Risk factors for early liver recurrence after pancreatic cancer resection.

Abstract

Background: Liver recurrence after resection is one of the most common types of recurrence and is a risk factor for poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for initial liver recurrence.

Methods: Total of 109 patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who underwent resection between 2015 and 2022 were included. The influence of clinicopathologic variables on liver recurrence was analyzed to create a novel scoring system to predict liver recurrence.

Results: The liver recurrence rate was 24%, with 17% recurrence within one year. Patients with liver recurrence had an extremely poor prognosis within 1 year [MST 12.4 (95% CI 5.7-19.1)]. In multivariate analysis, R-PV, large tumor diameter ≥ 45 mm and venous invasion were independent risk factors for early liver recurrence. When each of these risk factors was scored as 1 point, the 1-year liver recurrence rates by score were 0 (0%), 1 (9%), 2 (30%), and 3 (84%).

Conclusion: The risk factors for postoperative early liver recurrence were R-PV, a tumor diameter ≥ 45 mm and pathological venous invasion. Surgery for pancreatic cancer with these factors may require special treatment, such as hepatic arterial injection.