A High Circulating Tumor Cell Count in Portal Vein Predicts Liver Metastasis From Periampullary or Pancreatic Cancer: A High Portal Venous CTC Count Predicts Liver Metastases.
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) released from a periampullary or pancreatic cancer can be more frequently detected in the portal than the systemic circulation and potentially can be used to identify patients with liver micrometastases. Aims of this study is to determine if CTCs count in portal venous blood of patients with nonmetastatic periampullary or pancreatic adenocarcinoma can be used as a predictor for subsequent liver metastases. CTCs were quantified in portal and peripheral venous blood samples collected simultaneously during pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with presumed periampullary or pancreatic adenocarcinoma without image-discernible metastasis. Postoperatively patients were monitored for liver metastasis by abdominal magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography every 3 months for 1 year. Sixty patients with a pathological diagnosis of periampullary or pancreatic adenocarcinoma were included in the study. Multivariate analysis indicated that portal CTC count was a significant predictor for liver metastases within 6 months after surgery. Eleven of 13 patients with a high portal CTCs count (defined as >112 CMx Platform estimated CTCs in 2 mL blood) developed liver metastases within 6 months after surgery. In contrast, only 6 of 47 patients with a low portal CTC count developed liver metastases (P < 0.0001). A value of 112 CMx Platform estimated CTCs had 64.7% sensitivity and 95.4% specificity to predict liver metastases within 6 months after surgery. We concluded that a high CTC count in portal venous blood collected during pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with periampullary or pancreatic adenocarcinoma without metastases detected by currently available imaging tools is a significant predictor for liver metastases within 6 months after surgery.
From the Department of Surgery (YWT, H-CK, B-IH); Department of Internal Medicine (M-CC, Y-TC); Department of Nuclear Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital (M-FC); Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei (H-LC, T-YL, C-FW, C-YH, J-YS, YCC, EYL, W-HL); and Institute of Clinical Medicine, China Medical University, Taiwan (EYL, W-HL).
Yu Wen
YW
Tien
Hsun-Chuan
HC
Kuo
Be-Ing
BI
Ho
Ming-Chu
MC
Chang
Yu-Ting
YT
Chang
Mei-Fang
MF
Cheng
Huai-Lu
HL
Chen
Ting-Yung
TY
Liang
Chien-Fang
CF
Wang
Chia-Yi
CY
Huang
Jin-Yuh
JY
Shew
Ying Chih
YC
Chang
Eva Yhp
EY
Lee
Wen-Hwa
WH
Lee
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy; D011169:Portal Vein; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies