The combination of plasma fibrinogen and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (F-NLR) is a predictive factor in patients with resectable non small cell lung cancer

The association of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio with post-chemotherapy pulmonary infection in lung cancer patients

Background

Lung cancer patients are particularly vulnerable to pulmonary infections following chemotherapy, which can lead to suboptimal treatment outcomes and increased mortality rates. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), an established inflammatory marker, has been extensively studied; however, its diagnostic value in identifying post-chemotherapy pulmonary infection (PCPI) in lung cancer patients remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the independent diagnostic effectiveness of NLR in detecting PCPI among lung cancer patients.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed on clinical data from 638 lung cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy at the Central Hospital of Shaoyang between January 2020 and December 2023. After excluding cases with incomplete data, 502 patients were included in the final analysis. Due to the low incidence of PCPI within this cohort (19.52%), the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE) was utilized to achieve data balance. Both the balanced and unbalanced datasets were subsequently analyzed and validated using multivariable regression analysis, restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis.

Results

The findings demonstrated that NLR serves as an independent risk factor for PCPI in patients with lung cancer, irrespective of dataset balance [balanced dataset: odds ratio (OR) = 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-1.16; unbalanced dataset: OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.03-1.13]. Furthermore, in the balanced dataset, after adjusting for all covariates (Model 4), quartile analysis of NLR revealed a significant increase in the risk of PCPI with higher NLR levels (fourth quartile group OR = 5.64, 95% CI: 3.17-10.01, p < 0.001). The RCS analysis corroborated the nonlinear association between NLR and PCPI. Subgroup analysis revealed that within the chemotherapy regimen subgroups, the association between NLR and PCPI was significantly higher in patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy (PBC) compared to those receiving non-platinum-based chemotherapy (NPBC) (p for interaction = 0.001). Sensitivity analyses further affirmed the robustness of the model outcomes.

Conclusion

The analysis in this study indicates that NLR has the potential to be a predictor of PCPI for lung cancer patients. Although these preliminary research findings demonstrate diagnostic promise, its clinical applicability still needs to be verified through multicenter prospective studies to provide reliable evidence for decision-making.

Landscape of Biomarkers and Pathologic Response in Rectal Cancer: Where We Stand?

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a neoplasm with a high prevalence worldwide, with a multimodal treatment that includes a combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery in locally advanced stages with acceptable pathological complete response (pCR) rates, this has improved with the introduction of total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) reaching pCR rates up to 37% in compare with classic neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) where pCR rates of around 20-25% are achieved. However, the patient population that benefits most from this therapy has not been determined, and there is a lack of biomarkers that can predict the course of the disease. Multiple biomarkers have been studied, ranging from hematological and molecular markers by imaging technique and combinations of them, with contradictory results that prevent their use in routine clinical practice. In this review, we evaluate the most robust prognostic biomarkers to be used in clinical practice, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages and emphasizing biomarker combinations and their predictive value.

The clinical association between coagulation indexes, platelet-related parameters, and bone metastasis of newly diagnosed prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

At present, much evidence shows that many cancers have a high risk of thrombosis. Several studies have shown the prognostic value of platelet-related parameters and coagulation indexes in prostate cancer (PCa). However, the association between platelet-related parameters, coagulation indexes and bone metastasis of Pca is unclear.

METHODS

A total of 234 pathologically diagnosed patients with Pca were consecutively collected and stratified into the bone metastasis group and non-bone metastasis group according to the results of the bone scan. ROC curve analysis was used to explore the auxiliary predictive value of single and combined parameters for bone metastasis in Pca patients. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between platelet-related parameters, coagulation indexes, and bone metastasis of Pca.

RESULTS

Platelet count (PLT), fibrinogen (Fib), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and D-dimer (DD) levels of the bone metastasis group were significantly higher than the non-bone metastasis group (P = 0.010, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). This study confirmed that PLT, PSA, DD and Fib have auxiliary predictive value for prostate cancer bone metastasis. After the combination of PLT, PSA, DD and Fib, the area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity increased significantly. The univariate logistic analysis demonstrated that PLT (OR: 1.008, P = 0.011), DD (OR: 2.690, P < 0.001), PSA (OR: 1.073, P < 0.001), Gleason score (OR: 7.060, P < 0.001), and Fib (OR: 2.082, P < 0.001) were significantly positively correlated with bone metastasis of Pca. Multivariate analysis showed that PSA (OR: 1.075, P < 0.001), DD (OR: 2.152, P < 0.001), Gleason score (OR: 2.904, P < 0.001), and Fib (OR: 1.706, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for bone metastasis of Pca after adjusting for Age, BMI and other confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher platelet, D-dimer, prostate-specific antigen, Gleason score, and fibrinogen levels may predict a worse prognosis in patients with Pca. PLT, DD, and Fib, as readily available and relatively inexpensive indicators, help predict bone metastasis of Pca. It is suggested that PLT, DD and Fib may be helpful in the risk stratification of Pca.

Albumin-to-fibrinogen ratio is an independent prognostic parameter in de novo non-M3 acute myeloid leukemia

Inflammation and nutrition related proteins participate in the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It has been reported that the albumin-to-fibrinogen ratio (AFR) could serve as a prognostic indicator in patients with malignancy, but the precise relevance of AML is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of AFR on survival prognosis in patients with AML. We analyzed 227 patients newly diagnosed with non-M3 AML. AFR was calculated as albumin divided by fibrinogen. Based on the cutoff point from X-tile program, patients were divided into AFR-high (38.8%) and AFR-low (61.2%) groups. AFR-low group showed a poorer complete remission rate (P < 0.001) and median time to relapse (P = 0.026), while the mortality was higher (P = 0.009) than AFR-high ones. According to the log-rank test, AFR-low group had shorter OS (P < 0.001) and DFS (P = 0.034). Multivariate analysis identified AFR, ELN risk, bone marrow transplant, and hemoglobin as independent prognostic variables associated with OS. A visualized nomogram for predicting OS was performed. The C-index (0.75), calibration plots, and decision curve analyses of new model showed better discrimination, calibration, and net benefits than the ELN risk model. The time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 1-, 2-, and 3-year also functioned well (AUC, 0.81, 0.93 and 0.90, respectively). Our study provided a comprehensive view of AFR which could be an independent prognostic indicator in AML patients. The prognostic model utilized readily available information from ordinary clinical practice to improve predictive performance, identify risks, and assist in therapeutic decision-making.

Prognostic value of the combined preoperative plasma fibrinogen and systemic inflammatory indexes in ESCC patients

The prognostic indexes based on the combination of preoperative fibrinogen and systemic inflammatory indexes may have greater predictive value in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). It was found that the predictive ability of F-NLR was more valuable than other systemic inflammatory indexes. The preoperative F-NLR score was closely related to the TNM stage, and could be used as an important independent prognostic index for patients with ESCC. Then the nomogram model constructed by F-NLR and TNM stage had higher prognostic ability than that of AJCC stage for ESCC patients. Preoperative F-NLR is a new independent prognostic index and a potential marker for treatment response monitoring in patients with ESCC.

Prognostic Impact of Using Combined Plasma Fibrinogen Level and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Resectable Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

Both plasma fibrinogen level and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are associated with malignant potential in different cancer types. The current study evaluated the use of combined plasma fibrinogen level and NLR (F-NLR) as a prognostic predictor in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

Data collected from 279 patients with resectable NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into three groups based on the F-NLR score: score 2, high fibrinogen level (≥350 mg/dL) and high NLR (≥2.5); score 1, either high fibrinogen level or high NLR; and score 0, neither abnormal. Overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Numbers of patients with F-NLR score of 0, 1, and 2 were 122 (43.7%), 105 (37.6%), and 52 (18.6%), respectively. The F-NLR was found to be significantly associated with age, male sex, heavy smoking history, high pT status and pathological stage, and nonadenocarcinoma. Moreover, the OS and RFS significantly differed according to the F-NLR score (P < 0.001, P = 0.003). A multivariate analysis revealed that a high F-NLR score (≥1) was an independent poor prognostic factor for OS (P = 0.027). In subgroup analyses, an adverse prognostic impact of the F-NLR score on OS was identified regardless of nodal involvement or pathological stage.

CONCLUSIONS

The F-NLR score, which is based on histological inflammation and coagulability, could be a potential prognostic indicator in patients with resectable NSCLC.

Prognostic significance of combined score of fibrinogen and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio for functional outcome in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Objective

To explore the relationship between fibrinogen and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (F-NLR) score and functional outcomes after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).

Method

A retrospective study was conducted that involved all consecutive patients with aSAH admitted to our institution from March 2018 to October 2021. Factors, such as demographics, comorbidities, clinical characteristics, neuroradiological data, and laboratory parameters, were collected from institutional databases. All patients achieved neurological assessment using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 3 months after discharge to clarify the functional outcomes. The results were classified as favorable (mRS score 0–2) and unfavorable (mRS score 3–6). Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to identify the relevant factors between inflammatory markers and functional outcomes after aSAH. Subsequently, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the predicting performance of variables. A propensity score match (PSM) was performed to correct imbalances in patients' baseline characteristics.

Results

Finally, 256 patients with aSAH were included in the study cohort. A total of 94 (36.7%) patients had an unfavorable outcome. F-NLR scores were 0 [interquartile range (IQR) 0–1] and 1 (IQR 1–2) in patients with favorable and unfavorable outcomes, respectively (p < 0.001). After adjustment, the F-NLR score on admission remained significantly associated with unfavorable outcomes in patients with aSAH. In the multivariable analysis, the F-NLR score was regarded as an independent risk factor of unfavorable outcomes [odds ratio (OR) 3.113, 95% CI 1.755–5.523, p < 0.001]. In ROC analysis, the optimal cutoff value of the F-NLR score was 0.5 points. Two cohorts (n = 86 in each group) obtained from PSM with low F-NLR scores (0 points) and high F-NLR scores (1–2 points) were used for analysis. A significantly higher unfavorable functional outcome rate was observed in patients with high F-NLR scores (33.7 vs. 9.3%, p < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) values of F-NLR scores before and after PSM were 0.767 and 0.712, respectively.

Conclusion

Fibrinogen and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio score was an independent risk parameter associated with unfavorable functional outcomes at 3 months after aSAH. A higher F-NLR score predicts the occurrence of poor functional outcomes.

The Significance of Fibrinogen in Combination with the Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio in Predicting the Prognosis of Patients with Gastric Cancer

Objective

To investigate the significance of fibrinogen (Fib) in combination with the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.

Methods

The preoperative peripheral blood-related indicators of 281 gastric cancer patients were reviewed retrospectively, and the differences in relationship indicators between the survival and death groups were compared and analyzed. The COX regression analysis and Kaplan–Meier Curve (K-M) were used to assess the prognostic significance of Fib combined with NLR in patients with gastric cancer.

Results

① The difference between the survival and death groups of patients with gastric cancer was statistically significant in the high and low Fib and NLR levels (X²=6.868 and 17.051, respectively, all P <0.01).② The correlation between Fib and NLR was remarkable (r=0.266, P=0.000).③ The F-NLR classifications showed statistically significant difference between the survival and death groups for gastric cancer patients (X²=20.200, P=0.000).④ Except for Fib and the middle/low classification of F-NLR, which was P<0.05, and the rest were all P<0.01. There was a substantial statistical difference between F-NLR classifications, Fib and NLR.⑤ F-NLR was found to be a predictive factor of death in patients with gastric cancer in COX regression analysis (P=0.000).⑥Patients with F-NLR scores of “0”, “1” and “2” had 5-year survival rates of 92.6%, 64.0% and 47.2%, respectively, and 3-year survival rates of 92.6%, 74.3% and 51.9%, respectively (all P=0.000).

Conclusion

The combination of Fib and NLR (F-NLR) improves the accuracy of prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.

Prognostic role of an inflammation scoring system in radical resection of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Inflammatory markers can influence the postoperative prognosis and outcome of malignant tumors. However, the role of inflammatory factors in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are still debatable. The primary objective of this investigation was to detect the preoperative blood fibrinogen and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in OSCC patients and to determine the predictive validity of F-NLR (combined fibrinogen and NLR score).

Methods

A total of 365 patients with oral cancer after surgery were separated into three classes: F-NLR of 2, with hyperfibrinogenemia (> 250 mg/dL) and high NLR (> 3.2); F-NLR of 1, with only one higher index; and F-NLR of 0, with no higher indices. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify risk factors for the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients in the three F-NLR groups. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was used to assess the prognosis.

Results

Preoperative F-NLR showed a relatively better predictive role in oral cancer prognosis than fibrinogen and NLR alone. Multivariate analysis revealed that F-NLR has the potential to be an independent predictor for OSCC cancer-specific survival (P < 0.001). Patients with high scores had a relatively poorer prognosis than those with low scores (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that blood F-NLR may serve as an independent prognostic factor in OSCC patients.

Proteomic Analysis of Lung Cancer Types—A Pilot Study

Lung cancer is the leading cause of tumor-related mortality, therefore significant effort is directed towards understanding molecular alterations occurring at the origin of the disease to improve current treatment options. The aim of our pilot-scale study was to carry out a detailed proteomic analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections from patients with small cell or non-small cell lung cancer (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma). Tissue surface digestion was performed on relatively small cancerous and tumor-adjacent normal regions and differentially expressed proteins were identified using label-free quantitative mass spectrometry and subsequent statistical analysis. Principal component analysis clearly distinguished cancerous and cancer adjacent normal samples, while the four lung cancer types investigated had distinct molecular profiles and gene set enrichment analysis revealed specific dysregulated biological processes as well. Furthermore, proteins with altered expression unique to a specific lung cancer type were identified and could be the targets of future studies.

Prognostic Significance of the Combined Score of Plasma Fibrinogen and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients with Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background

The combination of plasma fibrinogen and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (F-NLR) score is a novel inflammatory marker constituted by peripheral blood fibrinogen concentration and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. In the current study, we aim to explore the relationship between admission F-NLR score and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and assess its prognostic predictive ability in ICH patients.

Methods

The original cohort was consecutively recruited from August 2014 to September 2017, and the validation cohort was consecutively recruited between October 2018 and March 2020. The primary outcomes were 3-month functional outcome and 1-month mortality. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS and R software.

Results

A total of 431 and 251 ICH patients were included in original cohort and validation cohort, respectively. In the original cohort, F-NLR score could independently predict the 3-month functional outcome (adjusted OR 2.013, 95% CI 1.316-3.078, p = 0.001) and 1-month mortality (adjusted OR 3.036, 95% CI 1.965-4.693, p < 0.001). Receiver operation characteristic (ROC) analyses and predictive model comparison indicated that F-NLR score had a stronger predictive ability in the 3-month outcome and 1-month mortality. Validation cohort verified the results.

Conclusion

F-NLR score was an independent indicator for both the 3-month functional outcome and 1-month mortality, and its prognostic predictive ability was superior to fibrinogen and NLR in both the original and the validation cohort.

Combination of C-Reactive Protein and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Novel Prognostic Index in Patients With Bladder Cancer After Radical Cystectomy

Background

Inflammation is widely considered an important hallmark of cancer and associated with poor postoperative survival. The objective of this study is to assess the significance of preoperative C-NLR, a new inflammation-based index that includes preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), on therapeutic outcomes for bladder cancer (BC) patients after radical cystectomy (RC).

Materials and Methods

BC patients who underwent RC between 2010 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed from our medical center. The predictive effect of CRP, NLR, and C-NLR on the survival of BC patients were analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The relationship between C-NLR and postoperative survival was investigated by Cox regression. The corresponding nomograms were built based on the Cox regression results of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), which were further validated by ROC curves, decision curve analysis (DCA) curves, and calibration curves.

Results

Of the 199 eligible patients, 83 (41.70%) were classified as high C-NLR group and the remaining 116 (58.30%) were classified as low C-NLR group. ROC analysis showed that C-NLR had the largest area under curve (AUC) compared to CRP and NLR. Multivariate analysis revealed that T-stage and C-NLR [high C-NLR vs. low C-NLR, hazard ratio (HR) = 2.478, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.538–3.993, p < 0.001] were independent predictors of OS, whereas T-stage, M-stage, and C-NLR (high C-NLR vs. low C-NLR, HR = 2.817, 95% CI, 1.667–4.762, p < 0.001) were independent predictors of DFS. ROC and DCA analysis demonstrated better accuracy and discrimination of 3- and 5-year OS and DFS with C-NLR-based nomogram compared to TNM stage. The calibration curve reconfirmed the accurate predicting performance of nomograms.

Conclusion

C-NLR is a reliable predictor of long-term prognosis of BC patients after RC and will contribute to the optimization of individual therapy for BC patients.

A narrative review of prognosis prediction models for non-small cell lung cancer: what kind of predictors should be selected and how to improve models?

Objective

To discover potential predictors and explore how to build better models by summarizing the existing prognostic prediction models of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Background

Research on clinical prediction models of NSCLC has experienced explosive growth in recent years. As more predictors of prognosis are discovered, the choice of predictors to build models is particularly important, and in the background of more applications of next-generation sequencing technology, gene-related predictors are widely used. As it is more convenient to obtain samples and follow-up data, the prognostic model is preferred by researchers.

Methods

PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched using the items “NSCLC”, “prognostic model”, “prognosis prediction”, and “survival prediction” from 1 January 1980 to 5 May 2021. Reference lists from articles were reviewed and relevant articles were identified.

Conclusions

The performance of gene-related models has not obviously improved. Relative to the innovation and diversity of predictors, it is more important to establish a highly stable model that is convenient for clinical application. Most of the prevalent models are highly biased and referring to PROBAST at the beginning of the study may be able to significantly control the bias. Existing models should be validated in a large external dataset to make a meaningful comparison.

Clinical significance of C-Reactive Protein to Lymphocyte Count Ratio as a prognostic factor for Survival in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients undergoing Curative Surgical Resection

Purpose: We assessed the clinical feasibility of C-reactive protein to lymphocyte ratio (CLR) as a determinant of survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing curative surgical resection. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with stage I and II NSCLC undergoing curative resection. Demographic and clinical variables, including CLR, were collected and analyzed. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios for overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare differences between two independent groups. Results: The median age of the patients was 69.0 years, and male patients comprised 63.9% of all patients. A total of 164 (75.9%) patients were categorized as having stage I disease and 52 (24.1%) as having stage II disease. Using the multivariate Cox model, age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.08, p<0.001), lymphatic invasion (HR 3.12, p=0.004), stage (HR 5.10, p<0.001), and CLR (HR 1.01, p=0.003) were significant determinants of OS. In addition, age (HR 1.11, p=0.002), lymphatic invasion (HR 3.16, p=0.010), stage (HR 6.89, p<0.001), and CLR (HR 1.05, p=0.002) were significant determinants of CSS. Conclusions: Our findings show that CLR could be a determinant of survival in NSCLC patients undergoing curative surgical resection.

Baseline Serum C-Reactive Protein and Plasma Fibrinogen-Based Score in the Prediction of Survival in Glioblastoma

Objective: The present study investigates a score based on baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen values (FC score) in 173 consecutive glioblastoma (GBM) patients.

Methods: The optimal cut-off value for fibrinogen and CRP was defined as 3.5 g/dl and 3.0 mg/L, respectively, according to previous reports. Patients with elevated CRP and fibrinogen were classified with a score of 2, those with an elevation of only one of these parameters were allocated a score of 1, and those without any abnormalities were assigned a score of 0.

Results: No significant differences in age, gender, tumor area, molecular pathology, physical status, or extent of resection were identified among the three groups defined by this score. Univariate survival analysis demonstrated that a high baseline FC score (≥1) is significantly associated with a shortened overall survival (OS) (HR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.05–2.20, p = 0.027). A multivariate Cox regression analysis considering age (>65/≤65), extent of resection (GTR/STR), MGMT promoter status (hypermethylated/non-hypermethylated), and FC score (0/≥1) confirmed that an elevated FC score (≥1) is an independent predictor of shortened OS (HR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.16–2.51, p = 0.006).

Conclusions: The baseline fibrinogen and CRP score thus serves as an independent predictor of OS in GBM. Further investigations of the role of inflammation in the prediction of a prognosis are needed.

Combination of Preoperative Plasma Fibrinogen and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (the F-NLR Score) as a Prognostic Marker of Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer Following Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy

BACKGROUND

Coagulation and inflammation play important roles in tumor progression. This study aimed to explore the prognostic impact of combined analysis of fibrinogen and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) ratio (F-NLR score) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) receiving preoperative chemoradiotherapy (pCRT) and radical surgery.

METHOD

Totally 317 patients were included. X-tile analysis was used to determine the optimal cutoff values of preoperative fibrinogen and NLR. F-NLR scores were defined as 2 (both high fibrinogen and NLR), 1 (one of these abnormalities), or 0 (neither abnormality). Time-dependent ROC analysis was used to evaluate the predictive accuracy of fibrinogen, NLR, and F-NLR score. Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the prognostic impact of the F-NLR score. A predictive nomogram for disease-free survival (DFS) was developed and validated internally.

RESULTS

One hundred and seventeen (36.9%), 156 (49.2%), and 44 (13.9%) patients had F-NLR score of 0, 1, and 2, respectively. Higher F-NLR score was associated with poorly differentiated tumors, deeper tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, and more advanced pTNM stage (all P < 0.05). The 5-year OS rates in the F-NLR 0, 1, and 2 groups were 93.6%, 87.3%, and 68.4%, respectively (P < 0.001), while the 5-year DFS rates were 91.8%, 76.8%, and 56.1%, respectively (P < 0.001). Cox regression analysis demonstrated that F-NLR score (F-NLR 1, HR = 2.021, P = 0.046; F-NLR 2, HR = 3.356, P = 0.002), pTNM stage III (HR = 3.109, P = 0.009), and circumferential resection margin (CRM) involvement (HR = 3.120, P = 0.021) were independently associated with DFS. A nomogram for DFS was developed (C-index 0.708).

CONCLUSION

F-NLR score is a promising predictor for disease recurrence in LARC patients after pCRT.

The Prognostic Significance of Combined Pretreatment Fibrinogen and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Various Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose

The prognostic value of a new scoring system, termed F-NLR, that combines pretreatment fibrinogen level with neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio has been evaluated in various cancers. However, the results are controversial. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively analyze the prognostic value of F-NLR score in patients with cancers.

Methods

An integrated search of relevant studies was conducted by screening the PubMed and Embase databases. Pooled hazard ratios, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS)/progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated to estimate the prognostic significance of F-NLR score in patients with various tumors. A random effects model was used for comprehensive analysis, and subgroup and meta-regression analyses were used to explore sources of heterogeneity.

Results

Thirteen articles reporting data from of 4747 patients were included in the study. Pooled analysis revealed that high F-NLR score was significantly associated with poor OS (HR = 1.77; 95% CI, 1.51–2.08) and poor DFS/PFS (HR = 1.63; 95% CI, 1.30–2.05). Subgroup and meta-regression analyses did not alter the prognostic role of F-NLR score in OS and DFS/PFS.

Conclusions

Increased F-NLR score is significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with cancers and can serve as an effective prognostic indicator.

Combination of preoperative fibrinogen concentration and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for prediction of the prognosis of patients with resectable breast cancer

Previous studies have demonstrated that the combination of high preoperative fibrinogen levels and high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is associated with poor outcomes in various types of cancer. The present study assessed the prognostic value of a scoring system based on the combination of fibrinogen concentration and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (F-NLR) in untreated patients with resectable breast cancer (BC). The present study retrospectively analyzed 906 patients who received surgery for resectable BC. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore the association between the F-NLR score and survival status. The cut-off values for fibrinogen and NLR determined via receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were 3.21 g/l and 2.20, respectively. On the basis of these cut-off values, the whole cohort was divided into three groups according to their F-NLR score: Score 2, fibrinogen ≥3.21 g/l and NLR ≥2.20; score 1, fibrinogen ≥3.21 g/l or NLR ≥2.20; and score 0, fibrinogen <3.21 g/l and NLR <2.20. The F-NLR score was significantly associated with age (≤50 years vs. >50 years; P<0.001), tumor size (≤2 cm vs. >2 cm; P=0.001), lymph node status (P=0.029), TNM stage (I vs. II vs. III; P=0.002) and lymphovascular invasion (P<0.001). The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates in the patients with F-NLR scores of 0, 1 and 2 were 95.7, 87.5 and 74.0%, respectively (P<0.001), and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 97.8, 90.9 and 79.9%, respectively (P<0.001). Furthermore, multivariate analysis demonstrated that the F-NLR score independently predicted DFS [hazard ratio (HR), 2.279; 95% CI, 1.758-2.954; P<0.001] and OS (HR, 2.414; 95% CI, 1.738-3.353; P<0.001). In conclusion, the preoperative F-NLR score was an independent prognostic indicator for untreated patients with resectable BC.

Prognostic Value of the Combined Index of Plasma Fibrinogen and the Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

It has been reported that both fibrinogen and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are related to the degree of malignancy in various types of cancer. This study compared the combined index of fibrinogen and NLR (F-NLR) with NLR alone for predicting the prognosis of patients with resectable gastric cancer.

METHODS

We collected data on 666 patients with resectable gastric cancer. Patients were divided into three F-NLR score groups based on the following criteria: score 2, both hyperfibrinogenemia (≥350 mg/dl) and high NLR (≥2.5); score 1, either hyperfibrinogenemia or high NLR; and score 0, neither abnormality. The association between prognosis and NLR alone or F-NLR was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

The high-NLR group had significantly worse overall survival (OS) than the low-NLR group (hazard ratio 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-2.45; log-rank P = 0.022), but there was no significant difference between the high- and low-NLR groups after adjusting for the fibrinogen level. F-NLR groups showed significantly different OS (log-rank P < 0.001) and recurrence-free survival (log-rank P < 0.001). The 5-year OS rate for the groups with F-NLR scores of 2, 1, and 0 was 72.6%, 81.4%, and 90.4%, respectively. A Cox multivariate analysis of OS revealed that a high F-NLR score (1 or 2) was an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

F-NLR was an independent prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer and a more useful prognostic indicator than NLR alone.

Prognostic Significance of Pretreatment Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Previous studies have investigated the pretreatment prognostic nutritional index (PNI) as a prognostic factor in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC); however, the results remained inconsistent. We aimed to assess the prognostic value of PNI in patients with NPC through conducting meta-analysis. Methods: Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for low PNI of overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), loco-regional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Results: Totally, eight studies involving 4299 patients were included in this meta-analysis. A low pretreatment PNI was associated with poor OS (HR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.55-2.33, P < 0.001), DMFS (HR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.69-2.44, P < 0.001), PFS (HR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.31-1.90, P < 0.001), and CSS (HR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.54-3.42, P < 0.001). The subgroup analysis showed that low PNI remained a significant factor for poor OS, DMFS, and PFS irrespective of treatment, country, and cutoff value of PNI. In addition, low PNI was correlated to female gender (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.12-1.62, P = 0.002), older age (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.17-2.62, P = 0.007), and T3-T4 stage (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.06-1.53, P = 0.011). Conclusions: A low PNI was associated with poor survival outcomes in patients with NPC. Moreover, PNI could serve as an index to help guide clinical management for older patients.

Fibrinogen/Albumin Ratio Index Is an Independent Prognosis Predictor of Recurrence-Free Survival in Patients After Surgical Resection of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

Background: Nutritional status, systemic inflammation, and coagulation mechanism are closely related to tumor progression. Herein, we examined the role of fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio index (FARI) in the prognosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and developed a novel nomogram predicting recurrence-free survival (RFS).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 357 GIST patients admitted at the gastrointestinal surgery of the Beijing Hospital from January 2008 to January 2018 and underwent curative resection. FARI was calculated as fibrinogen level (g/L) /albumin level (g/L). The cutoff point of FARI was set using the point with the largest Youden index on the receiver operating characteristic curve with the 5-years recurrence-free survival as an endpoint. We used the Kaplan-Meier approach and multivariable Cox regression model to study the impact of FARI on recurrence-free survival. Finally, we developed a nomogram based on tumor size, location, mitotic index, and FARI to predict RFS. The nomogram was assessed by calculating concordance probabilities and testing calibration of predicted RFS with observed RFS. Concordance probabilities were also compared with the National Institute of Health (NIH) risk classification system.

Results: The ROC curve revealed that the best cutoff point of the FARI was set as 0.08. The patients were classified into the FARI-high (≥0.08) and FARI-low (<0.08) groups. FARI was significantly associated with age, size of the tumor, NIH risk category, and Mitotic Index (all P < 0.05). FARI was weakly associated with NLR and PLR. FARI and PNI had a weak negative association. Multivariate analysis showed that the NIH risk category and FARI were independent prognostic predictors for worse outcomes concerning RFS in GIST patients. In the high-risk subgroup, patients with low FARI also had a more prolonged RFS than patients with high FARI (P < 0.05). The nomogram had a concordance probability of 0.802 (SE 0.025). Nomogram predictions were well-calibrated. Concordance probabilities of the nomogram were better than NIH risk classification system [0.802 [0.025] vs. 0.737 [0.024], p < 0.01].

Conclusion: We established that preoperative FARI is a novel serum biomarker to predict the prognosis after surgical resection of GISTs. The nomogram incorporating FARI could be used to help the decision-making of clinical treatment.

The Combination of Plasma Fibrinogen Concentration and Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio (F-NLR) as a Prognostic Factor of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Objective

Growing epidemiological evidence supports that coagulation cascades and cancer-associated inflammation are associated with recurrence and survival of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). This study aimed to assess the clinical significance of the combination of plasm fibrinogen and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (F-NLR) score to predict EOC prognosis, including recurrence, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS).

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively enrolled 281 EOC patients who underwent surgery at our institution. According to receiver operating characteristic curve, cut-off values of fibrinogen and NLR were set at 3.44 g/L and 2.46, respectively, to predict recurrence. The F-NLR score was then classified into three groups as follows: F-NLR score of 2: both hyperfibrinogenemia (>3.44 mg/dL) and high NLR (>2.46), F-NLR score of 1: either hyperfibrinogenemia or high NLR, and F-NLR score of 0: neither of the abnormalities. Continuous and categorical variables were compared using T-test and chi-square test among F-NLR groups. The Cox hazard regression model was used to assess prognostic factors. Both DFS and OS curves were generated by Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

The analyses showed that F-NLR was significantly associated with clinical stage (P=0.000), lymphatic metastasis (P=0.001), and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125 level (P=0.048). The F-NLR (hazard ratio=2.211; 95% confidence interval=1.251–6.394; P=0.002) was demonstrated as an independent prognostic factor for survival of EOC. The DFS rates in F-NLR groups 0, 1, and 2 were 68.5%, 47.7%, and 31.7%, respectively (P=0.000); the OS rates in previous groups were 75.9%, 51.4%, and 34.2% (P=0.000) and the 5-year survival times (mean±SD, months) were 64.24±24.21, 60.27±22.65, and 46.09±20.32, respectively. By subgroup analysis, the F-NLR was significantly associated with DFS and OS among patients with advanced tumor stage (Stage III or IV) or lymphatic metastasis.

Conclusion

The pre-operative F-NLR score, a novel inflammation-based grading system, was a promising prognosis predictor for EOC patients, especially those with advanced clinical stage and those with lymph node metastasis.

Association of preoperative systemic Immune-inflammation Index and Prognostic Nutritional Index with survival in patients with Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

Background: Both systemic inflammation response and malnutrition are closely related to poor prognosis in patients with certain types of solid tumor. This study investigated the prognostic value of the preoperative combination of systemic immune-inflammation index and prognostic nutritional index (SII-PNI) in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) undergoing radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Methods: The predictive ability of SII-PNI was developed and further validated in a cohort of 525 UTUC patients (253 in the training cohort and 272 in the validation cohort) who received RNU. Results: Survival analysis indicated that a SII ≥672.44 was significantly associated with worse overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) while a PNI ≥47.83 was associated with better survival outcomes (All P-values < 0.05). The combination of simultaneously SII ≥672.44 and PNI <47.83 was a powerful independent risk factor for OS, CSS, and RFS (P < 0.05). The SII-PNI had the largest area under the curve (AUC) compared to that for SII or PNI alone and other clinical factors, indicating its superior for predicting survival. In addition, the incorporation of the SII-PNI into established nomograms or current clinical parameters such as pathologic T stage and N stage, achieved higher c-indexes or larger AUC than without, indicating that adding SII-PNI helped predict prognosis. All results were found in the training cohort and confirmed in the validation cohort. Conclusions: SII-PNI was a strong independent predictor of UTUC patients after RNU.

Progress in research on the role of fibrinogen in lung cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. Local recurrence and distant metastasis remain the major causes of treatment failure. It has been recognized that the process of tumor growth and metastasis involves multiple interactions between tumor and host. Various biomarkers have been used for predicting tumor recurrence, metastasis, and prognosis in patients with lung cancer. However, these biomarkers are still controversial and require further validation. The relationship between malignancy and coagulation system disorders has been explored for more than a century. Fibrinogen is the most abundant plasma coagulation factor synthesized mainly by hepatic cells. Increased plasma fibrinogen levels were observed in various carcinomas such as gastric cancer, colon cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Recent studies have also investigated the role of fibrinogen in patients with lung cancer. This review aimed to address the role of fibrinogen in lung cancer.

Preoperative Plasma Fibrinogen and D-dimer as Prognostic Biomarkers for Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

PURPOSE

To assess the ability of preoperative plasma fibrinogen and D-dimer as biomarkers to predict survival outcomes in patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 206 NMIBC patients receiving transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) were assessed in our retrospective study. The cutoff values of fibrinogen and D-dimer were determined using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Cox regression analyses were adopted to assess the influence of these two parameters on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

The cutoff values of fibrinogen and D-dimer were 3.56 g/L and 0.48 μg/mL, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that high fibrinogen and D-dimer levels were significantly related to poor RFS (all P < .001) and PFS (all P < .001). Moreover, patients with elevated fibrinogen levels tended to have high tumor grade (P = .033), advanced pathologic T stage (P < .001), and multiple tumor lesions (P = .019). Significant associations of high D-dimer levels with advanced pathologic T stage (P = .026), large tumor size (P = .012), and multiple tumor lesions (P = .006) were found. In addition, multivariate analysis revealed that plasma fibrinogen and D-dimer were all independent predictive factors for RFS (P = .029 and .001, respectively) and PFS (P = .023 and .003, respectively).

CONCLUSION

High levels of preoperative plasma fibrinogen and D-dimer may indicate advanced clinicopathologic features and worse prognosis, suggesting that these two coagulation parameters could be used as prognostic biomarkers for NMIBC patients.

The prognostic value of pre-treatment prognostic nutritional index in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is an easily obtained index inflecting both one's nutritional and inflammatory status. Its clinical role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains still in debate. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the prognostic value and the clinical-pathological features of pre-treatment PNI in ESCC patients.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of online databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science) was performed. Studies explored the relationship between pre-treatment PNI and long-term survival of ESCC patients were regarded eligible for this meta-analysis. Outcomes were extracted and synthesized. Hazard ratio (HR) and relative ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to evaluate the prognostic value of PNI on long-term survival and association with clinical-pathological features, respectively. The heterogeneity levels and publication bias between studies were also estimated.

RESULTS

Nine observational studies involving 2276 patients were considered eligible for this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that low PNI score was significantly correlated with poorer overall survival (OS) of esophageal cancer (pooled HR = 1.418 95%CI: 1.200-1.676, P = .000), poorer recurrence free survival (HR = 1.880 95%CI: 1.207-2.929, P = .005) but not cancer specific survival (CSS) (HR = 1.948 95%CI: 0.544-6.977, P = .306). The PNI value was not related with patient age, sex, depth of tumor invasion, nodular metastasis, and differential grade but the TNM stage (III/IV vs 0/I/II, RR = 1.276, 95% CI 1.146-1.420).

CONCLUSIONS

Low pre-treatment PNI was significantly related with OS and recurrence free survival but not CSS for ESCC. PNI was a reliable prognostic factor of ESCC, and higher stage ESCC have higher incidence of low PNI.

A Cumulative Score Based on Preoperative Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio and Fibrinogen in Predicting Overall Survival of Patients with Glioblastoma Multiforme

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a retrospective analysis to explore the prognostic effect of the cumulative score based on neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and fibrinogen in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

METHODS

The clinical data of patients with GBM from January 2014 to December 2017 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. X-tile software was used to identify the optimal cutoff points of NLR and fibrinogen in predicting prognosis of GBM. Fibrinogen-NLR (F-NLR) score was calculated as following: fibrinogen >3.4 g/dL and NLR >4.1 was identified as F-NLR score of 2, only 1 abnormal index was defined as F-NLR score of 1, and no abnormal indices were classified as F-NLR score of 0.

RESULTS

A total of 187 patients with primary GBM were enrolled in this study. Of these patients, 116 patients were men and 71 were women, and the mean age was 55 ± 13.55 years. The cutoffs of lymphocyte, NLR, fibrinogen, and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) identified by X-tile were 1.8 × 10⁹/L, 4.1 × 10⁹/L, 3.4 mg/dL, and 228.6. There were 87 patients with F-NLR score of 0, 50 patients with F-NLR score of 1, and 50 patients with F-NLR score of 2. In the univariate survival analysis, age, lymphocyte count, fibrinogen, NLR, PLR, F-NLR score of 2, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy were significant predictors of overall survival (OS) in patients with GBM (all P < 0.05). After excluding related parameters, F-NLR score of 2 (hazard ratio [HR], 2.103; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.401-3.155; P < 0.001) and chemotherapy (HR, 0.650; 95% CI, 0.432-0.977; P = 0.038) were predictive factors of OS for patients with GBM. When stratified by extent of resection, age, and adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, F-NLR score maintained the prognostic value in patients with GBM (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

F-NLR score of 2 was a risk predictor of prognosis for patients with GBM.

Prognostic significance of inflammatory-related parameters in patients with anal canal cancer

PURPOSE

To investigate the correlation between inflammatory-related parameters and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in anal canal cancer population.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Patients diagnosed with anal canal carcinoma and treated with curative intent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) were included. Data about pre-treatment complete blood count were collected. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), fibrinogen (F), and a combination of these (F-NLR score) were correlated with OS.

RESULTS

A total of 58 patients were enrolled. In multivariate analysis, the strongest OS prognostic factor was NLR, with a hazard ratio (HR) for low NLR compared to high NLR of 1.30 (95% confidence interval 1.01-14.12). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients with high NLR, F, and F-NLR had significantly shorter OS and DFS.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first study providing evidence that elevated pre-treatment NLR, F, and F-NLR score significantly correlate with worse survival outcomes in patients with anal canal carcinoma. In view of our findings, future clinical trials in anal canal cancer patients are warranted to verify our results.

Anemia is a poor prognostic factor for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)

•This study reports on the prognostic ability of haematological parameters for the largest known biopsy-proven stage-I medically inoperable cohort treated with SBRT.•After SBRT, the median values of Hb, ALC, ANC and TPC declined whereas the NLR and the PLR increased as compared to pre-SBRT.•Anemia along with other parameters was found to be a poor prognostic factor for local control despite treatment with SBRT to doses of >100 Gy BED₁₀.•Simple and minimally invasive methods like a peripheral blood sample can provide prognostic information even for stage-I NSCLC patients.•Patient, tumor and treatment factors along with molecular markers should be used to create risk stratification models that can guide therapy.

Combined fibrinogen and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio as a predictive factor in resectable colorectal adenocarcinoma

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of the combined fibrinogen and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (F-NLR) in patients with resectable colorectal cancer (CRC).

Patients and methods

We retrospectively recruited 693 patients with stage I–III CRC following curative surgery. Cutoff values of the preoperative fibrinogen and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were determined with the receiver operating characteristic analysis. Patients were divided into three groups based on the F-NLR value and were further divided into the chemotherapy and nonchemotherapy groups. The overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were evaluated with the Kaplan–Meier survival method, the log-rank test, univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models, and subgroup analyses.

Results

The Kaplan–Meier survival curves revealed that the 5-year OS rates in the F-NLR 0, 1, and 2 groups were 78.4%, 52%, 42.6%, respectively (P<0.001), and the 5-year DFS rates were 54.9%, 43.9%, 26.7%, respectively (P<0.001). Multivariate analyses revealed that the F-NLR score was an independent prognostic factor for both the OS (P=0.035) and the DFS (P=0.001). In addition, subgroup analyses based on the histological type showed that an elevated F-NLR score was significantly associated with worse OS (P=0.001) and DFS (P<0.001) in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, DFS in the F-NLR 0–1 group was significantly shortened after the administration of chemotherapy (P=0.005); however, patients with a relatively higher F-NLR score showed slight OS benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy (P=0.144).

Conclusion

The F-NLR score, as a novel inflammation-based grading index, was a potential predictor for the prognosis and responses to chemotherapy in patients with resectable CRC.

Role of systemic inflammatory response markers in urological malignancy

The systemic inflammatory response is associated with survival in patients with a variety of cancers. This inflammatory response is measured in the peripheral blood, and can be monitored using two categories of indices: concentration of specific serum proteins (albumin, C-reactive protein) and differential blood cell count (neutrophils, lymphocytes and platelets). Furthermore, combinations of these indices, such as the Glasgow Prognostic Score, which consists of the serum C-reactive protein and albumin level; the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio; and the prognostic nutritional index, which is based on peripheral blood lymphocyte count and serum albumin level, have also been evaluated and compared in cancer research. To date, there are hundreds of studies that have shown the prognostic value of systemic inflammatory response markers in patients with urological cancer. Most studies have evaluated the prognostic and predictive role of the pretreatment value of the markers, although some have focused on the role of the post-treatment value at specific points during the clinical course. The advantages of systemic inflammatory response markers are that they are easily measurable and inexpensive in the clinical setting. However, it is important to consider how clinicians use these markers in clinical practice. The present review provides a concise overview regarding systemic inflammatory markers in urological cancers, specifically C-reactive protein, Glasgow Prognostic Score/modified Glasgow Prognostic Score, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and prognostic nutritional index.

TNM-PNI: a novel prognostic scoring system for patients with gastric cancer and curative D2 resection

Purpose

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies and has a high mortality rate. In recent years, several nutritional or inflammatory biomarkers have been shown to effectively predict the prognosis of tumors. In this study, we intended to establish a prognostic scoring system for GC patients.

Patients and methods

Our study included a total of 501 GC patients who were diagnosed with GC stage I–III and received curative gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy between January 2011 and December 2012. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan–Meier and log-rank tests. Two Cox multivariate models, one for continuous and one for categorical variables, were established to identify independent prognostic factors. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 20.0.

Results

Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and adjuvant therapy were independent prognostic factors for GC patients. We established a new composite variable, TNM-PNI, which was confirmed to be a major prognostic factor for curative D2 resection, independent of whether adjuvant therapy was administered. GC patients with higher TNM-PNI scores always had worse cancer outcomes. In addition, we found that adjuvant therapy might be beneficial for the survival of GC patients with TNM-PNI =4 or 5.

Conclusion

Preoperative PNI plays a distinctly subsidiary role to the TNM stage when predicting patient prognosis. TNM-PNI is a novel and an effective prognostic index for GC patients with curative D2 resection and a good supplement for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines.

The predictive value of a preoperative systemic immune-inflammation index and prognostic nutritional index in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Growing evidence indicates that systemic inflammation response and malnutrition status are correlated with survival in certain types of solid tumors. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and overall survival (OS) in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after esophagectomy. A consecutive series of 655 patients with resected ESCC who underwent esophagectomy were enrolled in the retrospective study. The preoperative SII was defined as platelet × neutrophil/lymphocyte counts. The PNI was calculated as albumin concentration (g/L) + 5 × total lymphocyte count (10⁹ /L). The optimal cut-off values of SII, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and PNI were determined by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method with a log-rank test, followed by a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. A high SII was significantly related to tumor size, histological type, invasion depth, and TNM stage (p < 0.05). A low PNI was significantly associated with age, tumor size, invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage (p < 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed that age, smoking history, tumor size, invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, SII, NLR, PLR, and PNI were predictors of OS (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified age (p = 0.041), tumor size (p = 0.016), invasion depth (p < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001), SII (p = 0.033), and PNI (p = 0.022) as independent prognostic factors correlated with OS. There was a significant inverse relationship between the SII and PNI (r = 0.309; p < 0.001). The predictive value increased when the SII and PNI were considered in combination. Our results demonstrate that the preoperative high SII and low PNI are powerful indicators of aggressive biology and poor prognosis for patients with ESCC. The combination of SII and PNI can enhance the accuracy of prognosis.

Albumin-to-Fibrinogen Ratio as an Independent Prognostic Parameter in Untreated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Retrospective Study of 191 Cases

PURPOSE

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is one of the most frequent type of B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders and chronic inflammation takes part in the development of CLL. However, there has been no valid immune biomarker to predict the prognosis of untreated CLL patients.

Materials and Methods

In this retrospective study, we analyzed the clinical correlations and prognostic value of albumin-to-fibrinogen ratio (AFR) detected at diagnosis in 191 CLL patients.

RESULTS

The cut-off value of AFR was 9.7 calculated by X-tile. Patients who were more than 65 years old were often accompanied by low level of AFR (p < 0.001). Survival analysis showed that patients with low level of AFR had shorter overall survival (OS) than patients with high level of AFR (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis illustrated that AFR had a negative impact on OS (p=0.003) and was independent of parameters involved in CLL international prognostic index and other prognostic markers such as CD38 and ZAP-70.

CONCLUSION

These data provide a comprehensive view of AFR and shows that AFR at diagnosis is an adverse prognostic factor in untreated CLL patients.