BACKGROUND: To better define the prognostic role of nodal disease, evaluation of metastatic lymph node ratio (MLR) has been performed, and this method has recently gained prominence in various gastrointestinal cancers. The present study attempts to identify prognostic factors and evaluate the independent prognostic influence of MLR in patients who have undergone curative pancreaticoduodenectomy. METHODS: In our institution within the study period, 111 patients received curative pancreaticoduodenectomy for periampullary cancers. Clinicopathologic data were collected and MLR was calculated for each of the patients. Patients were then divided into four groups based on MLR value: MLR 1 = 0; MLR 2 = 0.01-0.2; MLR 3 0.21-0.4; and MLR 4 >0.4. RESULTS: Increasing MLR correlates with high recurrence rate and lower overall survival (OS) with significance (P < 0.001, P < 0.001). The recurrent group showed significantly lower OS than the non-recurrent group (P < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis for recurrence, MLR was identified as the only independent prognostic factor (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The simple and easily obtainable MLR is well qualified as a prognostic factor in patients who undergo curatively radical resection for periampullary cancer. Furthermore, MLR can overcome the limitations of evaluation of lymph nodes status, allowing it to be used as a potential prognostic factor.
BACKGROUND: To better define the prognostic role of nodal disease, evaluation of metastatic lymph node ratio (MLR) has been performed, and this method has recently gained prominence in various gastrointestinal cancers. The present study attempts to identify prognostic factors and evaluate the independent prognostic influence of MLR in patients who have undergone curative pancreaticoduodenectomy. METHODS: In our institution within the study period, 111 patients received curative pancreaticoduodenectomy for periampullary cancers. Clinicopathologic data were collected and MLR was calculated for each of the patients. Patients were then divided into four groups based on MLR value: MLR 1 = 0; MLR 2 = 0.01-0.2; MLR 3 0.21-0.4; and MLR 4 >0.4. RESULTS: Increasing MLR correlates with high recurrence rate and lower overall survival (OS) with significance (P < 0.001, P < 0.001). The recurrent group showed significantly lower OS than the non-recurrent group (P < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis for recurrence, MLR was identified as the only independent prognostic factor (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The simple and easily obtainable MLR is well qualified as a prognostic factor in patients who undergo curatively radical resection for periampullary cancer. Furthermore, MLR can overcome the limitations of evaluation of lymph nodes status, allowing it to be used as a potential prognostic factor.
Authors: Serdar Balci; Olca Basturk; Burcu Saka; Pelin Bagci; Lauren M Postlewait; Takuma Tajiri; Kee-Taek Jang; Nobuyuki Ohike; Grace E Kim; Alyssa Krasinskas; Hyejeong Choi; Juan M Sarmiento; David A Kooby; Bassel F El-Rayes; Jessica H Knight; Michael Goodman; Gizem Akkas; Michelle D Reid; Shishir K Maithel; Volkan Adsay Journal: Ann Surg Oncol Date: 2015-03-18 Impact factor: 5.344