Fig. 4.

Elevated levels of circulating suPAR are associated with an impaired overall survival after BTC resection.

(A) Patients with BTC (validation cohort) and a preoperative suPAR level above 3.72 ng/ml have significantly impaired overall survival. (B) Postoperative suPAR levels are significantly higher compared to preoperative levels. (C) Postoperative suPAR serum concentrations above the 50^th percentile (4.80 ng/ml) are associated with impaired long–term survival. (D) At the ideal cut-off value (4.30 ng/ml), postoperative suPAR levels significantly discriminate between long–term survivors and patients who died early. (E) The individual course of suPAR serum levels before and after surgery does not allow a prediction of overall survival. ***p <0.001. BTC, biliary tract cancer; suPAR, soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor.