Background/aim: Prognostic factors like the CRP-to-albumin ratio (CAR) represent potential predictors for survival of pancreatic cancer patients. We aimed to investigate the prognostic strength of the CAR for overall survival of patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing pancreatic resection.
Patients and methods: Data from a total of 202 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma who had undergone curative pancreatic resection were subjected to a retrospective review. Overall survival was calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used for calculating the prognostic strength of CAR.
Results: CAR was an independent prognostic factor of overall survival in univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Elevated CAR was associated with a higher median value of Charlson Index, higher Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) classification and increased carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels.
Conclusion: CAR is a useful prognostic factor for the prediction of overall survival for patients undergoing pancreatic surgery. The impact of CAR in individual risk assessment should be evaluated in further studies.
Keywords: C-reactive protein; CAR; albumin; pancreatic adenocarcinoma; surgery.
Copyright© 2019, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.