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Updated: Apr 30, 2026
DIPLOMA Approach for Standardized Pathology Assessment of Distal Pancreatectomy Specimens
Published on: February 1, 2020
The clinical impact of the lymph node ratio as a prognostic factor after resection of pancreatic cancer
Yusuke Yamamoto1, Hisashi Ikoma, Ryo Morimura
1Division of Digestive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku Kyoto 6028566, Japan. ikoma@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp.
Background:
The prognostic value of lymph node (LN) status in patients who underwent resection for pancreatic cancer (PC) was examined in the present study.
Patients And Methods:
Fifty-six patients who underwent macroscopic curative resection for PC were analyzed. Twelve factors, including the number of LN metastases, LN ratio, and N category according to the Japanese Pancreatic Society classification, were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis.
Results:
The optimal cut-off value was 0.2 for the LN ratio. Positive surgical margins (p=0.022) and LN ratio ≥0.2 (p=0.017) were identified as independent prognostic factors. Among the 33 patients with regional LN metastasis, patients with LN ratio ≥0.2 had significantly worse prognosis than those with LN ratio <0.2 (median survival time 14 vs. 26 months, p=0.048), however, the differences in survival between those with N1 and those with N2 by Japanese Pancreatic Society classification were not statistically significant (p=0.85).
Conclusion:
The LN ratio might be more useful than other parameters as a predictor for survival after resection of PC.
