Plasma D-dimer and urine D-dimer are associated with resectability of pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is the seventh leading cause of death worldwide. The diagnosis of pancreatic tumors remains difficult since resectability is challenging to reveal by computed tomography, and unidentified metastases are possible, usually confirmed only on the operating table. D-dimer has been reported to be a marker of hypercoagulability, and its appearance in various tumors has been significantly associated with the metastatic stage. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between D-dimer level and resectability of pancreatic tumors. METHODS: We included 39 participants from seven referral hospitals with pancreatic cancer diagnoses. All the participants signed an informed consent. Those with multiple cancers, hematological disorders, or kidney disorders were excluded. A questionnaire was used to obtain characteristics data. Plasma and urine D-dimer were examined. RESULTS: Both plasma and urine D-dimer were significantly associated with the resectability of pancreatic cancer (P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). The higher the level of D-dimer, the less resectable the cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma and urine D-dimer were associated with the resectability of pancreatic cancer.