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Research Article: Specific diagnostic value of systemic immune–inflammation indices combined with nutritional and tumor markers in the stage diagnosis of pancreatic cancer: a retrospective cohort study

Date Published: 2026-07-15

Abstract:
To investigate the specific diagnostic value of the systemic immune–inflammation index (SII) and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) combined with the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and tumor markers (CA19–9 and CEA) in the stage diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. This single-center retrospective cohort study consecutively enrolled 257 patients with pathologically confirmed pancreatic cancer. Patients with stage I–II disease were classified as the early-stage pancreatic cancer group, while those with stage III–IV disease were classified as the non-early group. Clinical and pathological characteristics, as well as pretreatment peripheral blood inflammatory, nutritional, and tumor marker data, were collected. SII, SIRI, and PNI were calculated. Differences in these parameters were compared across tumor stages and degrees of differentiation. Compared with the early-stage group, patients with non-early-stage pancreatic cancer had significantly higher levels of SII, SIRI, CA19-9, and CEA, while PNI was significantly lower (all P < 0.01). With advancing TNM stage, SII, SIRI, and tumor marker levels progressively increased, whereas PNI gradually decreased (all P < 0.05). Among individual indicators, PNI demonstrated the best diagnostic performance for early-stage pancreatic cancer (AUC = 0.78), followed by CA19-9 (AUC = 0.75), SII (AUC = 0.72), and SIRI (AUC = 0.70). The combined inflammatory and nutritional model (SII + SIRI + PNI) achieved an AUC of 0.82, which was significantly superior to that of any single marker. When inflammatory, nutritional, and tumor markers were fully combined, diagnostic performance was further improved (AUC = 0.88, sensitivity 84.6%, specificity 81.2%). In the subgroup of CA19-9–negative patients, the combined inflammatory and nutritional model still showed good diagnostic value (AUC = 0.85). The combination of systemic immune–inflammation indices with nutritional parameters and tumor markers significantly enhances the specificity and accuracy of early-stage pancreatic cancer diagnosis. This multi-marker strategy provides an important complementary diagnostic approach, particularly in CA19-9–negative patients.

Introduction:
Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive malignant tumor of the digestive system, characterized by an insidious onset, rapid progression, and extremely poor prognosis. Globally, the incidence and mortality of pancreatic cancer have continued to rise, with a five-year overall survival rate of less than 10%, making it one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide ( 1 , 2 ). Owing to the lack of specific symptoms in the early stage, most patients are diagnosed at a locally advanced stage or with distant…

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