Platelets Counts Closely Correlate with the Disease-free Survival Interval of Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Background/aims: We investigated the relationship between preoperative platelets count and the outcome of pancreatic cancer patients.

Methodology: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 105 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the pancreas who underwent radical resection at our institution over a 20-year period. The patients were divided into two groups based on their preoperative platelets counts: a group with thrombocytosis (> or = 40x10(4)/mL) and a group with non-elevated platelets counts (< 40x10(4)/mL). Histopathological findings, survival rates, recurrence patterns, and disease-free survival intervals were compared between the two groups.

Results: The outcome of the group with thrombocytosis was significantly poorer than that of the group with non-elevated platelets counts (p=0.043). The mean disease-free interval of patients with thrombocytosis was 4.9 months as opposed to 46.5 months for those with non-elevated platelets counts (p=0.006). Patients were classified into four groups according to changes in platelets counts after surgery. Consistently, the outcome of the group with both pre- and postoperative non-elevated platelets counts was the best compared to groups with post- and/or postoperative thrombocytosis.

Conclusions: Our clinical data suggest that high platelets counts in the preoperative and postoperative period may be associated with a poor outcome and shortening of postoperative disease-free survival interval.