Factors affecting long-term survival after surgical resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Some patients who undergo surgical resection of pancreatic cancer survive longer than other patients. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that affect long-term survival after resection of histopathologically confirmed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.


METHODS
A single-center, retrospective study was conducted among 164 patients who underwent surgical resection of pancreatic cancer, between May 1995 and December 2004. The patient follow-up process was conducted via telephone survey and review of electronic medical records for at least 5 years or until death.


RESULTS
We compared patients with long-term (≥60 months, n = 19) and short-term survival (<60 months, n = 145). Resection margin status, differentiation of the tumor, tumor stage, pre-operative serum level of albumin, total bilirubin and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 level are related with survival difference (all factors, P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that a pre-operative serum total bilirubin level <7 mg/dL and a pre-operative serum CA19-9 level <37 U/mL is a statistically significant prognostic factor for long-term survival.


CONCLUSIONS
The preoperative serum total bilirubin and serum CA19-9 levels are associated with long-term survival after surgical resection of pancreatic cancer.
Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kyoung Won
KW
Yoon
Jin Seok
JS
Heo
Dong Wook
DW
Choi
Seoung Ho
SH
Choi