Larger Non-metastatic No. 8 Lymph Node Size Is Associated With Favorable Prognosis After Pancreaticoduodenectomy for Pancreatic Cancer.
- 1Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract
Background/aim
Although lymph node metastasis is a negative prognostic factor in pancreatic cancer, the significance of non-metastatic lymph node enlargement remains unclear. This study evaluated the prognostic impact of the No. 8 lymph node (N8LN), which is routinely assessed during pancreaticoduodenectomy and identifiable on preoperative imaging.Patients and methods
We retrospectively reviewed 99 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer between 2009 and 2019. The size of the N8LN was measured on preoperative imaging, and patients were divided into small and large groups based on the median value. Long-term oncologic outcomes were compared between the two groups. To assess the local immune response, CD8 immunohistochemistry was performed on nodal sections, and CD8⁺ T-cell density was quantified using QuPath software.Results
The large group showed significantly longer progression-free survival (19.7 vs. 9.4 months) and disease-specific survival (41.7 vs. 17.1 months) than the small group. Enlarged N8LN remained an independent favorable prognostic factor in multivariable analysis. CD8⁺ T-cell density did not differ between groups.Conclusion
Enlarged N8LN size was independently associated with better survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Nodal enlargement may reflect host immune activity rather than tumor progression and merits further investigation.
Related
- Omental wrapping combined with external pancreatic drainage is associated with a lower incidence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy: a retrospective study.
- Spiral Jejunal Reconstruction of Both Pancreatic Stumps in Type II Portal Annular Pancreas during Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Case Report
- Impact of intraoperative retrograde transhepatic biliary drainage on clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula following pancreaticoduodenectomy: a retrospective cohort study.
- Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage as an effective complementary treatment option for clinically relevant biliopancreatic, pancreatic and biliary leakage after pancreaticoduodenectomy
- Internal Evaluation of a Machine Learning-Based Random Forest Model for Clinically Relevant Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula After Pancreaticoduodenectomy: Limited Incremental Value of Inflammatory–Nutritional Markers
BibTeX
@article{sakamoto2026larger,
title = {{Larger Non-metastatic No. 8 Lymph Node Size Is Associated With Favorable Prognosis After Pancreaticoduodenectomy for Pancreatic Cancer.}},
author = {Taro Sakamoto and Takeshi Gocho and Masashi Tsunematsu and Yoshihiro Shirai and Norimitsu Okui and Ryoga Hamura and Yoshiaki Tanji and Takashi Aida and Yuta Yamada and Kohei Okazaki and Yuto Yamahata and Kenei Furukawa and Toru Ikegami},
journal = {Cancer diagnosis \& prognosis},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.21873/cdp.10600},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968953},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Larger Non-metastatic No. 8 Lymph Node Size Is Associated With Favorable Prognosis After Pancreaticoduodenectomy for Pancreatic Cancer.
AU - Taro Sakamoto
AU - Takeshi Gocho
AU - Masashi Tsunematsu
AU - Yoshihiro Shirai
AU - Norimitsu Okui
AU - Ryoga Hamura
AU - Yoshiaki Tanji
AU - Takashi Aida
AU - Yuta Yamada
AU - Kohei Okazaki
AU - Yuto Yamahata
AU - Kenei Furukawa
AU - Toru Ikegami
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/01
JO - Cancer diagnosis & prognosis
DO - 10.21873/cdp.10600
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968953
AB - Background/aim Although lymph node metastasis is a negative prognostic factor in pancreatic cancer, the significance of non-metastatic lymph node enlargement remains unclear. This study evaluated the prognostic impact of the No. 8 lymph node (N8LN), which is routinely assessed during pancreaticoduodenectomy and identifiable on preoperative imaging.Patients and methods We retrospectively reviewed 99 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer between 2009 and 2019. The size of the N8LN was measured on preoperative imaging, and patients were divided into small and large groups based on the median value. Long-term oncologic outcomes were compared between the two groups. To assess the local immune response, CD8 immunohistochemistry was performed on nodal sections, and CD8⁺ T-cell density was quantified using QuPath software.Results The large group showed significantly longer progression-free survival (19.7 vs. 9.4 months) and disease-specific survival (41.7 vs. 17.1 months) than the small group. Enlarged N8LN remained an independent favorable prognostic factor in multivariable analysis. CD8⁺ T-cell density did not differ between groups.Conclusion Enlarged N8LN size was independently associated with better survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Nodal enlargement may reflect host immune activity rather than tumor progression and merits further investigation.
SN - 2732-7787
ER -