Analysis of Risk Factors for Distant Metastasis of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma without Regional Lymph Node Metastasis and a Nomogram Prediction Model for Survival

Jinsheng Huang; Xujia Li; Qi Jiang; Huijuan Qiu; Yuming Rong; Bokang Cui; Guifang Guo

doi:10.1155/2023/2916974

Analysis of Risk Factors for Distant Metastasis of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma without Regional Lymph Node Metastasis and a Nomogram Prediction Model for Survival

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2023 Feb 21:2023:2916974. doi: 10.1155/2023/2916974. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Jinsheng Huang^{1

2

3}, Xujia Li^{1

2

3}, Qi Jiang^{1

2

3}, Huijuan Qiu^{1

2

3}, Yuming Rong^{1

2

3}, Bokang Cui^{2

3

4}, Guifang Guo^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ VIP Department, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, China.
³ Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, China.
⁴ Department of Pancreaticobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, China.

Abstract

Background: Negative regional lymph nodes do not indicate a lack of distant metastasis. A considerable number of patients with negative regional lymph node pancreatic cancer will skip the step of regional lymph node metastasis and directly develop distant metastasis.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with negative regional lymph node pancreatic cancer and distant metastasis in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from 2010 to 2015. Multivariate logistic analysis and Cox analysis were used to determine the independent risk factors that promoted distant metastasis and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year cancer-specific survival in this subgroup.

Results: Sex, age, pathological grade, surgery, radiotherapy, race, tumor location, and tumor size were significantly correlated with distant metastasis (P < 0.05). Among these factors, pathological grade II and above, tumor site other than the pancreatic head, and tumor size >40 mm were independent risk factors for distant metastasis; age ≥60 years, tumor size ≤21 mm, surgery, and radiation were protective factors against distant metastasis. Age, pathological grade, surgery, chemotherapy, and metastasis site were identified as predictors of survival. Among them, age ≥40 years, pathological grade II and above, and multiple distant metastasis were considered independent risk factors for cancer-specific survival. Surgery and chemotherapy were considered protective factors for cancer-specific survival. The prediction performance of the nomogram was significantly better than that of the traditional American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor, node, metastasis staging system. We also established an online dynamic nomogram calculator, which can predict the survival rate of patients at different follow-up time points.

Conclusion: Pathological grade, tumor location, and tumor size were independent risk factors for distant metastasis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with negative regional lymph nodes. Older age, smaller tumor size, surgery, and radiotherapy were protective factors against distant metastasis. A new nomogram that was constructed could effectively predict cancer-specific survival in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with negative regional lymph nodes and distant metastasis. Furthermore, an online dynamic nomogram calculator was established.