Circulating Tumor Cells are an Independent Risk Factor for Poor Prognosis in Patients with Gallbladder Adenocarcinoma

Background The study aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with gallbladder adenocarcinoma after resection. Materials and Methods Between January 2018 and January 2021, 101 consecutive patients with gallbladder adenocarcinoma were included. CTCs were detected and enumerated using the CanPatrol ® technique. The follow-up period ended in January 2023. The cancer-specific survival (CSS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated using log-rank and Cox regression analyses. Results CTCs were detected positively in 61.54% (8/13) of the patients in the non-operation group and 13.64% (12/88) in the operation group. In the operation group, the median CSS for CTCs-positive and CTCs-negative patients was 5.0 and 9.5 months ( P < 0.001), respectively, and DFS was 2.8 and 5.0 months at stage III ( P < 0.001), respectively. In the non-operation group, the median CSS for CTCs-positive and CTCs-negative patients was 3.5 and 6.5 months ( P = 0.0031), respectively. The median CSS for CTCs-positive patients in the operation group was similar to that in the non-operation group ( P = 0.67). Multivariate analyses showed that positive CTCs was an independent risk factor for poor CSS (HR 0.066, 95% CI 0.021–0.206, P < 0.001) as well as lymph infiltration (HR 0.320, 95% CI 0.110–0.930, P = 0.036), without R0 curative resection (HR 7.520, 95% CI 2.100–26.931, P = 0.002), and without adjuvant chemotherapy (HR 7.730, 95% CI 2.416–24.731, P < 0.001). Conclusion Positive CTCs was an independent predictor of poor prognosis after resection in patients with gallbladder adenocarcinoma. Preoperative detection of CTCs may play an important guiding role in formulating treatment strategies for these patients.