The Association Between Treatment-Related Lymphopenia and Survival in Newly Diagnosed Patients with Resected Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas

Fifty-three patients with resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma were studied to determine if adjuvant chemo-radiation causes severe lymphopenia and if this is associated with adverse outcomes. Total lymphocyte counts (TLC) were normal in 91% before adjuvant chemo-radiation. Two months later, TLC fell by 63% (p < .0001) with 45% of patients having TLC < 500 cells/mm(3). Median survival in patients with low TLC was 14 versus 20 months (p = .048)....