title: Performance status and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio are important prognostic factors in elderly patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The usefulness of various prognostic factors for pancreatic cancer (PC) has been reported, but the number of elderly patients in these studies is disproportionately fewer compared with those in everyday practice. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic factors for unresectable PC in elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed 67 elderly (age ≥75 years) patients with unresectable PC who underwent chemotherapy between January 2006 and December 2014 at our hospital. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were applied to investigate independent prognostic factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate analysis revealed that an increased neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) [hazard ratio (HR) 1.91, P=0.03] and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 2 (HR 2.74, P=0.01) were independent negative prognostic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The two prognostic factors identified herein are useful in the identification of patients with a poor prognosis and subsequent administration of supportive care alone, which may help avoid the unnecessary adverse effects and complications of systemic chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Kofu Municipal Hospital, Kofu City, Yamanashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kadokura
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Kofu Municipal Hospital, Kofu City, Yamanashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Kofu Municipal Hospital, Kofu City, Yamanashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tatsumi
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Ei
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shindo
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Kofu Municipal Hospital, Kofu City, Yamanashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumitake
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amemiya
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukasawa
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Enomoto
keywords: Pancreatic cancer (PC); elderly patient; neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR); prognostic factor