Mean platelet volume/platelet count ratio is associated with prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer

An increased mean platelet volume (MPV) is recognized as an early marker of platelet activation. The diagnostic and prognostic impact of the MPV and MPV/platelet count (PC) ratio in some cancers has recently been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of preoperative MPV/PC ratio in pancreatic cancer. A total of 124 pancreatic cancer patients were included in the study and retrospectively reviewed. The preoperative hematological parameters were examined and analyzed along with patient clinicopathological parameters and prognosis. MPV and MPV/PC ratio were significantly increased in the pancreatic cancer group. Patients with pancreatic cancer had a slightly lower platelet count than patients with benign pancreatic tumor or healthy controls. Univariate analysis revealed that overall survival (OS) was significantly shorter in the group with a high MPV/PC ratio than in the other groups (median survival time [MST]: 7.0 months vs. 13.0 months, log-rank, P<0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed that a high MPV/PC ratio was an independent unfavorable predictive factor for OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.726, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.018-6.880, P<0.001). A high MPV/PC ratio is closely related with an unfavorable prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer.