The impact of C‐reactive protein‐albumin‐lymphocyte (CALLY) index on the prognosis of patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma following pancreaticoduodenectomy

AIM: The C‐reactive protein (CRP)‐albumin‐lymphocyte (CALLY) index is a novel inflammation‐based biomarker, which has been associated with long‐term outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. We aimed to investigate whether the CALLY index can predict the prognosis for distal cholangiocarcinoma after pancreaticoduodenectomy. METHODS: The study comprised 143 patients who had undergone primary pancreaticoduodenectomy for distal cholangiocarcinoma between 2002 to 2019. The CALLY index was defined as (albumin × lymphocyte)/ (CRP × 10(4)). We investigated the association of CALLY index with disease‐free survival and overall survival by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Eighty‐seven (61%) patients had a preoperative CALLY index <3.5. In multivariate analysis, obstructive jaundice drainage (P < .01), poorly differentiated tumor (P < .01), and CALLY index<3.5 (P = .02) were independent predictors of disease‐free survival, while obstructive jaundice drainage (P < .01), poorly differentiated tumor (P < .01), and CALLY index <3.5 (P = .02) were independent predictors of overall survival. CONCLUSION: The CALLY index may be an independent and significant indicator of poor long‐term outcomes in patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma after pancreaticoduodenectomy, suggesting the importance of comprehensive assessment for inflammatory status.