Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34980011›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2022

Pancreatic fibrosis, acinar atrophy and chronic inflammation in surgical specimens associated with survival in patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Taija Korpela, Ari Ristimäki, Marianne Udd, Tiina Vuorela, Harri Mustonen, Caj Haglund, Leena Kylänpää, Hanna Seppänen

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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  3. Sequential drug release system: Targeting the tumor ECM for enhanced chemotherapy efficacy.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025
    Article
  4. Gene Dysregulation and Islet Changes in PDAC-Associated Type 3c Diabetes.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Taija KorpelaGastroenterological Surgery, Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 4, 00029, PL 340, Helsinki, HUS, Finland. taija.korpela@hus.fi.
Ari RistimäkiDepartment of Pathology, HUSLAB, HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital and Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Marianne UddGastroenterological Surgery, Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 4, 00029, PL 340, Helsinki, HUS, Finland.
Tiina VuorelaGastroenterological Surgery, Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 4, 00029, PL 340, Helsinki, HUS, Finland.
Harri MustonenGastroenterological Surgery, Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 4, 00029, PL 340, Helsinki, HUS, Finland.
Caj HaglundGastroenterological Surgery, Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 4, 00029, PL 340, Helsinki, HUS, Finland.
Leena Kylänpää *Gastroenterological Surgery, Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 4, 00029, PL 340, Helsinki, HUS, Finland.
Hanna Seppänen *Gastroenterological Surgery, Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 4, 00029, PL 340, Helsinki, HUS, Finland.
University of Helsinki · FIHelsinki University Hospital · FI

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the most lethal malignancies, is increasing in incidence. However, the stromal reaction pathophysiology and its role in PDAC development remain unknown. We, therefore, investigated the potential role of histological chronic pancreatitis findings and chronic inflammation on surgical PDAC specimens and disease-specific survival (DSS).

methodsBetween 2000 and 2016, we retrospectively enrolled 236 PDAC patients treated with curative-intent pancreatic surgery at Helsinki University Hospital. All pancreatic transection margin slides were re-reviewed and histological findings were evaluated applying international guidelines.

resultsDSS among patients with no fibrosis, acinar atrophy or chronic inflammation identified on pathology slides was significantly better than DSS among patients with fibrosis, acinar atrophy and chronic inflammation [median survival: 41.8 months, 95% confidence interval (CI) 26.0-57.6 vs. 20.6 months, 95% CI 10.3-30.9; log-rank test p = 0.001]. Multivariate analysis revealed that Ca 19-9 > 37 kU/l [hazard ratio (HR) 1.48, 95% CI 1.02-2.16], lymph node metastases N1-2 (HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.16-2.52), tumor size > 30 mm (HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.04-2.08), the combined effect of fibrosis and acinar atrophy (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.27-2.88) and the combined effect of fibrosis, acinar atrophy and chronic inflammation (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.03-2.58) independently served as unfavorable prognostic factors for DSS. However, we observed no significant associations between tumor size (> 30 mm) and the degree of perilobular fibrosis (p = 0.655), intralobular fibrosis (p = 0.587), acinar atrophy (p = 0.584) or chronic inflammation (p = 0.453).

conclusionsOur results indicate that the pancreatic stroma is associated with PDAC patients' DSS. Additionally, the more severe the fibrosis, acinar atrophy and chronic inflammation, the worse the impact on DSS, thereby warranting further studies investigating stroma-targeted therapies.

Indexed as

Acinar CellsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAtrophyBiomarkers, TumorCarcinoma, Pancreatic DuctalChronic DiseaseDisease-Free SurvivalFemaleFibrosisHumansInflammationMaleMiddle AgedPancreasBiomarkers, TumorChronic pancreatitisPancreatic cancerStromaTumor–stroma interactions

Identifiers

PMID34980011
PMCPMC8721973
OpenAlexW4205971032

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.