Introduction : The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the prognostic value of preoperative established inflammation-based and/or nutritional markers and 18F-FDG-PETCT-derived markers in patients with bile duct and pancreatic cancer.

Methods : This study retrospectively reviewed 80 patients who underwent R0 resection for bile duct and pancreatic cancer. C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet to- lymphocyte ratio, Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), Glasgow Prognostic Score, were derived from routine blood tests. The maximum standardized uptake (SUVmax), peak standardized uptake (SUVpeak), metabolic tumour volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were measured.

Results : There was no association between 18F-FDG-PETCT measures of tumor metabolism and systemic inflammation. Among inflammation-based and/or nutritional markers and 18F-FDG-PETCT-derived markers, multivariate analyses demonstrated CAR, PNI, SUVmax, MTV and TLG as independent prognostic factors for OS, respectively.

Conclusions : The present study reports a direct association between 18F-FDG-PETCT-derived measures of tumor metabolism and systemic inflammation in patients with bile duct and pancreatic cancer.