Studies blood markers to predict nerve invasion in pancreatic cancer before surgery
Checks whether blood tests can signal nerve invasion in people with pancreatic cancer.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio and CA 19.9 as Predictors of Perineural Invasion in Pancreatic Cancer
Key facts
- Where
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainSee the site
AI summary: who the study is looking for
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for people with pancreatic cancer (adenocarcinoma) who had the tumour removed by surgery and have blood test results before the operation.
- Sex
- All sexes can join.
- Disease stage
- Pancreatic adenocarcinoma confirmed by tissue examination, with the tumour removed by surgery.
- Earlier treatment
- The tumour must have been removed by surgery. Blood counts and CA 19.9 must be available before the operation, both before and after neoadjuvant therapy.
- Biomarker or test result
- A preoperative blood count that allows the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio to be calculated, and a preoperative CA 19.9 level.
Main reasons for not taking part
- Another type of tumour tissue (not adenocarcinoma)
- Incomplete data
- Not operated on
Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
Where in Spain
- University Hospital of Gran Canaria Doctor NegrínLas Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainContact: Pau Plá SánchezTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorTrial details
- Who runs it
- University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- Trial code
- NCT06747481
- Record updated
- 24 December 2024
- Original description
Pancreatic cancer has an incidence of 1,401,450 new cases diagnosed annually worldwide and is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in Spain. This disease is associated with a poor prognosis, reflected by a 5-year survival rate of less than 5% when all stages are grouped together.Read full original descriptionShow less
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio and CA 19.9 as Predictors of Perineural Invasion in Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer has an incidence of 1,401,450 new cases diagnosed annually worldwide and is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in Spain. This disease is associated with a poor prognosis, reflected by a 5-year survival rate of less than 5% when all stages are grouped together.
Several prognostic factors for pancreatic cancer have been identified. The most relevant include preoperative levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19.9), surgical margins after resection, venous and/or arterial vascular involvement, and histopathological features such as affected locoregional lymph nodes, or perineural and lymphovascular invasion. Among all these factors, perineural invasion may be the primary independent factor affecting prognosis, particularly in patients with relatively favorable pathological features.
The identification of perineural invasion before surgery could influence the clinical management of these patients. It may facilitate risk stratification, allowing the identification of patients who would benefit most from neoadjuvant treatments or more aggressive surgical procedures, such as vascular resections. However, perineural involvement is very difficult to detect preoperatively.
Only a few studies have analyzed the possible relationship between CA 19.9 and perineural invasion, and their results are inconsistent. Alternatively, some studies have demonstrated the utility of preoperative multidetector computed tomography in detecting extrapancreatic perineural invasion. However, these radiological tests are still not useful for directly detecting microscopic perineural invasion, especially in early stages.
On the other hand, in recent years, evidence has supported that the systemic inflammatory response may play an important role in the prognosis of different malignancies. Among these inflammatory markers, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has gained prominence. Regarding pancreatic cancer, many studies suggest that elevated preoperative NLR levels are associated with a worse prognosis. However, no studies have yet been published analyzing a possible relationship between this inflammatory marker and perineural invasion.
The main objective of this study is to correlate the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and CA 19.9 with histopathologically confirmed perineural invasion and, in this way, investigate these data as potential preoperative markers of perineural invasion in pancreatic cancer. Our working hypothesis is that preoperative NLR and CA 19.9 are potential markers of perineural invasion.
As secondary objectives, we aim to study the effect of neoadjuvant therapy on inflammatory markers (NLR) and tumor markers (CEA and CA 19.9) in pancreatic cancer.
Inclusion: Patient with a histopathological diagnosis of adenocarcinoma; Surgical resection of the neoplasm; Preoperative blood count allowing calculation of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and preoperative CA 19.9, both before and after neoadjuvant therapy.
Exclusion: Patients with a diagnosis of another histological type; Patients with incomplete data; Patients who were not operated on.