Improving postoperative outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer: Inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers

World J Clin Oncol. 2025 Jan 24;16(1):99651. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v16.i1.99651.

Abstract

This editorial assesses the prognostic value of preoperative inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers in patients undergoing surgical resection for pancreatic cancer. Lu et al evaluated the ability of seven biomarkers to predict postoperative recovery and long-term outcomes. These biomarkers were albumin-to-globulin ratio, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), systemic immune-inflammation index, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, nutritional risk index, and geriatric nutritional risk index. The PNI was found to be a strong predictor of both overall and recurrence-free survival, underscoring its clinical relevance in managing patients with pancreatic cancer.

Keywords: Pancreatic cancer; Postoperative recovery; Prognosis; Prognostic nutritional index; Systemic immune-inflammation index.