Background: Accurately identifying malignant components in patients with pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) remains challenging. Preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a marker of poor prognosis in patients with several types of malignancy. This study assessed whether NLR was predictive of intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma (IPMC) in patients with IPMN.
Method: This study retrospectively assessed 76 patients who underwent curative resection for IPMN from 1995 to 2015. The correlation between the presence of malignant components and preoperative NLR was analyzed.
Results: Preoperative NLR in IPMC was significantly higher in patients with in IPMC (2.51 ± 0.84) than in patients with intraductal papillary mucinous adenoma (2.01 ± 0.71, P = 0.0079) and healthy volunteers (1.37 ± 0.33, P < 0.0001). NLR was significantly reduced after curative tumor resection. The main duct type (P = 0.0231) and NLR >2.074 (P = 0.0329) were independent predictors of IPMC in all patients. Combined criteria including international consensus guidelines, CA19-9 >37 IU/ml, and NLR >2.074 shows a high positive predictive value of 78 % and high specificity of 96 %.
Conclusions: Preoperative NLR is a useful supportive marker to predict IPMC in patients with IPMN.
Keywords: Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm; Malignant potential; Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.