AUTHOR=Zhang Qiao , Xia Feng , Sun Qiang , Cao Wenjing , Mo Ali , He Weiming , Chen Jiazhen , Zhang Weiqiao , Chen Weiqiang 

TITLE=Recurrence and Prognostic Value of Circulating Tumor Cells in Resectable Pancreatic Head Cancer: A Single Center Retrospective Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Surgery

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/surgery/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2022.832125

DOI=10.3389/fsurg.2022.832125

ISSN=2296-875X

ABSTRACT=ABSTRACT:
Backgruond and aim
To investigate the effect of anterior circulation tumor cells (CTC) on postoperative recurrence and overall survival prognosis of pancreatic head cancer after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). 
Methods
From March 2014 to January 2020, 73 patients with pancreatic head cancer underwent radical resection (R0) in Zhongshan People's Hospital. CTCs in peripheral blood of patients with pancreatic head cancer were detected by Cyttel detector before PD. Seventy-three patients were divided into positive and negative groups according to the positive criteria. The relationship between the clinical data of CTCs and postoperative recurrence, survival and prognosis was explored. Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the risk factors affecting the postoperative recurrence of PD and the survival prognosis of patients.
Results
 Of the 73 patients, 41 were in the positive group. Preoperative CTCs were correlated with tumor vascular invasion and preoperative CA199 (P < 0.05), and correlated with postoperative liver metastasis. Preoperative CTCs positivity, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion and nerve invasion (P < 0.05) were independent risk factors for postoperative tumor recurrence. Preoperative positive CTCs, tumor diameter greater than 2 cm and vascular invasion (P < 0.05) were independent risk factors for survival prognosis of patients.
Conclusion
The detection of CTCs before pancreatic head cancer surgery is an important factor affecting the postoperative recurrence and survival prognosis of pancreatic head cancer, which is of great significance in guiding clinical work.