Table 2.
Comparison of the pathological characteristics in the entire cohort
| All (n = 128) |
Normal (n = 46) |
Low (n = 24) |
Intermediate (n = 34) |
High (n = 24) |
p value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tumor size, mm | 30 (7–150) | 28 (7–130) | 30 (11–150) | 34 (15–60) | 39 (25–70) | 0.019 |
| UICC 8th edition | ||||||
| T category, n | 0.100 | |||||
| T1 | 16 (12.5) | 8 (17.4) | 2 (8.3) | 6 (17.6) | 0 | |
| T2 | 79 (61.7) | 29 (63.0) | 15 (62.5) | 22 (64.7) | 13 (54.2) | |
| T3 | 33 (25.8) | 9 (19.6) | 7 (29.2) | 6 (17.6) | 11 (45.8) | |
| T4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| N category, n | 0.245 | |||||
| N0 | 49 (38.3) | 21 (45.7) | 13 (54.2) | 9 (26.5) | 6 (25.0) | |
| N1 | 49 (38.3) | 16 (34.8) | 6 (25.0) | 15 (44.1) | 12 (50.0) | |
| N2 | 30 (23.4) | 9 (19.6) | 5 (20.8) | 10 (29.4) | 6 (25.0) | |
| M category, n | 0.824 | |||||
| M0 | 117 (91.4) | 41 (89.1) | 22 (91.7) | 31 (91.2) | 23 (95.8) | |
| M1a | 11 (8.6) | 5 (10.9) | 2 (8.3) | 3 (8.8) | 1 (4.2) | |
| UICC stage, n | 0.371 | |||||
| IA | 12 (9.4) | 8 (17.4) | 2 (8.3) | 2 (5.9) | 0 | |
| IB | 24 (18.8) | 8 (17.4) | 7 (29.2) | 6 (17.6) | 3 (12.5) | |
| IIA | 12 (9.4) | 4 (8.7) | 4 (16.7) | 1 (2.9) | 3 (12.5) | |
| IIB | 45 (35.2) | 14 (30.4) | 5 (20.8) | 14 (41.2) | 12 (50.0) | |
| III | 24 (18.8) | 7 (15.2) | 4 (16.7) | 8 (23.5) | 5 (20.8) | |
| IV | 11 (8.6) | 5 (10.9) | 2 (8.3) | 3 (8.8) | 1 (4.2) | |
| R0 resection, n | 114 (89.1) | 37 (80.4) | 24 (100.0) | 32 (94.1) | 21 (87.5) | 0.060 |
| Local invasion factor | ||||||
| Bile duct invasion | 60 (46.9) | 22 (47.8) | 10 (41.7) | 16 (47.1) | 12 (50.0) | 0.946 |
| Duodenal invasion | 56 (43.8) | 16 (34.8) | 8 (33.3) | 15 (44.1) | 17 (70.8) | 0.021 |
| Serosal side of the anterior pancreatic tissue invasion | 28 (21.9) | 10 (21.7) | 4 (16.7) | 9 (26.5) | 5 (20.8) | 0.845 |
| Retropancreatic tissue invasion | 103 (80.5) | 35 (76.1) | 18 (75.0) | 29 (85.3) | 21 (87.5) | 0.517 |
| Portal venous system invasion | 28 (21.9) | 9 (19.6) | 5 (20.8) | 10 (29.4) | 4 (16.7) | 0.644 |
| Arterial system invasion | 20 (15.6) | 7 (15.2) | 4 (16.7) | 6 (17.6) | 3 (12.5) | 0.958 |
| Extrapancreatic nerve plexus invasion | 28 (21.9) | 9 (19.6) | 6 (25.0) | 8 (23.5) | 5 (20.8) | 0.950 |
| Invasion of other organs | 6 (4.7) | 2 (4.3) | 1 (4.2) | 1 (3.0) | 2 (8.3) | 0.817 |
| Assessment of TME | ||||||
| Lymphatic invasion | 0.087 | |||||
| No evidence of invasion | 5 (3.9) | 4 (8.7) | 1 (4.2) | 0 | 0 | |
| Slight invasion | 24 (18.8) | 12 (26.1) | 5 (20.8) | 5 (14.7) | 2 (8.3) | |
| Moderate invasion | 59 (46.1) | 13 (28.3) | 12 (50.0) | 21 (61.8) | 13 (54.2) | |
| Marked invasion | 40 (31.3) | 17 (37.0) | 6 (25.0) | 8 (23.5) | 9 (37.5) | |
| Venous invasion | 0.193 | |||||
| No evidence of invasion | 7 (5.5) | 4 (8.7) | 2 (8.3) | 1 (2.9) | 0 | |
| Slight invasion | 33 (25.8) | 16 (34.8) | 5 (20.8) | 8 (23.5) | 4 (16.7) | |
| Moderate invasion | 58 (45.3) | 19 (41.3) | 14 (58.3) | 14 (41.2) | 11 (45.8) | |
| Marked invasion | 30 (23.4) | 7 (15.2) | 3 (12.5) | 11 (32.4) | 9 (37.5) | |
| Nerve invasion | 0.171 | |||||
| No evidence of invasion | 5 (3.9) | 4 (8.7) | 1 (4.2) | 0 | 0 | |
| Slight invasion | 15 (11.7) | 6 (13.0) | 5 (20.8) | 3 (8.8) | 1 (4.2) | |
| Moderate invasion | 34 (26.6) | 13 (28.3) | 5 (20.8) | 12 (35.3) | 4 (16.7) | |
| Marked invasion | 74 (57.8) | 23 (50.0) | 13 (54.2) | 19 (55.9) | 19 (79.2) | |
| Cancer–stroma relationship | 0.511 | |||||
| Medullary type | 4 (3.1) | 1 (2.2) | 2 (8.3) | 1 (3.0) | 0 | |
| Intermediate type | 74 (58.3) | 30 (65.2) | 12 (50.0) | 20 (60.6) | 12 (50.0) | |
| Scirrhous type | 49 (38.6) | 15 (32.6) | 10 (41.7) | 12 (36.4) | 12 (50.0) | |
TME tumor microenvironment, UICC Union for International Cancer Control
aAll the patients were diagnosed with M1 due to positive lymph nodes other than the regional lymph nodes