Background: Pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma rank as exceptionally lethal cancers, typically diagnosed at advanced stages, leading to poor prognoses.
Aim of the work: This study aimed to investigate the clinical, epidemiological, laboratory, and diagnostic properties of pancreatic & biliary tract cancers in an Egyptian cohort.
Methods: This retrospective, observational study involved a cohort of 600 studied cases diagnosed with pancreatic or biliary tract cancers in a tertiary referral center. Comprehensive data were collected, including demographics, clinical presentations, laboratory investigations, imaging studies, tumor characteristics, and different therapeutic modalities.
Results: The mean age of the cases was 59 ± 9 years, with male predominance (67.3%) and a mean body mass index (kg/m²) of 24.5 ± 4.7. Pancreatic cancer (PC) distribution prevailed in the head (43.3%), 19% in the body, 12% in the pancreatic tail, and 22% in cholangiocarcinoma. A significant elevation in serum CA19-9 levels was observed in patients with metastatic tumors compared to those without metastasis (median levels: 656.20 vs. 130.10 U/mL, p < 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that older age (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01–1.09, p < 0.01), positive family history (OR: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.89–3.41, p = 0.04), and elevated serum CA19-9 levels (OR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.21–2.46, p = 0.03) were significant predictors of advanced disease and poorer prognosis.
Conclusion: These findings emphasize the prognostic value of serum CA19-9 levels in assessing the severity of pancreatic & biliary tract cancers. Elevated CA19-9 levels are related to advanced disease & worse overall survival, highlighting the need for early detection and targeted therapeutic strategies to improve studied case results.