Preoperative lymphocyte-monocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratios as predictors of overall survival in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy

The use of platelets as a clinical tool in oncology: opportunities and challenges

Platelets are small circulating anucleated cells mainly involved in thrombosis and hemostasis processes. Moreover, platelets play an active role in tumorigenesis and cancer progression, stimulating angiogenesis and vascular remodelling, and protecting circulating cancer cells from shear forces and immune surveillance. Several reports indicate that platelet number in the blood circulation of cancer patients is associated with prognosis and response to treatment. However, the mechanisms of platelets "education" by cancer cells and the crosstalk between platelets and tumor are still unclear, and the role of "tumor educated platelets" (TEPs) is achieving growing interest in cancer research. TEPs are a biological source of cancer-derived biomarkers, especially RNAs that are protected by platelets membrane from circulating RNases, and could serve as a non-invasive tool for tumor detection, molecular profiling and evolution during therapy in clinical practice. Moreover, short platelet lifespan offers the possibility to get a snapshot assessment of cancer molecular profile, providing a real-time tool. We review and discuss the potential and the clinical utility, in terms of cancer diagnosis and monitoring, of platelet count together with other morphological parameters and of the more recent and innovative TEP profiling.

The Role of Thrombocyte/Lymphocyte Ratio and Aspartate Transaminase/Alanine Transaminase (De Ritis) Ratio in Prediction of Recurrence and Progression in Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

AIM

The purpose of the study was to determine the predictive value of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and Aspartate transaminase (AST)/alanine transaminase (ALT) ratio (De Ritis ratio) for recurrence and progression in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

METHODS

A total of 231 patients who underwent transurethral tumor resection between 2016 and 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative test results, including AST, ALT, platelet, and lymphocyte counts, were used to calculate the PLR and De Ritis ratio. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the predictive factors associated with recurrence and progression.

RESULTS

Based on the ROC curve, 1.19 and 1.21 were identified as the optimal cut-off values of the De Ritis ratio for recurrence and progression, respectively. Furthermore, PLR cut-off values for recurrence and progression were 114 and 118, respectively. There is a significant difference in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between the groups of patients with high and low De Ritis ratios (p = 0.028 and p = 0.021, respectively). In multivariate analysis, De Ritis ratio ≥ 1.19 and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) high recurrence risk were determined to be significant predictors of tumor recurrence. Multivariate analysis also determined that T1 pathological stage, high tumor grade, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) high progression risk, and De Ritis ratio ≥ 1.21 were risk factors for tumor progression.

CONCLUSION

In our study, the preoperative De Ritis ratio represented an independent predictive factor for recurrence and progression in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. The use of this biomarker in combination with other diagnostic/predictive tools might help urologists improve the clinical decision-making process in the future.

Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio Might Serve as a Prognostic Marker in Young Patients with Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Young patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) mostly lack typical prognostic markers and face a dire prognosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic relevance of lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) in TSCC patients, with a special emphasis on patients under 45 years.

METHODS

This retrospective study included all patients primarily treated for TSCC. The prognostic relevance of LMR was investigated in terms of predicting the overallsurvival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

RESULTS

A total of 74 patients were included and the young cohort (<45 years) comprised 27 individuals. The mortality and recurrence rates were 39.2% (n = 29) and 37.8% (n = 28), respectively. OS and DFS were significantly shorter in the low LMR group within the whole cohort. Furthermore, low LMR was associated with worse prognosis, particularly inferior OS (median OS 1.7 vs. 14.6 years, p = 0.0156) and worse DFS (median DFS 0.8 years vs. not reached, p = 0.0405) in the young patient cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results reveal that pretreatment LMR might become a prognostic tool for young TSCC patients, especially due to its availability. However, further studies on larger cohorts are necessary to validate our results.

An Insight into Survivin in Relevance to Hematological, Biochemical and Genetic Characteristics in Tobacco Chewers with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Survivin is an inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP), encoded by the Baculoviral IAP Repeat Containing 5 (BIRC5) gene located on q arm (25.3) on chromosome 17. It is expressed in various human cancers and involved in tumor resistance to radiation and chemotherapy. The genetic analysis of the BIRC5 gene and its protein survivin levels in buccal tissue related to oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in South Indian tobacco chewers has not been studied. Hence, the study was designed to quantify survivin in buccal tissue and its association with pretreatment hematological parameters and to analyze the BIRC5 gene sequence.

METHOD

In a single centric case control study, buccal tissue survivin levels were measured by ELISA. A total of 189 study subjects were categorized into Group 1 (n = 63) habitual tobacco chewers with OSCC, Group 2 (n = 63) habitual tobacco chewers without OSCC, and Group 3 (n = 63) healthy subjects as control. Retrospective hematological data were collected from Group 1 subjects and statistically analyzed. The BIRC5 gene was sequenced and data were analyzed using a bioinformatics tool.

RESULTS

Survivin protein mean ± SD in Group 1 was (1670.9 ± 796.21 pg/mL), in Group 2 it was (1096.02 ± 346.17 pg/mL), and in Group 3 it was (397.5 ± 96.1 pg/mL) with significance (p < 0.001). Survivin levels showed significance with cut-off levels of absolute monocyte count (AMC), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR) at (p = 0.001). The unique variants found only in OSCC patients were T → G in the promoter region, G → C in exon 3, C → A, A → G, G → T, T → G, A → C, G → A in exon 4, C → A, G → T, G → C in the exon 5 region.

CONCLUSIONS

The tissue survivin level increased in OSCC patients compared to controls; pretreatment AMC, LMR, and NLR may serve as add-on markers along with survivin to measure the progression of OSCC. Unique mutations in the promoter and exons 3-5 were observed in sequence analysis and were associated with survivin concentrations.

A novel platelet risk score for stratifing the tumor immunophenotypes, treatment responses and prognosis in bladder carcinoma: results from real-world cohorts

Background: Although the durable efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in BLCA has been confirmed in numerous studies, not all patients benefit from their application in the clinic. Platelets are increasingly being found to be closely associated with cancer progression and metastasis; however, their comprehensive role in BLCA remains unclear. Methods: We comprehensively explored platelet expression patterns in BLCA patients using an integrated set of 244 related genes. Correlations between these platelet patterns with tumor microenvironment (TME) subtypes, immune characteristics and immunotherapy efficacies were explored. In addition, a platelet risk score (PRS) was generated for individual prognosis and verified the ability to predict prognosis, precise TME phenotypes, and immunotherapy efficacies. Results: Genes were clustered into two patterns that represented different TME phenotypes and had the ability to predict immunotherapy efficacy. We constructed a PRS that could predict individual prognosis with satisfactory accuracy using TCGA-BLCA. The results remained consistent when PRS was validated in the GSE32894 and Xiangya cohort. Moreover, we found that our PRS was positively related to tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the TCGA-BLCA and Xiangya cohort. As expected, patients with higher PRS exhibited more sensitive to immunotherapy than patients with lower PRS. Finally, we discovered that a high PRS indicated a basal subtype of BLCA, whereas a low PRS indicated a luminal subtype. Conclusion: Platelet-related genes could predict TME phenotypes in BLCA. We constructed a PRS that could predict the TME, prognosis, immunotherapy efficacy, and molecular subtypes in BLCA.

Prognostic significance of pre- and post-treatment hematological biomarkers in patients with head and neck cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy

This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of hematological biomarkers measured before and after treatment in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). This study reviewed 124 patients with HNC who received chemoradiotherapy. Hematological biomarkers assessed before and after treatment were investigated. The pretreatment C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (pre-CAR) and post-treatment prognostic nutritional index (post-PNI) showed the highest area under the curve with cutoff values of 0.0945 and 34.9, respectively. Patients in the high pre-CAR group showed significantly worse prognosis than those in the low pre-CAR group with respect to the progression-free survival (PFS) (3-year PFS: 44.8% vs. 76.8%, p < 0.001) and overall survival (OS) (3-year OS: 65.8% vs. 94.0%, p < 0.001). Patients in the low post-PNI group showed significantly worse prognosis than those in the high post-PNI group with respect to the PFS (3-year PFS: 58.6% vs. 77.4%, p = 0.013) and OS (3-year OS: 75.2% vs. 96.9%, p = 0.019). Multivariate analysis revealed that advanced N stage (p = 0.008), high pre-CAR (p = 0.024), and low post-PNI (p = 0.034) were significantly associated with poorer OS. We suggest that the evaluation of hematological markers before and after treatment is useful for predicting disease progression and survival.

Nomogram Based on Hemoglobin, Albumin, Lymphocyte and Platelet Score to Predict Overall Survival in Patients with T3-4N0-1 Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Purpose

There is still uncertainty regarding the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) based on hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocytes, and platelets (HALP) score. The aim of this study was to build and verify a nomogram using HALP score to investigate the prognostic value of NPC and identify low-risk patients in T3-4N0-1 NPC to guide treatment options.

Patients and methods

A total of 568 NPC patients with stage T3-4N0-1M0 were recruited in the study, who were given either concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) or induction chemotherapy (IC) plus CCRT. The prognostic factors of overall survival (OS) were picked by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to generate a nomogram, which appraised by discrimination, calibration and clinical utility. Patients were stratified according to risk scores calculated by the nomogram, and compared to the 8th TNM staging system using the Kaplan-Meier methods.

Results

Multivariate analysis showed that TNM stage, Epstein-Barr virus DNA (EBV DNA), HALP score, lactate dehydrogenase-to-albumin ratio (LAR) and systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) were independent prognostic indicators for OS, and these factors contained in the nomogram. The nomogram demonstrated a significant enhancement over the 8th TNM staging system in terms of assessing OS (C-index, 0.744 vs 0.615 in the training cohort, P < 0.001; 0.757 vs 0.646 in the validation cohort, P = 0.002). Calibration curves displayed good agreement and the stratification in high-risk and low-risk groups resulted in a significant divergence of Kaplan-Meier curves for OS (P < 0.001). In addition, the decision analysis (DCA) curves confirmed satisfactory discriminability and clinical utility.

Conclusion

The HALP score was an independent prognostic factor for NPC. The prognostic function of the nomogram for T3-4N0-1 NPC patients was more accurate compared to the 8th TNM system, facilitating personalized treatment planning.

Monocyte-Lymphocyte Ratio and Dysglycemia: A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study of the Saudi Population

Background: Abnormalities in fasting blood glucose (FBG) resulting in hypoglycemia (OG), impaired fasting glycemia (IFG), or hyperglycemia (HG) arise from disordered metabolic regulation caused in part by inflammation. To date, there is a dearth of evidence regarding the clinical utility of the monocyte−lymphocyte ratio (MLR), an emerging inflammatory index, in the management of dysglycemia. Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study explored MLR fluctuations as a function of glycemic control in 14,173 Saudi subjects. Data collected from 11 August 2014 to 18 July 2020 were retrieved from Al-Borg Medical Laboratories. Medians were compared by Mann−Whitney U or Kruskal−Wallis tests and the prevalence, relative risk (RR), and odds ratio (OR) were calculated. Results: MLR was significantly elevated in IFG (p < 0.0001) and HG (p < 0.05) groups compared to the normoglycemia (NG) group, and individuals with elevated MLR (>0.191) had significantly increased FBG (p < 0.001). The risk of IFG (RR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.06−1.19, p < 0.0002) and HG (RR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.01−1.20, p < 0.0216) was significantly increased if MLR was elevated, and individuals with elevated MLR were 1.17 times more likely to have IFG (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.08−1.26, p < 0.0002) and 1.13 times more likely to have HG (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.02−1.24, p < 0.0216). Conclusion: Elevated MLR is correlated with and carries a greater risk for IFG and HG. However, large prospective cohort studies are needed to establish the temporal relationship between MLR and FBG and to examine the prognostic value of this novel marker.

HALP score and GNRI: Simple and easily accessible indexes for predicting prognosis in advanced stage NSCLC patients. The İzmir oncology group (IZOG) study

Objective

The Hemoglobin, Albumin, Lymphocyte, and Platelet (HALP) Score and the Geriatric Nutrition Risk Index (GNRI) are used as prognostic factors in different types of cancers. In this study we analyzed the prognostic value of the HALP Score and the GNRI calculated prior to first-line treatment in patients diagnosed with de novo metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC).

Materials and methods

De novo mNSCLC patients were retrospectively evaluated from January 2016 to December 2019. Patients with Driver’s mutation, severe comorbidities, active infection, or insufficient organ function, and those receiving anti-inflammatory treatment were excluded from the study. Optimal cut-off points for the HALP score and the GNRI were calculated with the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Predictive factors for overall survival (OS) were assessed with univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses, and OS was studied with the Kaplan–Meier analysis.

Results

The study included 401 patients in total. In the ROC curve analysis, the cut-off points were found 23.24 (AUC = 0.928; 95% CI: 0.901–0.955, p &lt; 0.001) for HALP, and 53.60 (AUC = 0.932; 95% CI: 0.908–0.955, p &lt; 0.001) for GNRI. Groups with lower HALP scores and lower GNRI had significantly shorter OS compared to those with higher HALP scores and GNRIs. Univariate analysis showed that male gender, smoking, high ECOG score, low HALP score and low GNRI were associated with worse survival rates. Multivariate analysis showed that low HALP score (HR = 2.988, 95% CI: 2.065–4.324, p &lt; 0.001); low GNRI score (HR = 2.901, 95% CI: 2.045–4.114, p &lt; 0.001) and smoking history (HR = 1.447, 95% CI: 1.046–2.001, p = 0.025) were independent factors associated with worse OS rates.

Conclusion

Our study showed the HALP score and the GNRI to be of prognostic value as simple, cost-effective, and useful markers that predict OS in de novo mNSCLC patients.

HYAL3 as a potential novel marker of BLCA patient prognosis

BACKGROUND

It has been previously demonstrated that hyaluronan (HA) potentially regulates the initiation and propagation of bladder cancer (BLCA). HYAL3 encodes hyaluronidase and is a potential therapeutic target for BLCA. We aimed to explore the role that HYAL3 plays in BLCA pathogenesis.

METHODS

HYAL3 expression in BLCA specimens was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort as well as confirmed in cell lines and The Human Protein Atlas. Then, associations between HYAL3 expression and clinicopathological data were analyzed using survival curves and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The functions of HYAL3 were further dissected using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis and the protein-protein interaction network. Finally, we harnessed the Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis to obtain correlations between HYAL3 expression, infiltrating immunocytes, and the corresponding immune marker sets.

RESULTS

HYAL3 expression varied greatly between many types of cancers. In addition, a higher HYAL3 expression level predicted a poor overall survival (OS) in both TCGA-BLCA and GEO gene chips (P < 0.05). HYAL3 also exhibited an acceptable diagnostic ability for the pathological stage of BLCA (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve = 0.769). Furthermore, HYAL3 acted as an independent prognostic factor in BLCA patients and correlated with the infiltration of various types of immunocytes, including B cells, CD8⁺ T cells, cytotoxic cells, T follicular helper cells, and T helper (Th) 2 cells.

CONCLUSION

HYAL3 might serve as a potential biomarker for predicting poor OS in BLCA patients and correlated with immunocyte infiltration in BLCA.

Role of Serum Lymphocyte-derived Biomarkers in Nonmetastatic Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer Patients Treated with Trimodal Therapy

Background

The role of serum lymphocyte-based biomarkers, such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte (LMR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) ratios, was previously studied in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) treated with radical cystectomy but remains underexplored in patients treated with trimodal therapy (TMT).

Objective

To analyze the impact of serum lymphocyte-based biomarkers on main oncological outcomes after TMT for MIBC.

Design, setting, and participants

A retrospective study, including 176 patients treated with TMT for nonmetastatic MIBC (cT2–4/cN0–2) between 2001 and 2017 at a tertiary academic center, was conducted.

Intervention

TMT, consisting of initial maximal transurethral resection of the bladder tumor, followed by radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy.

Outcome measurements and statistical analysis

Clinicopathological characteristics, serum laboratory tests, and imaging reports were collected. NLR, LMR, and PLR were calculated before and at the end of TMT. Dynamic patterns of NLR, LMR, and PLR during TMT were studied. Multivariable regression models were performed to estimate the effect of these biomarkers on complete response (CR) to TMT and survival.

Results and limitations

The median age was 75 yr (interquartile range 66–82). Staging was cT2 in 156 (89%) and cN0 in 159 (90%) patients. A pretreatment NLR (pre-NLR) of ≥4.0 was independently associated with lower CR rates (odds ratio 0.32; p = 0.013). In addition, a pre-NLR of ≥4.0 was associated with worse cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio [HR] 1.88; p = 0.032) and overall survival (OS; HR 1.61; p = 0.033) together with other factors such as hydronephrosis, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and cT stage 3-4a. When both pre- and post-treatment variables were considered, an increase in NLR beyond 75% during TMT (HR 1.63; p = 0.035) was associated with worse OS. This study was limited by its retrospective design.

Conclusions

A high pre-NLR value was independently associated with lower rates of CR and worse survival in MIBC patients undergoing TMT. Prospective validation is needed to implement NLR into clinical practice.

Patient summary

In this study, we reported the oncological outcomes of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated with trimodal therapy. We found that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, a cheap and available blood-derived biomarker, was associated with response to trimodal therapy and survival outcomes.

A novel prognostic index for sporadic Burkitt lymphoma in adult patients: a real-word multicenter study

Background

Adult sporadic Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a rare but highly aggressive subtype of lymphoma which lacks its own unique prognostic model. Systemic inflammatory biomarkers have been confirmed as prognostic markers in several types of malignancy. Our objective was to explore the predictive value of pretreatment inflammatory biomarkers and establish a novel, clinically applicable prognostic index for adult patients with sporadic BL.

Methods

We surveyed retrospectively 336 adult patients with newly diagnosed sporadic BL at 8 Chinese medical centers and divided into training cohort (n = 229) and validation cohort (n = 107). The pretreatment inflammatory biomarkers were calculated for optimal cut-off value. The association between serum biomarkers and overall survival (OS) was analyzed by Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional models. The risk stratification was defined based on normal LDH level, Ann Arbor stage of I and completely resected abdominal lesion or single extra-abdominal mass < 10 cm.

Results and conclusions

Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that platelets< 254 × 10⁹/L, albumin< 40 g/L, lactate dehydrogenase≥334 U/L independently predicted unfavorable OS. We used these data as the basis for the prognostic index, in which patients were stratified into Group 1 (no or one risk factor), Group 2 (two risk factors), or Group 3 (three risk factors), which were associated with 5-year OS rates of 88.1, 72.4, and 45%, respectively. In the subgroup analysis for high-risk patients, our prognostic model results showed that high-risk patients with no more than one adverse factor presented a 5-year survival rate of 85.9%, but patients with three adverse factors had a 5-year survival rate of 43.0%. Harrell’s concordance index (C-index) of the risk group score was 0.768. Therefore, the new prognostic model could be used to develop risk-adapted treatment approaches for adult sporadic BL.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-09144-1.

Bidirectional Interaction Between Cancer Cells and Platelets Provides Potential Strategies for Cancer Therapies

Platelets are essential components in the tumor microenvironment. For decades, clinical data have demonstrated that cancer patients have a high risk of thrombosis that is associated with adverse prognosis and decreased survival, indicating the involvement of platelets in cancer progression. Increasing evidence confirms that cancer cells are able to induce production and activation of platelets. Once activated, platelets serve as allies of cancer cells in tumor growth and metastasis. They can protect circulating tumor cells (CTCs) against the immune system and detachment-induced apoptosis while facilitating angiogenesis and tumor cell adhesion and invasion. Therefore, antiplatelet agents and platelet-based therapies should be developed for cancer treatment. Here, we discuss the mechanisms underlying the bidirectional cancer-platelet crosstalk and platelet-based therapeutic approaches.

Prognostic value of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in neoadjuvant chemotherapy for solid tumors: A PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Previous research indicates that the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) may be an indicator of poor prognosis in many tumor types. However, the PLR is rarely described in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for solid tumors. Thus, we performed a meta-analysis to investigate the prognostic value of this ratio for patients with solid tumors treated by NAC.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted using the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases, followed by a manual search of references from the retrieved articles. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (CIs) were used to evaluate the association between PLR and 3 outcomes, namely, overall survival, disease-free survival, and pathological complete response rate after NAC.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies published no earlier than 2014 were included in our study. A lower PLR was associated with better overall survival (HR = 1.46, 95% CI, 1.11-1.92) and favorable disease-free survival (HR = 1.81, 95% CI, 1.27-2.59). A PLR that was higher than a certain cutoff was associated with a lower pathological complete response rate in patients with cancer who received NAC (Odds ratio = 1.93, 95% CI, 1.40-2.87).

CONCLUSION

Elevated PLR is associated with poor prognosis in various solid tumors. PLR may be a useful biomarker in delineating those patients with poorer prognoses who may benefit from neoadjuvant therapies.

Predictive value of the hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet (HALP) score and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer after radical lung cancer surgery

Background

Examining the analytical worth of the preoperative hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, platelet (HALP) score and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) within diseased persons having non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after radical lung cancer surgery.

Methods

Clinical data concerning 238 diseased persons with NSCLC who underwent radical lung cancer resection within Nantong Cancer Hospital between January 2009 and October 2015 had been looking back studied. ROC curve had been employed in regulating optimal critical worth of HALP and LMR that had been 48.00 and 6.30 singly. A 5-year amplification observed survival concerning diseased persons, and clinicopathological stuff assessed using statistics procedure. Kaplan Meier method, log rank test had been exploited from the point of view to analyze for surviving, and Cox regression analysis had been exploited for univariate and multivariate analysis. Eventually, a nomogram had been produced to examine the confirmation internally.

Results

Kaplan Meier survival assessment revealed top HALP class's overall survival (OS) was significantly higher than below HALP class's (P<0.001), and high LMR group's OS was also greater than below LMR class's (P=0.001). Patients possessing average continuance period of 4 years. Further stratified study revealed high HALP class possessed notable OS as compared below HALP class (P=0.0002), and top LMR class possessed considerable OS as compared to below LMR class (P=0.003) in lung adenocarcinoma. In non-adenocarcinoma, there was no substantial difference in OS between two classes (P>0.05). Preoperative HALP and LMR remained independent risk constituents for tumor progression (P=0.005, P=0.028), lymph node metastasis and level of differentiation also had a certain effect on tumor progression (P<0.05), according to Cox multivariate analysis. Rise in HALP and LMR will help diseased persons having NSCLC live longer. The nomogram's c-index in inside validation was 0.672 (95% confidence interval: 0.626-0.718).

Conclusions

Preoperative HALP versus LMR are independent predictive aspect within NSCLC diseased persons linked to clinicopathological features, and has a particular value in determining bodement.

Low Expression of Keratin17 is Related to Poor Prognosis in Bladder Cancer

Objective

To investigate the association between KRT17 and the prognosis in bladder cancer patients.

Methods

The clinical data of 101 patients with bladder cancer from May 2013 to May 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. At the same time, the expression of KRT17 and its correlation with clinicopathological factors were examined by immunohistochemistry. We search the prognostic value of KRT17 in bladder cancer from the cancer genome map (TCGA) online database. To explore the possible cellular mechanism, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used. The patients were divided into two groups: high expression of KRT17 and low expression of KRT17. The patients were followed up for 5 years to observe the survival. Kaplan–Meier method and Log rank test were used for univariate survival analysis, and Cox regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis. Finally, a nomogram was constructed on this basis for internal verification.

Results

Among the 101 patients, 46 (45.5%) were in the KRT17 low expression group and 55 (54.5%) in the high KRT17 expression group. After 5 years of follow-up, 79 patients survived with a survival rate of 78.2% and 22 patients died with a mortality rate of 21.8%. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that OS and PFS of patients with high expression of KRT17 were significantly higher than those of patients with low expression of KRT17 (p<0.001, p=0.005). Cox multivariate analysis showed that KRT17 expression was an independent risk factor for tumor progression (p=0.019). And tumor size, vascular tumor thrombus, and T stage also affected tumor progression (p<0.05). In the internal validation, the c-index of nomogram was 0.898 (95% CI: 0.854–0.941).

Conclusion

The decreased expression of KRT17 is associated with poor prognosis in patients with bladder cancer. KRT17 can be used as a novel predictive biomarker to provide a new therapeutic target for bladder cancer patients.

Predictive value of preoperative lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio on survival outcomes in bladder cancer patients after radical cystectomy

Purpose: To determine the prognostic significance of the pre-operative lymphocyte-to-monocyte (LMR) in patients with bladder cancer (BCa) who underwent radical cystectomy (RC), and to assess its prognostic benefit compared to models relying solely on clinicopathological factors. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of the 342 BCa patients undergoing RC at our institution from 2004 to 2017 was conducted to assess LMR prognostic significance. Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression models identified risk factors for survival outcomes. Two new models were developed based on basal models to predict OS and CSS at 1, 3, and 5 years after RC. The accuracy of the new models was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves as well as the concordance index. We also conducted decision curve analysis (DCA) to assess their net benefit. Results: An association between excellent long-term patient survival outcomes and higher LMR levels was observed. The median OS and CSS for higher LMR level in patients was 98.8 months and >120 months, respectively. Cox regression multivariate analysis showed that pre-operative LMR, as a continuous variable, was an independent survival outcome predictor (p<0.001). The utilization of LMR in the standard model resulted in significant discriminatory improvement in OS (5.6%, p<0.001) and CSS (4.9%, p=0.001) prediction. Moreover, as shown in DCA, utilization of the new model, including LMR, resulted in a net benefit compared to base models for predicting OS and CSS at 1, 3, and 5 years. Conclusions: An independent association was observed between higher pre-operative LMR in BCa patients undergoing RC and significantly better OS and CSS. In addition, a significant improvement in predictive accuracy was observed with LMR inclusion in multiparametric prediction tools. Therefore, LMR may be utilized in pre-operative patient risk stratification to assist in patient counseling and clinical decision making.

Meta-analysis of multiple hematological biomarkers as prognostic predictors of survival in bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

Accumulating emerging studies have demonstrated that systemic inflammation can obviously affect tumor occurrence and progression. Nevertheless, the prognostic value of hematological inflammation biomarkers in bladder cancer is controversial. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the key hematological biomarkers with various clinical outcomes in bladder cancer.

METHODS

We used online databases PUBMED and EMBASE to search relevant studies published prior to August 2019. After collecting the basic characteristics and prognostic data from the studies included, overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were used as primary results. Subgroup analyses were performed according to ethnicity, the number of samples, survival outcomes, the value of cut-off, follow-up time and metastasis stage.

RESULTS

Thirty-three independent studies with 17,087 bladder cancer patients were added in the present analysis. The collected results showed that the increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was associated with a poor OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.32-1.67, P < .00001), CSS (HR = 1.71, 95%CI: 1.35-2.18, P < .0001) and PFS (HR = 1.59, 95%CI: 1.38-1.83, P < .00001). Additionally, the elevated platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was related to a poor OS (HR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.07-1.54, P = .007), CSS (HR = 1.14, 95%CI = 0.98-1.34, P = .02) and PFS (HR = 1.2, 95%CI: 1.08-1.34, P = .0008). Moreover, a decreased lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio was associated with a poor OS (HR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.70-0.84, P = .001), CSS (HR = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.70-0.84). An elevated modified Glasgow prognostic score was also associated with a poor OS (HR = 2.71, 95%CI: 1.08-2.82, P = .003), CSS (HR = 1.50, 95%CI: 0.56-4.05) and PFS (HR = 1.52, 95%CI: 1.23-1.88, P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicated that the pretreatment hematological biomarkers (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, and modified Glasgow prognostic score) were predicative biomarkers of prognosis in bladder cancer patients. Further research is needed to conduct further prospective and multicenter studies to confirm our findings.

Prognostic significance of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in urothelial carcinoma patients: a meta-analysis

Background

The prognostic value of pre-treatment platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients with urothelial carcinoma (UC) remains controversial. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to identify the prognostic impact of PLR on UC.

Methods

The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to summarize the correlations between PLR and overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs were used to measure the association between PLR and tumor clinicopathological factors.

Results

The meta-analysis included 15 studies published from 2015 to 2019 with a total of 5354 patients. Overall, a high PLR was correlated to poorer PFS (HR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.28–2.56, p = 0.001) and DFS (HR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.31–2.16, p < 0.001) but not poor OS (HR = 1.23, 95% CI 0.95–1.59, p = 0.124) or CSS (HR = 1.000, 95% CI 0.998–1.002, p = 0.919) in UC. In addition, an elevated PLR was correlated with patient age > 65 years (OR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.25–2.38, p = 0.001) and hypertension (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.01–2.18, p = 0.046). However, no significant association was observed between PLR and sex (OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.56–1.14, p = 0.206) or diabetes (OR = 1.29, 95% CI 0.77–2.15, p = 0.333).

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated a significant correlation between elevated PLR and poor prognosis in UC. The prognostic role of PLR may help guide the management and prognostication of UC patients.

Low pretreatment lymphocyte/monocyte ratio is associated with the better efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients

The combination of some parameters, including the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) and neutrophil to monocyte ratio (NMR), which are associated with patient prognosis, our goal is to find the best indicator to predict the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy（NAC）in breast cancer patients. A cohort of 808 breast cancer patients treated with NAC and subsequent surgery was analyzed retrospectively. In addition, 2424 people without breast cancer served as the normal group, which included three-fold more individuals compared with the breast cancer group. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were used to determine the optimal cutoff values of inflammatory markers and compare their predictive capacity. No significant differences in age, PLR, LMR and NMR were noted between the normal group and the patient group. However, the mean value of the NLR was significantly increased in breast cancer patients (2.28) compared with the normal population (2.04) (P < .05). The LMR was significantly associated with age (P = .003), menopausal status (P = .004), cT category (P = .017), cN category (P = .024) and response to NAC (P = .001). The multivariate analysis indicated that among these inflammatory markers, the LMR (6.1 < vs ≥ 6.1) was the only independent predictive factor for the efficacy of NAC (OR = 1.771, 95% CI = 1.273-2.464, P = .001). A low LMR is considered a favorable predicative factor of the efficacy of NAC in breast cancer patients.

Comparison of Preoperative Neutrophil-Lymphocyte and Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratios in Bladder Cancer Patients Undergoing Radical Cystectomy

Introduction

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been proven to be significant prognostic factors in many cancers. We aimed to retrospectively investigate the prognostic value of NLR and PLR in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy.

Materials and Methods

The study comprised patients from 2010 to 2018 who were diagnosed with bladder cancer and received radical cystectomy. Clinical and pathological parameters were collected. Receiver operating characteristic curves of NLR and PLR were plotted for overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). The best cutoff value of NLR and PLR were determined using X-tile software. The prognostic value of NLR and PLR for OS and CSS was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression models.

Results

A total of 223 patients were enrolled with a medium follow-up period of 57 months. Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that PLR was superior to NLR as a prognostic factor in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy. Univariate analysis revealed that NLR (p=0.032 and p=0.041) and PLR (p=0.003 and p=0.003) were significantly associated with both OS and CSS, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified only PLR as independent prognostic factors for OS (p=0.046) and CSS (p=0.039), respectively.

Conclusions

The present findings suggested that compared with NLR, PLR was a superior prognostic factor of OS and CSS in bladder cancer patients indicated to radical cystectomy.

Prognostic Role of Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients With Bladder Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Many studies have been reported that platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) may be associated with the prognosis of bladder cancer, but the results are inconsistent. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of pretreatment PLR on the prognosis of bladder cancer.

Methods: The databases PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to analyze the relationship between PLR and prognosis. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were used to analyze the relationship between PLR and clinicopathological features. Publication bias was estimated using Begg's funnel plot asymmetry tests.

Results: A total of 8 studies comprising 3,303 patients were included in this meta-analysis. An elevated PLR was significantly associated with poorer overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.03–1.54, p = 0.026), but not with cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.95–1.38, p = 0.149), or recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR = 1.72, 95% CI = 0.79–3.75, p = 0.175). In addition, high PLR was correlated with age ≥ 65 years (OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.24–2.67, p = 0.002), whereas was not significantly correlated with sex, tumor grade, tumor stage, distant metastasis, or tumor size.

Conclusions: The pretreatment PLR could serve as a predicative biomarker of poor prognosis for patients with bladder cancer.

Preoperative predictors of early death risk in bladder cancer patients treated with robot-assisted radical cystectomy

Background

Early identification of early death for bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy based on the laboratory findings at the time of diagnosis could improve the overall survival. The study aimed to explore preoperative factors associated with higher risk of early death (within 1 year after surgery) for bladder cancer patients.

Methods

A total of 186 bladder cancer patients who underwent robot‐assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) were identified between October 2014 and May 2017. The probability of dying within 1 year after RARC was defined as the end point “early death.” Predictive factors including clinical features and laboratory findings at diagnosis were retrospectively collected.

Results

Median follow‐up time after RARC was 20.6 months (1.2‐43.7 months). Fifty‐one patients (27.4%) died during follow‐up and 31 within 1 year from surgery (1‐year mortality rate: 16.7%). All potentially prognostic factors were assessed on univariate analyses, which revealed the following factors as being associated with higher risk of early death within 1 year after RARC: older age (P = 0.004), advanced clinical stage (P = 0.005), presence of hydronephrosis (P = 0.021), higher fibrinogen (P = 0.007), higher PLR (P = 0.031), and lower PNI (P = 0.016). In a multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model analysis, age >60 years (HR = 7.303, 95% CI 1.734‐30.764; P = 0.007) and fibrinogen ≥3.295 g/L (HR = 2.396, 95% CI 1.138‐5.045; P = 0.007) at diagnosis were independent prognostic factors of early death after RARC.

Conclusion

Age and preoperative elevated plasma fibrinogen level were independent predictors for 1‐year mortality after RARC. We believe that plasma fibrinogen levels may become a useful biomarker, which may help guide the treatment decision‐making process for patients with bladder cancer.

The evaluation of monocyte lymphocyte ratio as a preoperative predictor in urothelial malignancies: a pooled analysis based on comparative studies

In recent years, several studies have reported monocyte lymphocyte ratio (MLR) to predict prognosis in various tumors. Our study was performed to evaluate the association between preoperative MLR between prognostic variables in urothelial carcinoma patients. Systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of science. The correlation between preoperative MLR and overall survival (OS), cancer specific survival (CSS), disease free survival (DFS)/relapse free survival (RFS), progression free survival(PFS) was evaluated in urothelial carcinoma patients. Meanwhile, the association between MLR and clinicopathological characteristics was assessed. Finally, 12 comparative studies comprising a total of 6209 patients were included for pooled analysis. The hazard ratios (HRs), odds ratios (ORs)and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were further analyzed as effect measures. The pooled results demonstrated that elevated preoperative MLR indicated unfavorable OS (HR = 1.29, 95%CI = 1.18-1.39, I² = 33.6%), DFS/RFS (HR = 1.42, 95%CI = 1.30–1.55, I² = 0.0%) and CSS (HR = 1.41, 95%CI = 1.29–1.52, I² = 0.0%). Moreover, the pooled results also suggested that elevated preoperative MLR was correlated with high tumor stage (OR = 1.22, 95%CI = 1.07–1.37, I² = 0.0%) in urothelial carcinoma patients. No significant association was found between preoperative MLR and PFS in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUTUC) patients. Collectively, elevated preoperative MLR predicted poor prognosis in urothelial carcinoma and have the potential to be a feasible and cost-effective prognostic predictor for management of urothelial carcinoma.

Prognostic Significance of the Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio in Bladder Cancer Undergoing Radical Cystectomy: A Meta-Analysis of 5638 Individuals

Introduction

A growing number of studies have explored the association between the pretreatment lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and survival outcomes in various cancers. However, its prognostic significance on bladder cancer remains inconsistent. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the prognostic value of pretreatment LMR in bladder cancer.

Methods

The MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CNKI databases were comprehensively searched for relevant studies. A meta-analysis of overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), or cancer-specific survival (CSS) clinicopathological features was conducted.

Results

Nine studies containing 5,638 cancer patients were analyzed in this meta-analysis. Patients with high LMR tended to have favourable OS (HR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.50-0.80, P < 0.001), RFS (HR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.38-0.91, P = 0.017), and CSS (HR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.70-0.83, P < 0.001). Moreover, low LMR was highly correlated with age (≥60), differentiation (low), T stage (III-IV), lymph node metastasis (yes), and concomitant Cis (yes).

Conclusion

Pretreatment LMR might be a useful predictor of survival outcomes in patients with bladder cancer.

The Ratio of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte is a Predictor in Endometrial Cancer

Objective: The aim of our study was to assess the prognostic value of the ratio of neutrophil to lymphocyte (NLR) for patients with surgically treated endometrial cancer (EC). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 510 EC patients who were surgically treated between January 2010 and December 2016. We used receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to identify an optimal cut-off for NLR in predicting overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Nonparametric tests were used to determine the associations between NLR and clinicopathologic characteristics. The Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional-hazards regression were used for survival analysis. Results: With a cut-off of 2.47, the 510 patients were divided into low NLR (NLR <2.47) and high NLR (NLR ≥2.47). Elevated NLR was associated with advanced stage (P=0.039), increased histology grade (P=0.005) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.041). Multivariable analysis suggested that NLR was an independent prognostic marker for OS (hazard ratio [HR] 4.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-14.1; P =0.006), CSS (HR 3.6; 95% CI, 1.1-11.5; P =0.028) and DFS (HR 2.3; 95% CI, 1.0-5.2; P =0.044). Conclusion: NLR may be an independent prognostic indicator for OS, CSS and DFS. It could help clinicians with preoperative risk stratification and treatment strategy tailoring.

Prognostic value of pretreatment lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio in patients with urologic tumors: A PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The prognostic value of pretreatment lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) in patients with urologic tumors remains controversial. Therefore, we herein conducted a meta-analysis to systematically assess the prognostic value of LMR in patients with urologic tumors.

METHODS

We comprehensively searched PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science to identify eligible studies. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the prognostic value of LMR in patients with urologic tumors. This meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018108959).

RESULTS

A total of 20 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Our synthesized analysis showed that low LMR was significantly correlated with poor overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC). We also found that renal cell cancer (RCC) patients with low LMR had poor OS, PFS and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Besides, it was observed that low LMR predicted poor OS, RFS and CSS in patients with bladder cancer (BC).

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis demonstrated that pretreatment LMR is associated with survival, and may be a useful prognostic parameter in urologic tumors. Nevertheless, more prospective and heterogeneous studies with large samples are required to further confirm our findings before it is applied for daily clinical decision making.

The pretreatment lymphocyte to monocyte ratio predicts clinical outcome for patients with urological cancers: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR), a novel systematic biomarker of inflammation, has been reported to be associated with the progression and prognosis of many malignant cancers. However, the relationship between LMR and survival outcome of urological cancers (UCs) remains controversial. Herein, we conducted a meta-analysis to identify the prognostic value of pretreatment LMR in patients with UCs.

METHODS

A literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, and CINAHL databases up to July 2018. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the association of LMR with survival outcome and clinicopathological characteristics in UCs.

RESULTS

A total of 17 articles containing 5552 patients were included in our study. The synthesized analysis showed that elevated pretreatment LMR level could predict favorable overall survival (OS) of UCs patients (pooled HR = 0.82, 95%CI: 0.77-0.87). Additionally, the decreased LMR level was correlated with tumor stage (OR = 1.72, 95%CI: 1.15-2.55), lymph node metastasis (OR = 1.46, 95%CI:1.06-1.99), grade (OR = 1.79, 95%CI:1.41-2.27), tumor size (OR = 2.21, 95%CI:1.81-2.68) and necrosis (OR = 1.71, 95%CI:1.36-2.16).

CONCLUSION

The high pretreatment LMR was associated with favorable prognosis, and could be a potential prognostic biomarker in patients with UCs.

Preoperative neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio improves recurrence prediction of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

Background

This study aims to prospectively evaluate the ability of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio (NLR) to forecast recurrence in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). This is a continuation of our two previous retrospective studies that indicated the NLR > 2.5 criterion as a predictor of recurrence in patients with NMIBC.

Methods

Since December 2013, all patients admitted to our department for TUR-BT and agreed to participate, had a blood drawn for cell count and differential 24 h prior to surgery. Patients with pathological NMIBC were followed prospectively for disease recurrence. The end-point of the follow up was either a cancer recurrence or the termination of the study. Univariate and multivariate Cox regressions were performed to assess the NLR > 2.5 predictive capability for recurrence, versus and in conjunction to the pathologically based EORTC score, among additional statistical analyses.

Results

The study cohort included 96 men and 17 women with a median age of 72 years. Sixty-four patients (56.6%) have had a recurrence during the study occurring at the median time of 9 months (IQR 6, 13), while the median follow-up time for patients without recurrence was 18 months (IQR 10, 29). Univariate Cox regressions for recurrence demonstrated significance for NLR > 2.5 for the whole cohort (p = 0.011, HR 2.015, CI 1.175–3.454) and for the BCG sub-group (p = 0.023, HR 3.7, CI 1.2–11.9), while the EORTC score demonstrated significance for the ‘No Treatment’ subgroup (p = 0.024, HR 1.278, CI 1.03–1.58). When analyzed together as a multivariate Cox model, the NLR > 2.5 and EORTC score retained their significance for the aforementioned groups, while also improving the EORTC score significance for the whole cohort.

Conclusion

NLR > 2.5 was found to be a significant predictor of disease recurrence and demonstrated high hazard ratio and worse recurrence-free survival in patients with NMIBC, especially in those treated with BCG. Additionally, our data demonstrated statistical evidence that NLR > 2.5 might have an improving effect on the EORTC score’s prediction when analyzed together.

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.

Prognostic value of systemic inflammatory markers and development of a nomogram in breast cancer

Systemic inflammatory markers derived from peripheral blood cell, such as the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), have been demonstrated as prognostic markers in several types of malignancy. Here, we investigated and compared the association between systemic inflammatory markers and survival and developed a prognostic nomogram in breast cancer patients. We reviewed the clinical and pathological records of 661 patients diagnosed with invasive breast carcinoma between 1993 and 2011. The NLR, dNLR, PLR and LMR in the immediate preoperative period were assessed. We analyzed the relationship between these inflammatory markers and clinicopathologic variables, disease-specific survival (DSS), and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients. A nomogram was developed to predict 3- and 5-year DSS for breast cancer. In the univariate analysis, high NLR, dNLR, PLR and low LMR were all significantly associated with poor DSS and DFS. In the multivariate analysis, only the PLR (HR 3.226, 95% CI 1.768-5.885 for DSS and HR 1.824, 95% CI 1.824-6.321 for DFS) was still identified as an independent predictor of outcomes. A subgroup analysis revealed that the PLR was the sole independent marker predicting poor DSS in patients with lymph node metastasis (HR 2.294, 95% CI 1.102-4.777) and with luminal subtype (HR 4.039, 95% CI 1.905-8.562). The proposed nomogram, which includes the PLR, shows good accuracy in predicting DSS with a concordance index of 0.82. PLR is an indicator of systemic inflammation as a part of the host immune response. As an independent prognostic factor, an elevated preoperative PLR is superior to the NLR, dNLR, and LMR in predicting clinical outcomes in patients with breast cancer. Moreover, the nomogram incorporating the PLR could accurately predict individualized survival probability in breast cancer.

The lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio as a prognostic indicator in head and neck cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the relationship between the pre-treatment lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and prognosis in HNC.

METHODS

PubMed (via the Web), Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library were searched. A systematic review and meta-analysis was done to generate the pooled hazard ratios (HR) for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

RESULTS

Our analysis included the results of 4260 patients in seven cohorts. The pooled data demonstrated that an elevated LMR was associated with significantly improved OS (HR 0.5; 95% CI 0.44-0.57), and DFS (HR 0.70; 95% CI 0.62-0.80). Of note, there was no detectable heterogeneity in either OS (I² = 0%) or DFS (I² = 0%).

CONCLUSIONS

An elevated LMR may be an indicator of favorable prognosis in HNC. However, our results should be interpreted with some degree of caution due to the retrospective nature of cohort studies. Further research with high-quality prospective studies is needed to confirm the effect of LMR in HNC prognosis.

Evaluation of the clinical value of hematological parameters in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of pretreatment red cell distribution width (RDW), monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB).Hematological parameters of 127 consecutive patients with UCB and 162 healthy controls were retrospectively analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted to determine the optimal cut-off value of RDW, MLR, NLR, and PLR to predict UCB. Whether these parameters could be independent predictors of UCB and had an association with the demographics and clinical characteristics of patients were also assessed.Patients with UCB had higher pretreatment RDW, MLR, NLR, and PLR compared with the healthy controls. With the tumor progression, MLR, NLR, and PLR rose consistently, whereas no significant difference was observed in RDW across tumor stages. NLR and PLR were associated with tumor size and tumor grade, while MLR was correlated with tumor size only. The best threshold of RDW, MLR, NLR, and PLR to predict UCB was 13.50%, 0.26, 2.16, and 128.46, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression model identified NLR ≥ 2.16 (odds ratio [OR] = 2.914; P < .001) and PLR ≥ 128.46 (OR = 2.761; P < .001) as independent predictors of UCB. High NLR and PLR were also associated with tumor markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen and α-fetoprotein.Pretreatment NLR and PLR could be significant independent predictors of UCB. These simple and readily available inflammatory markers therefore might be used to manage the disease.

Predictive role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on upstaging of organ-confined invasive urothelial bladder cancer to non-organ-confined disease

Objective

The aim of this study is to examine the usefulness of preoperative neutrophile-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratios to predict pathological upstaging of invasive bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy.

Material and methods

A total of 126 patients who underwent radical cystectomy at our clinic between January 2006 and March 2015 were retrospectively analysed. One hundred and twelve patients with organ-confined invasive bladder tumors (T2) detected at histopathological examination of transuretral resection material were included in the study. Upstaging was seen at histopathological examination of radical cystectomy specimens of 42 patients. We compared preoperative neutrophile-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio between upstaged and not-upstaged groups.

Results

There were no statistically significant correlation between age, time to radical cystectomy, gender, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio ratios and carcinoma in situ in upstaged and non-upstaged groups. Statistical analyses showed that preoperative neutrophile-to-lymphocyte ratio was higher in upstaged patients (p=0.009). In multivariate analysis preoperative neutrophile-to-lymphocyte ratio and positive surgical margin were significantly higher in upstaged group.

Conclusion

In organ-confined muscle invasive bladder cancer neutrophile-to-lymphocyte ratio seems to be an acceptable parameter to predict locally advanced disease.

Selected patients can benefit more from the management of etoposide and platinum-based chemotherapy and thoracic irradiation-a retrospective analysis of 707 small cell lung cancer patients

The management of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has reached a plateau. Etoposide and platinum-based chemotherapy plus thoracic irradiation remain the standard treatment strategy for SCLC. Our study aims to assess the potential prognostic factors of patients treated with etoposide and platinum-based chemotherapy and explore which group of patients can benefit more from standard treatment strategies. On univariate analysis, age>65 years, male patients, KPS (Karnofsky Performance Status)≤80 points, positive smoking history, anemia, lymphocyte counts≤1.65×10⁹/L, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR)>3.18, lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR)≤2.615, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)>216.5 U/L, alkaline phosphatase (ALP)>119.5 U/L, absence of surgery, absence of thoracic irradiation, chemotherapy cycles<4, metastatic sites≥2 and extensive disease were correlated with a poor prognosis. Gender, KPS, chemotherapy cycles, thoracic irradiation, metastatic sites, LDH and tumor stage held statistical significance on multivariate analysis (p<0.05). High LDH was closely correlated with extensive disease, metastatic sites≥2, anemia, low LMR, high NLR and ALP levels. Subgroup analysis showed patients with male gender, KPS≤80 points, LDH≤216.5U/L, extensive disease and metastatic sites<2 could benefit more from ≥4 chemotherapy cycles. Patients with male gender, KPS>80 points, LDH≤216.5U/L, limited disease and metastatic sites<2 could benefit more from thoracic irradiation (p<0.05 on uni- and multivariate analysis). In conclusion, female patients, KPS>80 points, chemotherapy cycles≥4, thoracic irradiation, metastatic sites<2, LDH≤216.5U/L and limited disease were independent positive prognostic factors for SCLC patients treated with etoposide and platinum-based chemotherapy. Selected patients can benefit more from the management of ≥4 cycles of chemotherapy and thoracic irradiation.

Prognostic significance of HALP (hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte and platelet) in patients with bladder cancer after radical cystectomy

The outcome of bladder cancer after radical cystectomy is heterogeneous. We aim to evaluate the prognostic value of HALP (hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte and platelet) and explore novel prognostic indexes for patients with bladder cancer after radical cystectomy. In this retrospective study, 516 patients with bladder cancer after radical cystectomy were included. The median follow-up was 37 months (2 to 99 mo). Risk factors of decreased overall survival were older age, high TNM stage, high American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade and low HALP score. The predictive accuracy was better with HALP-based nomogram than TNM stage (C- index 0.76 ± 0.039 vs. 0.708 ± 0.041). By combining ASA grade and HALP, we created a novel index—HALPA score and found it an independent risk factor for decreased survival (HALPA score = 1, HR 1.624, 95% CI 1.139–2.314, P = 0.007; HALPA score = 2, HR 3.471, 95% CI: 1.861–6.472, P < 0.001).The present study identified the prognostic value of HALP and provided a novel index HALPA score for bladder cancer after radical cystectomy.

Preoperative hemoglobin-platelet ratio can significantly predict progression and mortality outcomes in patients with T1G3 bladder cancer undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumor

Objective

To investigate the prognostic role of hematological biomarkers, especially hemoglobin-platelet ratio (HPR) in the oncological outcomes in stage 1 and grade 3 (T1G3) bladder cancer.

Materials and Methods

We identified 457 T1G3 bladder cancer patients who underwent transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB) between 2009 and 2014. Based on hematological parameters (hemoglobin-platelet ratio (HPR), hemoglobin, and platelet counts), recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were analyzed by using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Multivariate Cox regression model was adopted to identify the predictors of oncological outcomes.

Results

Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that low HPR (< 0.615), low hemoglobin (< 125g/l) and elevated platelet counts (> 240 × 10³/μl) were correlated with poor OS. Low HPR, but not low hemoglobin and high platelet counts, is associated with worse PFS. Low HPR and low hemoglobin, but not elevated platelet counts, are associated with worse CSS. However, no significant difference was observed in RFS according to any of these hematological markers. On multivariate analysis, low HPR (HR = 1.27, 95% CI = 0.81–1.75, P = 0.030), low hemoglobin (HR = 1.20, 95% CI = 0.79–1.84, P = 0.028) and elevated platelet counts (HR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.72–1.32, P = 0.038) were significantly associated with OS. Low hemoglobin (HR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.68–1.82, P = 0.041) was significantly linked with CSS. Particularly, low HPR was identified as an independent predictor of PFS (HR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.97–1.49, P = 0.033) and CSS (HR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.87–1.78, P = 0.029).

Conclusions

Preoperative HPR can be taken into account as a factor predictive of oncological outcomes for T1G3 bladder cancer, particularly disease progression and mortality outcomes.

Prognostic role of lymphocyte to monocyte ratio for patients with cancer: evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis

Inflammation influences cancer development and progression, and a low lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) has been reported to be a poor prognostic indicator in several malignancies. Here we quantify the prognostic impact of this biomarker and assess its consistency in various cancers. Eligible studies were retrieved from PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases. Overall survival (OS) was the primary outcome, cancer-specific survival (CSS), disease-free survival (DFS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were secondary outcomes. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs), odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Fifty-six studies comprising 20,248 patients were included in the analysis. Overall, decreased LMR was significantly associated with shorter OS in non-hematological malignancy (HR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.53–0.66; P < 0.001) and hematological malignancy (HR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.34–0.56; P < 0.001). Similar results were found in CSS, DFS, RFS and PFS. Moreover, low LMR was significantly associated with some clinicopathological characteristics that are indicative of poor prognosis and disease aggressiveness. By these results, we conclude that a decreased LMR implied poor prognosis in patients with cancer and could serve as a readily available and inexpensive biomarker for clinical decision.

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.

The Prognostic Value of Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Urological Cancers: A Meta-Analysis

The relationship of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and survival in urological cancers remained inconsistent in previous studies. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the prognostic significance of PLR in patients with urological cancers. A literature search was performed in the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science up to July, 2017 and study quality was obtained using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. To estimate the association of PLR and overall survival (OS) and other survival outcomes in urological cancers, we used pooled hazard ratios (HRs). Subgroup analyses were conducted on different ethnics, sample sizes and cut-off values. 20 high quality studies involving 7562 patients with urological cancers were included in this meta-analysis. High pretreatment PLR was significantly associated with poor OS in patients with urological cancers (pooled HR = 1.58). Elevated PLR was also correlated with other survival outcomes. However, we found that PLR was significantly relevant to the OS of patients with different types of urological cancers except bladder cancer (BCa, HR = 1.16, 95%CI: 0.96–1.41). In conclusion, elevated PLR was negatively related to the OS of patients with urological cancers, except in BCa. However, more large scale prospective studies with high quality are required in the future.

Relationship between monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio and coronary plaque vulnerability in patients with stable angina

Aim: To investigate the relationship between monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and plaque vulnerability assessed by virtual histology intravascular ultrasound in patients with stable angina. Methods: 133 patients with stable angina were enrolled. Results: MLR was found to be an independent risk factor of thin cap fibrous atheroma (OR: 2.61; p = 0.025). MLR could differentiate thin cap fibrous atheroma with a sensitivity of 73.7% and a specificity of 61.8%. MLR level was positively correlated with the percentage of necrotic core (NC) area at the sites of minimum lumen area and the largest NC area, and positively related to the percentage of NC volume. Conclusion: Circulating MLR level has potential in identifying the vulnerable plaques in the setting of stable angina.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the prognostic value of preoperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with urothelial carcinoma

A large number of studies have investigated the prognostic value of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma, but the evidence from these papers is conflicting. This systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out to assess the role of PLR in urothelial carcinoma patients. After a systematic search of the PubMed, Embase, Web of science databases, the associations between PLR and overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS)/disease-specific survival (DSS), and relapse-free survival (RFS)/disease-free survival (DFS) were analyzed in urothelial carcinoma patients. The relationship between PLR and pathological results was also evaluated. A total of seven studies (eight cohorts) comprising 3171 patients were included. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) indicated the increased preoperative PLR predicted poor OS (HR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.01- 1.27, p < 0.001), CSS/DSS (HR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.08-1.40, p < 0.001), RFS/DFS (HR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.09-1.38, p < 0.001). However, no significant correlation was found between elevated preoperative PLR and pathological results such as tumor grade, tumor necrosis and T stages. These findings suggest a high PLR is associated with reduced OS, CSS/DSS and RFS/DFS in urothelial carcinoma. Preoperative PLR may therefore be a predictive factor in this patient group.

The clinical use of the platelet/lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio as prognostic predictors in colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Conflicting evidence exists regarding the effects of platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio(LMR) on the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the roles of the PLR and LMR in predicting the prognosis of CRC patients via meta-analysis.

METHODS

Eligible studies were retrieved from the PubMed, Embase,andChina National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases, supplemented by a manual search of references from retrieved articles. Pooled hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using the generic inverse variance and random-effect model to evaluate the association of PLR and LMR with prognostic variables in CRC, including overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

RESULTS

Thirty-three studies containing 15,404 patients met criteria for inclusion. Pooled analysis suggested that elevated PLR was associated with poorer OS (pooled HR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.41 - 1.75, p< 0.00001, I2=26%) and DFS (pooled HR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.31 - 1.92, p< 0.00001, I2=66%). Conversely, high LMR correlated with more favorable OS (pooled HR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.50 - 0.68, p< 0.00001, I2=44%), CSS (pooled HR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.40 - 0.72, p< 0.00001, I2=11%) and DFS (pooled HR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.71- 0.94,p=0.005, I2=29%).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated PLR was associated with poor prognosis, while high LMR correlated with more favorable outcomes in CRC patients. Pretreatment PLR and LMR could serve as prognostic predictors in CRC patients.

Prognostic role of pretreatment platelet to lymphocyte ratio in urologic cancer

The prognostic value of platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in urologic cancer does not reach a consensus. Herein, we performed the meta-analysis to determine the prognostic role of PLR in patients with urologic cancer. A literature search was performed in the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Hazard ratios (HRs) were extracted to estimate the association between PLR and prognosis. A total of 20 articles comprising 6079 patients were included in this study. The pooled results showed that a high PLR was significantly associated with worse prognosis of overall survival (OS) in urologic cancer [HR=1.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.37-1.99, P<0.01]. The result also indicated that an elevated PLR was significantly associated with poor OS in renal cancer (HR=1.88, 95% CI=1.39-2.55, P<0.01). In addition, the significant association between poor OS and elevated PLR in renal cancer was consistent regardless of treatment, cut-off value, sample size and study quality. Our result also indicated that an elevated PLR predicted shorter OS (HR=1.78, 95% CI=1.38-2.30, P<0.01) and cancer-specific survival (HR=2.02, 95% CI=1.24-3.29, P<0.01) in prostate cancer. In conclusion, an elevated PLR was a predictive indicator of poor survival in renal cancer and prostate cancer.

Does lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio before, during, or after definitive chemoradiation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer predict for clinical outcomes?

BACKGROUND

Elevated pre-treatment lymphocyte (L) to monocyte (M) ratio (LMR) in peripheral blood has been suggested to correlate with improved survival in some malignancies, but data in the context of pancreatic cancer (PC) is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of LMR before, during and after definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 57 patients with LAPC treated with definitive CRT at a single institution from 2005 to 2013. Complete blood counts were obtained before (TP1), during the third week (TP2) and at the end of CRT (TP3). Univariate analysis (UVA) included gender, age, body mass index, pre-treatment CA19-9, T stage, N stage, induction chemotherapy (ICT), absolute L count (TP1, TP2, TP3), absolute M count (TP1, TP2, TP3), LMR (TP1, TP2, TP3), and relative LMR changes (TP2 ÷ TP1, TP3 ÷ TP1, TP3 ÷ TP2).

RESULTS

Median follow-up was 14 months. Twelve patients received ICT. Median LMR was 2.7 (range, 0.8-5.25), 1.4 (range, 0.3-5) and 0.98 (range, 0.3-3.4) at TP1, TP2 and TP3, respectively. Superior PFS was significantly associated with an absolute M count during CRT <0.1 (P=0.04) while pre-CRT L count ≥1.1 trended towards significance (P=0.09). Superior OS was significantly associated with change in LMR (TP3 ÷ TP2) > 0.32 (P<0.0001) while pre-CRT LMR ≥2.6 trended towards significance (P=0.06).

CONCLUSIONS

Factors significantly associated with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were change in LMR at the end of CRT and absolute M count during CRT. This analysis suggests treatment-time-specific immune system parameters may affect clinical outcomes and warrant continued investigation.