Open AccessA High Circulating Tumor Cell Count in Portal Vein Predicts Liver Metastasis From Periampullary or Pancreatic Cancer
Author(s) -
YuWen Tien,
Hsun-Chuan Kuo,
Bing-Ching Ho,
MingChu Chang,
Yu-Ting Chang,
MeiFang Cheng,
Huai-Lu Chen,
TsorngJuu Liang,
Chien-Fang Wang,
ChihYu Huang,
JinYuh Shew,
Ying Chang,
Eva Y.-H.P. Lee,
WenHwa Lee
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.59
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1536-5964
pISSN - 0025-7974
DOI - 10.1097/md.0000000000003407
Subject(s) - medicine , periampullary cancer , pancreaticoduodenectomy , pancreatic cancer , metastasis , adenocarcinoma , circulating tumor cell , gastroenterology , radiology , cancer , pancreas
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) released from a periampullary or pancreatic cancer can be more frequently detected in the portal than the systemic circulation and potentially can be used to identify patients with liver micrometastases. Aims of this study is to determine if CTCs count in portal venous blood of patients with nonmetastatic periampullary or pancreatic adenocarcinoma can be used as a predictor for subsequent liver metastases. CTCs were quantified in portal and peripheral venous blood samples collected simultaneously during pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with presumed periampullary or pancreatic adenocarcinoma without image-discernible metastasis. Postoperatively patients were monitored for liver metastasis by abdominal magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography every 3 months for 1 year. Sixty patients with a pathological diagnosis of periampullary or pancreatic adenocarcinoma were included in the study. Multivariate analysis indicated that portal CTC count was a significant predictor for liver metastases within 6 months after surgery. Eleven of 13 patients with a high portal CTCs count (defined as >112 CMx Platform estimated CTCs in 2 mL blood) developed liver metastases within 6 months after surgery. In contrast, only 6 of 47 patients with a low portal CTC count developed liver metastases ( P < 0.0001). A value of 112 CMx Platform estimated CTCs had 64.7% sensitivity and 95.4% specificity to predict liver metastases within 6 months after surgery. We concluded that a high CTC count in portal venous blood collected during pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with periampullary or pancreatic adenocarcinoma without metastases detected by currently available imaging tools is a significant predictor for liver metastases within 6 months after surgery.