Serum aspartate aminotransferase is an adverse prognostic indicator for patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Objective In this study, the association between preoperative levels of serum liver enzymes and overall survival (OS) was evaluated in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer. Methods Preoperative serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferases (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase of 101 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) were collected. Univariate and multivariate Cox hazard models were used to identify independent variables associated with OS in this cohort. Results Patients with elevated AST levels had significantly worse OS than patients with lower AST levels. A nomogram was created using TNM staging and AST levels and was shown to be more accurate in prediction than the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition standard method. Conclusion Preoperative AST levels could be a novel independent prognostic biomarker for patients with PDAC. The incorporation of AST levels into a nomogram with TNM staging can be an accurate predictive model for OS in patients with resectable PDAC.