Plasma cathepsin L: A prognostic marker for pancreatic cancer

Table 1 Summary of clinical parameters of the patients with carcinoma of pancreas (n = 127)

Clinical parameters	n (%)
Pain	93 (73.2)
Jaundice	83 (65.4)
Anorexia	106 (83.5)
Wt. Loss	107 (84.3)
Diabetes	38 (30.0)
Chronic pancreatitis history	17 (13.4)
Common bile Duct dilated	84 (66.0)
Main Pancreatic Duct dilated	98 (77.2)
Locally advanced disease	87 (68.5)
Lymphatic invasion	50 (39.4)
Vascular encasement	59 (46.5)
Metastasis	52 (41.0)
Resectability	25 (19.6)
Chemotherapy	59 (46.5)

Table 2 Comparison of survival between groups in patients with carcinoma of pancreas (n = 127)

Parameters	No. of cases	Death n (%)	Median survival in months (95%CI)	P value1
Age(yr):
< 55	58	46 (80.0)	5 (3.1-6.8)	0.313
≥ 55	69	54 (78.2)	7 (4.9-9.0)
Sex:
Male	88	70 (80.4)	6 (4.9-7.0)	0.682
Female	39	30 (77.0)	5 (2.1-7.9)
Tumor mass (cm):
≥ 2	101	82 (81.0)	6 (4.5-7.4)	0.202
< 2	26	18 (72.0)	5 (2.1-7.8)
Vascular encasement:
No	65	46 (71.8)	6 (3.7-8.3)	0.003
Yes	62	53 (86.8)	4 (2.4-5.5)
Locally advanced:
No	39	28 (73.6)	8 (5.1-10.8)	0.008
Yes	88	72 (81.8)	5 (3.3-6.6)
Lymphatic invasion:
No	73	55 (76.3)	6 (4.5-7.5)	0.231
Yes	54	45 (85.0)	6 (4.0-8.0)
Metastasis:
No	74	55 (74.3)	9 (7.0-11.0)	0.001
Yes	53	45 (86.5)	3 (2.0-4.0)
Surgery:
No	102	81 (79.4)	6 (4.7-7.2)	0.349
Yes	25	20 (80.0)	6 (4.4-7.5)
Chemotherapy:
Yes	73	57 (79.0)	6 (4.2-7.7)	0.602
No	54	43 (79.6)	4 (1.1-6.8)
Stage:
I + II	48	35 (72.9)	9 (5.5-12.4)	0.004
III + IV	79	66 (83.5)	5 (3.3-6.6)
Cathepsin L:
Low ( ≤ 5 ng/mL)	54	38 (70.3)	9 (6.7-11.2)	0.004
High (> 5 ng/mL)	73	63 (86.3)	4 (2.5-5.4)

¹Log rank test.

Table 3 Unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratio for study parameters (Cox Regression)

Parameters	No. of patients	Deaths n (%)	Univariate Analysis		Multivariate Analysis
			Unadjusted	P value	Adjusted	P value
			HR		HR
			(95%CI)		(95%CI)
Age (yr)
< 55	58	46 (80.0)	1		-	-
≥ 55	69	54 (78.2)	0.8	0.337
			(0.55-1.22)
Sex
Male	88	70 (80.4)	1		-	-
Female	39	30 (77.0)	0.9	0.720
			(0.60-1.42)
Tumor mass (cm)
< 2	26	18 (72.0)	1		-	-
≥ 2	101	82 (81.0)	1.3	0.234
			(0.8-2.2)
Vascular encasement						-
No	65	46 (71.8)	1		-
Yes	62	53 (86.8)	1.7	0.007
			(1.16-2.61)
Locally advanced
No	39	28 (73.6)	1		-	-
Yes	88	72 (81.8)	1.7	0.014
			(1.12-2.76)
Lymphatic invasion
No	73	55 (76.3)	1		-	-
Yes	54	45 (85.0)	1.3	0.232
			(0.85-1.89)
Metastasis
No	74	55 (74.3)	1		-	-
Yes	53	45 (86.5)	2.1	0.001
			(1.4-3.1)
Surgery
No	102	81 (79.4)	1		-	-
Yes	25	20 (80.0)	0.79	0.380
			(0.48-1.3)
Stage
I + II	48	35 (72.9)	1		1
III + IV	79	66 (83.5)	1.7	0.008	1.7	0.008
			(1.1, 2.7)		(1.1-2.6)
Cathepsin L
Low ( ≤ 5 ng/mL)	54	38 (70.3)	1		1	0.010
High (> 5 ng/mL)	73	63 (87.5)	1.7	0.010	1.7
			(1.15-2.25)		(1.1-2.5)

Table 4 Association of cathepsin L in tissue and blood (n = 25)

	Cathepsin L in blood		P value
	Low ( ≤5 ng/mL)	High (> 5 ng/mL)
Cathepsin L in tissue low (0-4 scores)	0	3	0.706
Cathepsin L in tissue high (5-8 scores)	4	18

Mc Nemar χ² test applied.