Risk of hepatic steatosis with the preoperative treatment of pancreatic cancer and the short-term postoperative outcomes

We investigated whether the preoperative treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer is a risk factor for hepatic steatosis (HS), and whether preoperative HS affects the short-term postoperative outcomes.

Patients who underwent radical surgery for pancreatic cancer between 2010 and 2023 were enrolled. The patients’ medical records were reviewed. Albumin and carbohydrate antigen 19–9 were measured before and after chemotherapy in the patients who received preoperative chemotherapy. A logistic regression univariate analysis was performed to analyze the factors associated with new-onset HS.

A total of 230 patients who underwent surgery were included. HS was observed on the date of surgery in 11 (10%) and two (2%) patients with and without preoperative chemotherapy, respectively. Female sex, initially borderline resectable or unresectable disease, history of cholangitis, presence of PEI, long-term (≥ 3 months) biliary drainage, preoperative chemotherapy, and serum albumin ≥ 3.9 mg/dl before chemotherapy were identified as risk factors for HS. The incidence of postoperative morbidity did not differ between the patients with and without preoperative steatosis.

Preoperative chemotherapy, a history of cholangitis, the presence of PEI, and ≥ 3 months’ duration of biliary drainage were risk factors for the development of HS before surgery for pancreatic cancer. However, preoperative HS did not affect the short-term postoperative outcomes.