Glasgow Prognostic Score as a useful prognostic factor after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma

Inflammation-related prognostic markers in resected hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is usually detected late and therapeutic options are unsatisfactory. Despite marked progress in patient care, HCC remains among the deadliest cancers world-wide. While surgical resection remains a key option for early-stage HCC, the 5-year survival rates after surgical resection are limited. One reason for limited outcomes is the lack of reliable prognostic biomarkers to predict HCC recurrence. HCC prognosis has been shown to correlate with different systemic and pathological markers which are associated with patient survival and HCC recurrence. Liver inflammatory processes offer a large variety of systemic and pathological markers which may be exploited to improve the reliability of prognosis and decision making of liver surgeons and hepatologists. The following review aims to dissect the potential tools, targets and prognostic meaning of inflammatory markers in patients with resectable HCC. We analyze changes in circulant cellular populations and assess inflammatory biomarkers as a surrogate of impaired outcomes and provide an overview on predictive gene expression signatures including inflammatory transcriptional patterns, which are representative of poor survival in these patients.

The Prognostic Value of Preoperative Serum Markers and Risk Classification in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Complex hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognostic biomarkers have been reported in various studies. We aimed to establish biomarkers that could predict prognosis, and formulate a simple classification using non-invasive preoperative blood test data.

METHODS

We retrospectively identified 305 patients for a discovery cohort who had undergone HCC-related hepatectomy at four Japanese university hospitals between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2013. Preoperative blood test parameter optimal cut-off values were determined using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Cox uni- and multivariate analyses were used to determine independent prognostic factors. Risk classifications were established using classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. Validation was performed with 267 patients from three other hospitals.

RESULTS

In multivariate analysis, α-fetoprotein (AFP, p < 0.001), protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II, p = 0.006), and C-reactive protein (CRP, p < 0.001) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). AFP (p = 0.007), total bilirubin (p = 0.001), and CRP (p = 0.003) were independent recurrent risk factors for recurrence-free survival (RFS). CART analysis results formed OS (CRP, AFP, and albumin) and RFS (PIVKA-II, CRP, and total bilirubin) decision trees, based on machine learning using preoperative serum markers, with three risk classifications. Five-year OS (low risk, 80.0%; moderate risk, 56.3%; high risk, 25.2%; p < 0.001) and RFS (low risk, 43.4%; moderate risk, 30.8%; high risk, 16.6%; p < 0.001) risks differed significantly. These classifications also stratified OS and RFS risk in the validation cohort.

CONCLUSION

Three simple risk classifications using preoperative non-invasive prognostic factors could predict prognosis.

Superiority of CRP-albumin-lymphocyte index (CALLY index) as a non-invasive prognostic biomarker after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate whether a novel biomarker incorporating albumin, lymphocytes, and CRP can predict the prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatectomy.

METHODS

Between January 2011 and December 2013, 384 patients who underwent hepatectomy in four university hospitals in Japan were investigated as a discovery cohort. The CRP-Albumin-Lymphocyte (CALLY index) was defined as (Albumin × Lymphocyte)/(CRP × 10⁴). Patients with a CALLY index ≥5 (n = 200) were compared to those with an index <5 (n = 184). Next, validation was performed using 267 patients from three other university hospitals (external validation cohort).

RESULTS

The number of TNM Stage III and IV patients was significantly higher in the CALLY <5 group than the ≥5 group (p = 0.003). There was a significant difference in the 5-year survival rate (CALLY ≥5: 71% vs. <5: 46%; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified the CALLY index as an independent factor of overall survival. Similarly, there was a significant difference in the 5-year survival rate between the CALLY ≥5 (73%) and <5 (48%) groups (p < 0.001), and the CALLY index was identified as an independent prognostic factor in the external validation cohort.

CONCLUSION

The CALLY index derived from CRP, albumin, and lymphocyte values is a promising predictive biomarker for postoperative prognosis of patients with HCC.

Glasgow Prognostic Score and modified Glasgow Prognostic Score and survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis

Objective

To evaluate the association between inflammation-related markers, modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) and Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), and survival outcome and recurrence risk in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after treatment.

Design

Systematic reviews and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Date sources

Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed were searched through 10 March 2021.

Eligibility criteria

We included cohort studies that assessed the effect of pretreatment mGPS/GPS levels on survival outcomes in patients with HCC.

Data extraction and synthesis

Two researchers independently selected the data and reached a consensus. In case of disagreement, a third researcher was required to assist. The HRs and 95% CIs were used as the effect size indexes. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess risk of bias and quality assessment of the included studies.

Results

The meta-analysis included 23 studies, most of which were retrospective. Participants were grouped according to the score of mGPS/GPS. When analysed into two groups (1/2 vs 0), the results showed that patients with a mGPS/GPS of 1 or 2 had poorer overall survival (OS) than those with a score of 0 (both p<0.001). When analysed into three groups (1 vs 0 and 2 vs 0), the results revealed that an mGPS/GPS of 2 is related to poorer OS in patients with HCC (HR=2.46, 95% CI 2.06 to 2.95, and HR=3.45, 95% CI 1.68 to 7.10, respectively). However, a GPS of 1 (p=0.005) but not an mGPS of 1 (p=0.177) had a significant association with OS. No association was found between mGPS/GPS and disease-free survival or recurrence-free survival.

Conclusion

GPS was more closely associated the survival in patients with HCC than mGPS. A higher GPS has an association with poorer survival. It can be combined with tumour staging to assess the OS of HCC more accurately.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021242049.

Tumor multifocality and serum albumin levels can identify groups of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and portal vein thrombosis having distinct survival outcomes

Background

Macroscopic portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a major poor prognosis factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but constitute a heterogeneous group.

Aims

To examine blood and tumor parameters of 1667 HCC patients who had PVT to identify factors that could differentiate different survival subsets.

Methods

a large HCC database was examined for presence of patients with PVT and analyzed retrospectively for PVT-associated factors and prognosis.

Results

A logistic regression model was calculated for presence of PVT. Highest odds ratios were found for tumor multifocality and serum albumin levels, as well as serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and bilirubin levels. A Kaplan-Meier and Cox model on survival also showed the highest hazard ratios for tumor multifocality and serum albumin. A model was constructed on all 4 possible combinations of tumor focality and serum albumin in PVT patients. The longest survival group had <2 tumor nodules plus serum albumin >3.5 g/dL. Conversely, the shortest survival group had >2 tumor nodules plus serum albumin <3.5 g/dL. These 2 patient groups differed in maximum tumor diameter and levels of serum AFP, AST and bilirubin.

Conclusions

Combination low tumor focality and high serum albumin identifies prognostically better PVT patient subgroups that might benefit from aggressive therapies.

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Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a major poor prognosis factor in HCC patients.

•

We found that the highest odds ratios for PVT included number of tumor foci and serum albumin levels.

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A model was constructed with all 4 possible combinations of these 2 parameters.

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The longest survival group had <2 tumor nodules plus normal albumin. Conversely, the shortest survival group had >2 tumor nodules plus low albumin. These 2 PVT groups had a 3-fold difference in survival and had significantly different AFP and bilirubin levels.

•

These findings provide simple patient selection criteria for treating in PVT patients.

Serum levels of inflammatory markers CRP, ESR and albumin in relation to survival for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Hepatocellular carcinoma is associated with several chronic inflammatory conditions. It is increasingly understood that the inflammation may be part of the carcinogenic process and prognostically important.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the serum levels of three inflammation markers in relation to survival in HCC patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively examined the serum levels of CRP, albumin and ESR, both singly and in combination, in relation to patient survival.

RESULTS

Survival worsened with increase in CRP or ESR or decrease in albumin levels. Combinations of CRP plus albumin or CRP plus ESR were associated with an even greater range of survival (3-fold), together with significant differences in maximum tumor diameter (PVT) and percent of patients with portal vein thrombosis (PVT). The triplet of CRP plus albumin plus ESR was associated with a sevenfold difference in survival, comparing low vs high parameter levels. These significant differences were found in patients with small or large tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

Combinations of CRP with albumin or ESR or all three parameters together significantly related to differences in survival and to differences in MTD and percent PVT, in patients with both small and large size HCCs.

Red blood cell transfusions and the survival in patients with cancer undergoing curative surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Allogenic red blood cell transfusions exert a potential detrimental effect on the survival when delivered to cancer patients undergoing surgery with curative intent. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between perioperative allogenic red blood cell transfusions and risk of death as well as relapse after surgery for localized solid tumors. PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE were searched from inception to March 2019 for studies reporting the outcome of patients receiving transfusions during radical surgery for non-metastatic cancer. Risk of death and relapse were pooled to provide an adjusted hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval [hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval {CI})]. Mortality and relapse associated with perioperative transfusion due to cancer surgery were evaluated among participants (n = 123 studies). Overall, RBC transfusions were associated with an increased risk of death [HR = 1.50 (95% CI 1.42-1.57), p < 0.01] and relapse [HR = 1.36 (95% CI 1.26-1.46), p < 0.01]. The survival was reduced even in cancer at early stages [HR = 1.45 (1.36-1.55), p < 0.01]. In cancer patients undergoing surgery, red blood cell transfusions reduced the survival and increased the risk of relapse. Transfusions based on patients' blood management policy should be performed by applying a more restrictive policy, and the planned preoperative administration of iron, if necessary, should be pursued.

Novel Prognostic Scores Based on Plasma Prothrombin Time and Fibrinogen Levels in Patients With AFP-Negative Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Noninvasive tools for the prognosis of α-fetoprotein negative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are urgently needed. The present study proposed a prognostic system based on preoperative plasma prothrombin time and fibrinogen (PT/Fbg system). With respect to α-fetoprotein (AFP)-negative HCC, we compared the prognostic value in PT/Fbg system, Glasgow Prognostic Score, and aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase ratio. The present study retrospectively analyzed patient characteristics, clinicopathological factors, and the level of pretreatment biomarkers in 628 patients with HCC. Patients with increased PT and Fbg levels were allocated a score of 2, patients with only one of these abnormalities were assigned score 1, and patients with neither of these abnormalities were allocated a score of 0. The following distributions of the PT/Fbg system scores were observed: 187 (29.78%) patients had a score of 0, 305 (30.65%) had a score of 1, and 134 (22.69%) patients had a preoperative score of 2. The prognostic significance of the PT/Fbg system was determined using univariate and multivariate Cox hazard analyses in AFP-negative HCC. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients with a higher PT/Fbg system exhibited worse overall survival (OS) than patients with a lower PT/Fbg system. Our study proposes preoperative evaluation of the plasma PT/Fbg system to predict the OS of patients with AFP-negative HCC.

Impact of low skeletal muscle mass index and perioperative blood transfusion on the prognosis for HCC following curative resection

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to assess the prognostic factors including low skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and perioperative blood transfusion for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following curative surgery.

METHODS

This study included 139 patients with HCC who underwent hepatectomy between 2005 and 2016. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify variables associated with overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS).

RESULTS

Low SMI was significantly related with poor OS, while blood transfusion had a strong impact on RFS. The male ratio and body mass index in the low SMI group were significantly higher than those in the high SMI group. There were no significant differences in age, virus etiology, laboratory data, liver function, tumor makers, and operative variables between the groups. Tumor factors such as tumor diameter, tumor number, poor differentiation, and intrahepatic metastasis (IM) did not significantly differ between the two groups. Operation time, intraoperative blood loss volume, and recurrence ratio were significantly higher in the blood transfusion group than in the non-transfusion group. IM was associated with poor OS and RFS.

CONCLUSIONS

Low SMI and blood transfusion were independently related with long-term prognosis in patients with HCC following curative surgery.

The prevalence of cancer associated systemic inflammation: Implications of prognostic studies using the Glasgow Prognostic Score

The prognostic importance of SIR in patients with cancer is widely recognised. More recently it has become clear that the systemic inflammatory response is an important etiologic factor in the development of cancer cachexia. Two recent meta-analysis carried out in 2017 and 2018 were interrogated and the number of patients with specific cancer types were identified. The percentage of patients with operable cancer (n>28,000) who were systemically inflamed varied from 21% to 38%. The percentage of patients with inoperable cancer (n>12,000) who were systemically inflamed varied from 29% to 79%. Overall, the percentage of patients (n>40,000) who were systemically inflamed varied from 28% to 63% according to tumour type. The most commonly studied cancer was colorectal cancer (n∼10,000 patients) and 40% were systemically inflamed.

Prognostic nutritional index is superior as a predictor of prognosis among various inflammation-based prognostic scores in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after curative resection

AIM

There is increasing evidence that inflammation-based prognostic scores are stage-independent predictors of poor outcome in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, these findings were observed in a small-sized study comparing the prognostic value of these scores for patients after curative resection for HCC.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 717 consecutive patients with HCC who underwent curative liver resection at Hiroshima Red Cross Hospital & Atomic Bomb Survivors Hospital. Clinicopathological variables including preoperative inflammation-based prognostic scores, such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, Controlling Nutritional Status score, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and Glasgow Prognostic Score were analyzed. The prognostic value of these scores was compared by the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analyses.

RESULTS

The integrate area under the curve of PNI, Controlling Nutritional Status score, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and Glasgow Prognostic Score were 0.6751, 0.6435, 0.5845, 0.5276, and 0.5351 for overall survival (OS), respectively, and 0.5955, 0.5694, 0.4692, 0.4873, and 0.5272 for disease-free survival, respectively. Multivariate analyses for prognosis factor in HCC patients showed that PNI was an independent predictor of both OS (HR 0.91, P < 0.001) and disease-free survival (HR 0.94, P < 0.001). When the patients were divided into high and low PNI groups, the patients in the low PNI group had significant poorer OS (P < 0.001) and disease-free survival (P < 0.001), even after background factors were matched between these two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

PNI is superior to Controlling Nutritional Status score, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, or Glasgow Prognostic Score as a predictor of OS and recurrence-free survival in patients with HCC who underwent curative hepatic resection.

The systemic inflammatory response as a source of biomarkers and therapeutic targets in hepatocellular carcinoma

The pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) strongly relates to inflammation, with chronic up-regulation of pro-inflammatory mediators standing as a potential unifying mechanism that underscores the origin and progression of HCC independent of aetiology. Activation of the diverse pro-inflammatory mediators either within the tumour or its microenvironment is part of an active cross-talk between the progressive HCC and the host, which is known to influence clinical outcomes including recurrence after radical treatments and long-term survival. A number of clinical biomarkers to measure the severity of cancer-related inflammation are now available, most of which emerge from routine blood parameters including neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet counts, as well as albuminaemia and C-reactive protein levels. In this review, we summarise the body of evidence supporting the biologic qualification of inflammation-based scores in HCC and review their potential in facilitating the prognostic assessment and treatment allocation in the individual patient. We also discuss the evidence to suggest modulation of tumour-promoting inflammation may act as a source of novel therapeutic strategies in liver cancer.

The Predictive Ability of the Glasgow Prognostic Score and Variants in Both Deceased Donor and Living Donor Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Cancer

AIM

Liver transplantation (LT) is the most promising treatment method in hepatocellular cancer (HCC). Due to the shortage of organ donors and the possible risks associated with living donation, the selection of patients for LT is critical. The aim of this study is to investigate the predictive ability of the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), modified GPS (mGPS), and hepatic GPS (hGPS) on prognoses in a patient group who underwent deceased donor LT (DDLT) or living-donor LT (LDLT) for HCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study includes 62 DDLT and 55 LDLT patients who underwent LT for HCC between 1998 and 2016 in a single center. The study endpoints were recurrence, 0- to 1-year mortality, 0- to 3-year mortality, mortality, and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 70.24 ± 48.47 months. GPS and hGPS positivity were found to be prognostic indicators of 0- to 3-year mortality and overall mortality in DDLT (P = .012, P = .006; P = .044 and P = .022 respectively). In the LDLT group, GPS was found to be effective in predicting 0- to 1-year and 0- to 3-year mortality (P = .045, P = .022 respectively); GPS and hGPS were also found to be effective in predicting overall mortality (P = .001 and P = .046 respectively). The OS was significantly longer in the GPS 0 group and hGPS 0 group compared to the GPS 1-2 and hGPS 1-2 group in both DDLT and LDLT.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study and the literature indicate that using GPS and hGPS is appropriate in selecting patients with HCC who are candidates for LT.

Validation of Prognosis Value of Cumulative Prognostic Scores Based on Serum High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Albumin Levels in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Aims: Noninvasive tools for the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) are in urgent need. Lipids and proteins have been studied in CRC several years, thus a prognostic indicator based on preoperative serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and serum albumin (ALB) levels (HA score) in CRC patients and to compare the correlation with survival to that of the Glasgow prognostic score.

Patient and methods: In the present study, the patient characteristics, clinicopathological factors, and the level of pre-treatment serum markers (HDL-C, ALB, CEA and CA19-9) were analyzed retrospectively in 248 patients with CRC.

Results: In HA score, patients with reduced HDL-C and decreased ALB levels were allocated a score of 2, those with only one of these abnormalities were assign as score 1, and those with neither of these abnormalities were allocated a score of 0. The cut-off value of HDL-C and ALB were defined as median. Among these, the distribution of the HA score were 66 patients of score 2 (26.61%), 112 patients of score 1 (45.16%), and 70 patients of score 0(28.23%). The prognostic significance of the HA score was then determined by Univariate and multivariate cox hazards in CRC. Univariate analysis revealed that tumor invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, metastasis, TNM stage, CEA, CA19-9, HA score and GPS had a significant association with the OS and DFS of CRC, furthermore HA score (P<0.001, P<0.001) TNM stage(P<0.001, P<0.001) were retained as the prognostic factors that were associated with OS and DFS according to multivariate analyses.

Conclusions: These results suggest that the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were shorter in CRC patients with a high level of HA score. Thus, our study has proposed that the evaluation of preoperative serum HA score may be used to predict OS and DFS of CRC.

Inflammatory markers C-reactive protein and PLR in relation to HCC characteristics

Introduction

Several markers of systemic inflammation, including blood C-reactive protein, platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) have been identified as independent prognosticators for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

To attempt to understand the significance of these markers, they were examined in relation to 4 tumour parameters, namely maximum tumour diameter (MTD), tumour multifocality, portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and blood alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels.

Results

Using linear and logistic regression models, we found that C-reactive protein and PLR on single variables, were statistically significantly related to the tumour parameters. In a logistic regression final model, CRP was significantly related to MTD, AFP and PVT, and the Glasgow Index significantly related to MTD and AFP. Results of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC), showed that the areas for PLR and CRP were statistically significant for high versus low MTD and for presence versus absence of PVT. CRP alone was significant for high versus low AFP.

Conclusions

These analyses suggest that the prognostic usefulness of the inflammatory markers PLR and CRP (but not NLR) may be due to their reflection of parameter values for tumour growth and invasiveness.

Proposal of Prognostic Survival Models before and after Liver Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Potentially Transplantable Patients

BACKGROUND

Transplantable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a highly debated issue due to the overlap between indications for liver resection (LR) and transplantation (LT) in patients suitable for both.

STUDY DESIGN

Between January 2000 and December 2012, five hundred and twenty-four transplantable patients affected by HCC were identified among resected patients. Two regression models were constructed to classify patients into 2 groups pre-low and pre-high risk based on preoperative variables and then to reclassify pre-low-risk patients according to postoperative variables into either post-low or post-high-risk. Additionally, a cohort of patients with comparable baseline characteristics who underwent LT were similarly classified into pre-low and pre-high-risk groups and compared with the resected patients in terms of survival.

RESULTS

Cirrhosis, aspartate transaminase, α-fetoprotein, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, number of nodules, and diameter of the largest nodule were preoperatively found to be significantly related to overall survival post-LR. Microvascular invasion and satellites were selected to reclassify prognosis in the resulting preoperative low-risk group into post-high risk. The converted group (post-high) demonstrated the same 5-year survival as the pre-high group. Patients undergoing LT had better survival overall than those undergoing LR, with the exception of pre-low LT and post-low LR (confirmed low-risk LR) who had similar outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

The new models were strongly predictive of patients' likelihood of survival after LR for HCC on liver cirrhosis. Liver transplantation offers a survival advantage over LR, except in low-risk groups where both modalities might be comparable.

Glasgow Prognostic Score and Prognosis After Hepatectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Systemic inflammation can promote tumor growth. The Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), a simple assessment of systemic inflammation status, could be useful to predict the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after hepatectomy.

METHODS

Consecutive HCC patients were enrolled following hepatectomy at our institution between 2005 and 2012. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify variables associated with overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival. Patients were stratified according to the GPS. To minimize selection bias, propensity score analysis was performed.

RESULTS

An elevated GPS (1-2), des-gamma carboxyprothrombin levels (≥40 mAU/mL), and the presence of multiple tumors were significantly associated with a poor OS. Alpha-fetoprotein levels (≥20.0 ng/mL), des-gamma carboxyprothrombin levels (≥40 mAU/mL), and the presence of multiple tumors were independent risk factors for a poor recurrence-free survival. After one-to-one matching, 92 patients each with a normal GPS (0) and an elevated GPS (1-2) had similar preoperative and operative characteristics. Poorer OS times in patients with an elevated GPS were confirmed by excluding possible misinterpretation.

CONCLUSIONS

An elevated GPS was an independent prognostic indicator for OS after hepatectomy in HCC patients. The GPS, which employs inexpensive and readily available biomarkers, could be a novel tool for predicting survival in such patients.

C-reactive protein and hepatocellular carcinoma: analysis of its relationships to tumor factors

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a blood marker for inflammation and is an independent prognostic factor for many human cancers. Combined with albumin levels, it forms the basis of the Glasgow Index for cancer prognosis. We reviewed the literature on CRP and HCC and also evaluated blood CRP levels and combination CRP plus albumin levels in a large HCC cohort. In order to understand the prognostic significance of CRP, we retrospectively examined a large HCC cohort and examined the relationship of CRP levels to tumor parameters. We report, that CRP alone and CRP plus albumin combined as well, significantly correlated with parameters of HCC aggressiveness, such as maximum tumor dimension (MTD), portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and blood alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, both as individual parameters and all parameters together (Aggressiveness Index). This extends current thinking, to suggest a possible explanation for the usefulness of blood CRP levels in HCC prognostication.

The role of the systemic inflammatory response in predicting outcomes in patients with operable cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Cancer remains a leading causes of death worldwide and an elevated systemic inflammatory response (SIR) is associated with reduced survival in patients with operable cancer. This review aims to examine the evidence for the role of systemic inflammation based prognostic scores in patients with operable cancers. A wide-ranging literature review using targeted medical subject headings for human studies in English was carried out in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CDSR databases until the end of 2016. The SIR has independent prognostic value, across tumour types and geographical locations. In particular neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (n = 158), platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (n = 68), lymphocyte monocyte ratio (LMR) (n = 21) and Glasgow Prognostic Score/ modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS/mGPS) (n = 60) were consistently validated. On meta-analysis there was a significant relationship between elevated NLR and overall survival (OS) (p < 0.00001)/ cancer specific survival (CSS) (p < 0.00001), between elevated LMR and OS (p < 0.00001)/CSS (p < 0.00001), and elevated PLR and OS (p < 0.00001)/CSS (p = 0.005). There was also a significant relationship between elevated GPS/mGPS and OS (p < 0.00001)/CSS (p < 0.00001). These results consolidate the prognostic value of the NLR, PLR, LMR and GPS/mGPS in patients with resectable cancers. This is particularly true for the NLR/GPS/mGPS which should form part of the routine preoperative and postoperative workup.

Serum albumin levels in relation to tumor parameters in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

Serum albumin levels have been shown to have prognostic significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as part of an inflammatory index. The aim of this study was to examine the possible relationship of serum albumin levels to parameters of HCC aggressiveness.

METHODS

A large HCC patient cohort was retrospectively examined, and the possible relationships of albumin levels to tumor diameter, multifocality, portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and α-fetoprotein levels were examined.

RESULTS

HCC patients with lower serum albumin levels had significantly larger maximum tumor diameters, greater prevalence of PVT, increased tumor multifocality and higher α-fetoprotein levels, than HCC patients with higher albumin levels. A correlation was found between levels of these tumor parameters and serum albumin levels.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that low serum albumin levels correlate with increased parameter measures of HCC aggressiveness, in addition to their role as a monitor of systemic inflammation. Decreased serum albumin might have a role in HCC aggressiveness.

Preoperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio can predict recurrence beyond the Milan criteria after hepatectomy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM

Postoperative recurrence beyond the Milan criteria is a poor prognostic factor for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with various therapies. We investigated the most useful inflammation-based prognostic score for predicting recurrence beyond the Milan criteria after initial liver resection.

METHODS

From January 2007 to December 2012, 271 consecutive patients with HCC who underwent curative liver resection were enrolled. Patients were divided according to the initial recurrence pattern: recurrence beyond the Milan criteria; and recurrence within the Milan criteria, or no recurrence. The patients were classified into two groups, low platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (<150) and high PLR (≥150), additionally using other inflammation-based prognostic scores. Then we analyzed the association between the recurrence patterns and the clinicopathological factors including PLR.

RESULTS

Fifty-five (20.2%) patients had recurrence beyond the Milan criteria. The 5-year survival rate in patients with recurrence beyond the Milan criteria (41.6%) was significantly lower than in those with other recurrence patterns (79.7%). High PLR level was observed in 15.5% of the patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that PLR was the only independent predictive factor of recurrence patterns (odds ratio, 2.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-5.49; P = 0.018). The high PLR level was significantly associated with higher serum des-γ-carboxy prothrombin level, larger tumor size, and poor histological differentiation.

CONCLUSION

Among several inflammatory indices, PLR is a good indicator to predict recurrence beyond the Milan criteria after liver resection for patients with HCC.

Significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in Western advanced EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer receiving a targeted therapy

PURPOSE

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide and, although targeted therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors has dramatically improved the rates of response and survival in advanced EGFR-mutated adenocarcinoma, the overall outcome remains unsatisfactory. Therefore, new prognostic factors, preferably simple, inexpensive, and easy to reproduce on a large scale, are needed. We performed a retrospective analysis of our database including 63 western Caucasian patients with advanced EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma and receiving gefitinib, erlotinib, or afatinib as first- or second-line therapy. Several studies demonstrated a strong link between elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and poor prognosis both in early and advanced stages of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

From January 2011 to December 2015, 63 consecutive elegible patients with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC were included in this analysis from 5 institutions. The NLR was derived from the absolute neutrophil and the absolute lymphocyte counts of a full blood count and the cutoff value was determined according to the mean NLR level.

RESULTS

Despite the small sample analyzed, we found that NLR has a prognostic role for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), reaching a statistically significant difference with a better PFS and OS in the lower NLR group.

CONCLUSIONS

Pretreatment NLR seems to represent a reliable, simple, and easy to reproduce laboratory tool to predict outcome and response to cancer therapies in this setting of Western Caucasian patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC.

Glasgow prognostic score predicts therapeutic outcome after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma

Systemic inflammation, as evidenced by the Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), predicts cancer-specific survival in various cancer types. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of the GPS in the therapeutic outcome of the patient following surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma. In total, 144 patients underwent surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma. For the assessment of systemic inflammatory response using the GPS, patients were classified into three groups: Patients with normal serum albumin (<3.5 g/dl) and normal serum C-reactive protein (CRP) (≤1.0 mg/dl) were classified as GPS 0 (n=76), those with low serum albumin (<3.5 g/dl) or elevated serum CRP (>1.0 mg/dl) were classified as GPS 1 (n=58), and those with low serum albumin (<3.5 g/dl) and elevated serum CRP (>1.0 mg/dl) were classified as GPS 2 (n=10). Retrospectively, the relationship between patient characteristics including GPS, disease-free as well as overall survival were investigated. In disease-free survival, GPS 2 (P=0.019), with a tumor number ≥3 (P=0.004), and positive portal or venous invasion (P=0.034) were independent predictors of cancer recurrence in multivariate analysis. In overall survival, GPS 1 (P=0.042), GPS 2 (P<0.001) and positive portal or venous invasion (P<0.001) were independent predictors of poor patient outcome according to multivariate analysis. To conclude, the GPS in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma is an independent prognostic predictor after hepatic resection.

Postoperative survival According to the Glasgow Prognostic Score in Patients with Resected Lung Adenocarcinoma

Background:

The Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) is calculated from measured CRP and albumin levels. We here evaluated the significance of the GPS in patients with resected pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

Materials and Methods:

The present study included 156 patients with lung adenocarcinoma who underwent lobectomy at Kanazawa Medical University between 2002 and 2012.

Classification was into three groups:

Those with normal albumin (>=3.5 g/dl) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (<=1.0 mg/dl) levels were classified as GPS 0 (n =136), those with low albumin (<3.5 g/dl) or elevated CRP (>1.0 mg/dl) levels as GPS 1 (n = 16), and those with low albumin (<3.5 g/dl) and elevated CRP (>1.0 mg/dl) levels as GPS 2 (n = 4). We retrospectively investigated relationships between the patient characteristics including the GPS, and disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival.

Results:

The pathological stages of the patients were as follows: IA (n=78, 50%), IB (n=31, 19.9%), IIA (n=20.0, 12.8%), IIB (n=9.0, 5.7%), and IIIA (n=18.0, 11.5%). Lobectomy was performed in all cases. The average GPS was 0.15 (0-2) and showed significant relationships with stage and tumor size. The 2-year survival rates in patients with GPS0, 1 and 2 were 81.4%, 38.4%, and 25.0%, respectively. Clear correlations were noted with both cancer-specific survival and disease-free survival. Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed that GPS was a significant prognostic factor.

Conclusions:

The GPS could be a prognostic factor for patients with resected pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

Prediction of long-term survival by using the Glasgow Prognostic Score in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation

AIM

This study aimed to validate the prognostic value of the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) in patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Data were retrospectively collected for HCC patients who underwent LDLT. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify variables associated with overall and recurrence-free survival. Patients were separated into two groups based on the GPS. The predictive ability of the GPS was compared with other variable scores (modified GPS and hepatic GPS) to identify the most accurate test for this population.

RESULTS

Univariate analysis identified a GPS of 1 or 2 (P = 0.018), multiple tumors (P = 0.032) and HCC beyond the Milan criteria (P = 0.015) as factors significantly associated with poor overall survival. Hepatitis B negative status (P = 0.034), a GPS of 1 or 2 (P = 0.030), α-fetoprotein of 20.0 ng/mL or more (P = 0.042) and HCC beyond the Milan criteria (P = 0.002) were identified as factors significantly associated with poor recurrence-free survival. Multivariate analysis indicated that HCC beyond the Milan criteria and a GPS of 1 or 2 were independent risk factors for long-term outcomes. Among the scoring systems evaluated in this study, the GPS was the best predictive system in our population. Moreover, a new scoring system that combined the GPS and the Milan criteria showed the highest prognostic values.

CONCLUSION

Novel prediction scores combining the GPS and the Milan criteria provide a precise, objective, and quick approach for selecting appropriate HCC patients for LDLT.

Prognostic Role of Glasgow Prognostic Score in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Conflicting results about the prognostic value of Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients have been reported. We searched the available articles and performed the meta-analysis to clarify the predictive value of GPS in HCC patients' outcome.A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed (Medline), Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ChinaInfo, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure for all years up to September 2015. Studies analyzing the relationship of GPS and survival outcome were identified. Hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated to assess the risk.A total of 10 studies were finally enrolled in the meta-analysis. The pooled estimates demonstrated a significant relationship between elevated GPS and inferior overall survival in patients with HCC (HR = 2.156, 95% CI: 1.696-2.740, P < 0.001). Patients with increased GPS had a tendency toward shorter progression-free survival (HR = 1.755, 95% CI: 0.943-3.265, P = 0.076). And elevated GPS was found to be significantly associated with advanced Child-Pugh class (odds ratio = 25.979, 95% CI: 6.159-109.573, P < 0.001). The publication bias analysis revealed that there was publication bias in the meta-analysis.Glasgow Prognostic Score may be an independent prognostic factor in patients with HCC. More well-designed studies with adequate follow-up duration are warranted.

Validation of the Concept of a Common Typical Time of Disease Duration for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Using the Fisher Information Processing of Tumor Imaging Results Combined With Network Phenotyping Strategy Quantification of Individual Patient Clinical Profile Patterns

A primary goal of current clinical cancer research is the identification of prognostic tumor subtypes. It is increasingly clear that tumor growth depends on both internal tumor factors, and factors that are external to the tumor, such as microenvironment. We recently showed that parameter values alone are less important than the patterns of all patient parameters together for the identification of prognostic subtypes and have identified a network phenotyping strategy method to quantitatively describe the dependency of the tumor on the environment, to characterize hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) subtypes. We have also shown that information about tumor mass together with patterns of other prognostic factors is related to survival. We now use a different patient cohort to validate this prognostic approach. A main finding is our identification of a common time of total disease duration (TDD) for every HCC patient. Clinical prognosis at the time of baseline patient evaluation is then calculable as the difference between TDD and the time from disease onset to diagnosis (T(onset)). We show that the total pattern of all parameter values and the differences in the relationships between this pattern and a reference pattern that, together with the tumor mass, best reflects the patient's prognosis at baseline. Our approach led us to identify 15 different composite HCC subtypes. Our results highlight the nearly identical TDD in all patients, which must therefore be a characteristic of the HCC disease, as opposed to the variable quantity of T(onset), which is impacted by multiple macro- and micro-environmental factors.

The relationship between Glasgow Prognostic Score and serum tumor markers in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) has been reported as a powerful prognostic tool for patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between GPS and prognosis related tumor markers in patients with advanced NSCLC.

Methods

We included 138 advanced NSCLC patients and twenty healthy controls in the study. GPS was calculated by combined serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and albumin. Three serum tumor markers, which included cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen 21-1 (CYFRA21–1), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS), were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). GPS and tumor markers were all assessed before chemotherapy. All patients received at least 2 courses of cisplatin-based chemotherapy. After that, 2 to 5 years follow-up was conducted.

Results

Median levels of CYFRA21–1 were 1.5 ng/ml (0.1–3.1 ng/ml) in healthy controls, and 4.6 ng/ml (0.7–35.2 ng/ml) in GPS 0 advanced NSCLC, 11.2 ng/ml (0.4–89.2) ng/ml in GPS 1 advanced NSCLC, and 15.7 ng/ml (2.9–134.6 ng/ml) in GPS 2 advanced NSCLC, respectively. Median levels of CYFRA21-1 were higher in NSCLC patients than in healthy controls, and CYFRA21-1 increased gradually according to GPS category in NSCLC patients (P < 0.05). Similar results were found for median levels of CEA and TPS in healthy controls and NSCLC patients (P < 0.05). In NSCLC patients, positive correlations were found between CYFRA21-1 and GPS, CEA and GPS, TPS and GPS. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient were 0.67 (P < 0.05), 0.61 (P < 0.05) and 0.55 (P < 0.05), respectively. Survival analyses showed GPS was an independent prognostic factor for advanced NSCLC. CYFRA21-1(>3.3 ng/ml) and TPS (>80 U/l) were related with the prognosis of advanced NSCLC by univariate analyses, but multivariate analyses showed CYFRA21-1, TPS and CEA were not the independent prognostic factors for advanced NSCLC.

Conclusions

Our results showed GPS were positive correlated with CYFRA21-1, CEA and TPS in patients with advanced NSCLC. However, GPS was more efficient in predicting prognosis of advanced NSCLC than these three single prognosis related tumor markers.

The Glasgow Prognostic Score is an independent prognostic predictor of hepatocellular carcinoma following radical resection

BACKGROUND

Some prognostic evaluation systems were developed to postoperatively predict the outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, mainly based on the cancer itself and the underlying liver diseases. However, none of these prognostic evaluation systems have so far been universally accepted. A simple and feasible scoring system is still lacking for the prediction of prognosis of HCC patients following resection. We aimed to uncover the correlation between the preoperative Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) and the clinical outcome of HCC patients after radical resection.

METHODS

The patients were separated into 3 subgroups on the basis of their GPSs. The prognostic significance of the GPS in the patient cohort was evaluated by survival analysis.

RESULTS

On univariate analysis, the levels of C-reactive protein and albumin, the Child-Pugh class, vascular invasion, tumor number, tumor size, the tumor/node/metastasis (TNM) stage, and the GPS were associated with overall survival and time to recurrence of HCC patients after radical resection. On multivariate analysis, the tumor size, albumin level, and GPS were independently associated with the outcome of HCC postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

The GPS is an independent biomarker for prognostic prediction of HCC following radical resection.

The modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) is a good predictor of indication for palliative bypass surgery in patients with unresectable pancreatic and biliary cancers

BACKGROUND

Patients with unresectable pancreatic and biliary cancers sometimes need decompression due to obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract and/or biliary tract. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic factors associated with an indication for palliative bypass surgery in patients with unresectable pancreatic and biliary cancers.

METHODS

Between April 2005 and September 2011, 37 patients with unresectable pancreatic and biliary cancers underwent palliative bypass surgery. Prognostic factors were searched for among clinical characteristics, operation-related factors, and tumor-related factors using a prospective database.

RESULTS

The median survival time (MST) of these patients was 4.6 months, with a 6-month survival rate of 40.5 %. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that mGPS >2 was the only independent prognostic factor for bypass surgery. Patients with an mGPS of 2 had an MST of 1.7 months, and they had a significantly worse prognosis than mGPS 0-1 patients with an MST of 6.3 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The mGPS is useful for predicting survival after surgical decompression due to gastrointestinal obstruction in patients with unresectable pancreatic and biliary cancers. Patients with a poor mGPS may not be indicated for palliative bypass surgery.

DNA hypermethylation of zygote arrest 1 (ZAR1) in hepatitis C virus positive related hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common human malignancies in the world, and its prognosis is generally poor. Epigenetic alteration such as DNA methylation has been shown to be important in the development of human cancers including HCC. Here, we analyzed the methylation status of ZAR1, which has been reported to be aberrantly methylated in a few human cancers.

Methods

We investigated the methylation status of ZAR1 in 88 HCV-positive HCC and matched nontumorous liver tissue samples and 4 normal liver tissue samples used as a control using MassARRAY EpiTYPER. Further statistical analysis was performed to determine the relationship between methylation level and patient clinicopathological features and prognosis.

Results

CpG islands in ZAR1 exon 1 showed a higher methylation level in all 88 HCC than in nontumorous tissues. The hypermethylation group, whose cancer tissues showed a twofold or higher methylation level compared with nontumorous tissues, showed a significantly higher serum AFP (p = 0.018) and lower serum albumin (p = 0.001) and single rather than multiple tumors (p = 0.031) compared with the hypomethylation group. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify which of the following factors were the predictors of the hypermethylation group: serum albumin, AFP, and tumor multiplicity. This study showed that patients who had Zar1 hypermethylation in the HCC tissues had a significantly lower serum albumin level than those in the hypomethylation group (p = 0.007).

Conclusion

Although it is still unknown how ZAR1 hypermethylation affects HCC development, it could be a potential marker to detect HCV-related HCC.