title: Lymph node ratio is an independent prognostic factor for patients after resection of pancreatic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prognostic value of lymph node ratio (LNR) in pancreatic cancer remains controversial. In the current retrospective study, we assessed the value of LNR on predicting the survival of postoperative patients with pancreatic cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of patients who underwent pancreatic resection for pancreatic cancer in the department of general surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University were reviewed retrospectively. Demographic, clinicopathological, tumor-specific data, and histopathological reports were collected. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 83 patients with pancreatic cancer were collected. The mean number of examined LN was 8.2 ± 6.1 (0 to 26). Differential degree (low) (P = 0.019, hazard ratio (HR) = 2.276, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.171 to 4.424) and LNR >0.2 (P = 0.018, HR = 2.685, 95% CI: 1.253 to 5.756) were independent adverse prognostic factors according to the multivariate survival analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study indicated that LNR >0.2 was an independent adverse prognostic factor for pancreatic cancer, which may provide important information for prognostic assessment.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Qilu hospital, Shandong University, No. 107, Wenhua West Road, Lixia District, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250012, China. zhanhanxiang@126.com.
authors.forename: Han-xiang
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Qilu hospital, Shandong University, No. 107, Wenhua West Road, Lixia District, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250012, China. wdxujianwei@163.com.
authors.forename: Jian-wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Qilu hospital, Shandong University, No. 107, Wenhua West Road, Lixia District, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250012, China. qlwanglei1102@163.com.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Qilu hospital, Shandong University, No. 107, Wenhua West Road, Lixia District, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250012, China. gyzhang@163.com.
authors.forename: Guang-yong
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Qilu hospital, Shandong University, No. 107, Wenhua West Road, Lixia District, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250012, China. husanyuan1962@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: San-yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000401:mortality*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000401:mortality*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate