italy
Tel: +39 071 5965715
Fax: +39 071 5965053
E-mail: r.berardi@univpm.it
Received date: May 20, 2013; Accepted date: August 26, 2013; Published date: August 29, 2013
Citation: Berardi R, Mandolesi A, Pellei C, Maccaroni E, Onofri A (2013) Prognostic Factors in Pancreatic Cancer: The Role of Perineural, Vascular and Lymphatic Invasion and of Ca19-9. J Gastroint Dig Syst 3:134. doi: 10.4172/2161-069X.1000134
Copyright: © 2013 Berardi R, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Objective: The aim of our analysis was to investigate the impact of perineural, vascular and lymphatic invasion and of CA19-9 on survival in patients with locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer, with the objective to serve as a tool for a more accurate and rational treatment selection. Methods: We analyzed 181 consecutive patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer and metastatic pancreatic cancer who received chemotherapy at our Institution between 2000 and 2010. Results: At univariate analysis CA19-9 represented a prognostic factor (median overall survival if CA19-9 ≤ 37 U/ml vs. >37 U/ml was 18.49 vs. 9.21 months, respectively, p=0,0004), while surprisingly the presence of vascular, lymphatic and perineural invasion was found to be a favorable prognostic factor (median overall survival in patients with invasion vs. without invasion was 27.5 vs. 9.6 months, respectively, p=0.0002).At multivariate analysis the presence of invasion was found to be an independent favorable prognostic factor, while the high level of CA19-9 resulted an independent unfavorable prognostic factor. Conclusion: High values of CA19-9 at the beginning of the first-line chemotherapy represent an independent prognostic factor, therefore it should be taken into consideration to select the treatment. Surprisingly the presence of invasion appeared as an independent favorable prognostic factor in locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer and this result may impact therapy decisions and stratification of future clinical trials.
