Are Markers of Systemic Inflammation Good Prognostic Indicators in Colorectal Cancer?

Pretreatment bioelectrical impedance analysis predicts chemotherapy efficacy and toxicity in metastatic colorectal cancer patients

BACKGROUND

The prognostic significance of body composition in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients receiving systemic chemotherapy is increasingly recognized. This study aimed to explore the relationship between various body composition metrics measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and patient outcomes in patients with mCRC.

METHODS

In a retrospective cohort of 164 mCRC patients, body composition was assessed using BIA before first-line chemotherapy. Metrics evaluated included the extracellular water/total body water ratio (ECW/TBW), skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass, protein, and mineral levels. This study examined the relationship between these parameters and survival outcomes and their impact on chemotherapy-induced toxicity and relative dose intensity.

RESULTS

Patients with a higher ECW/TBW ratio had significantly lower overall survival (OS) (p < 0.001) across quartiles (median OS: Q1 = 38.6 months, Q4 = 19.1 months) and a significantly lower progression-free survival (median progression-free survival: Q1 = 10.5 months, Q4 = 8.3 months; p = 0.03). Multivariate analysis identified ECW/TBW as an independent predictor of OS (hazard ratio: 2.12; 95 % confidence interval: 1.36-3.23; p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis indicated a significant interaction between ECW/TBW quartiles and the effectiveness of anti-endothelial growth factor receptor and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapies on overall survival (p for interaction <0.001). Body composition was significantly associated with chemotherapy relative dose intensity and hematologic adverse events, particularly thrombocytopenia, which was significantly correlated with ECW/TBW, skeletal muscle mass, lean body mass, and protein levels.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the value of comprehensive body composition assessment using BIA in predicting outcomes for patients with mCRC, supporting its incorporation into clinical practice for enhanced patient care.

Prognostic value of routine blood biomarkers in 3-year survival of resectable colorectal cancer patients: a prognostic nomogram for clinical practice

PURPOSE

This study aimed to develop a prognostic model for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients using biomarkers from routine preoperative peripheral blood examinations combined with clinical factors.

METHODS

This observational study comprised CRC patients (stages I-III) who underwent curative surgery between January 2011 and December 2019. Study variables included patient demographics, tumour characteristics, and immune/inflammatory markers from preoperative blood tests. Cut-off thresholds for continuous variables were determined using maximally selected rank statistics. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified variables associated with 3-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Cox regression models were developed and validated using a random split-sample approach. Nomograms based on these models were constructed, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated for 12, 24 and 36 months.

RESULTS

A total of 764 patients were included. Independent factors for 3-year DFS included laparoscopic surgery, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, and Charlson comorbidity index. The DFS prediction model showed AUC values of 66.6%, 64.8%, and 69% for years 1, 2, and 3, respectively. For CSS, independent factors included age, systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), serum albumin, and platelet count, with AUC values of 89.2%, 76.8%, and 71% for years 1, 2, and 3. The most significant contributors to the CSS model were SII and platelet cut-off values.

CONCLUSION

Inflammatory biomarkers combined with clinical parameters robustly predict 3-year survival outcomes in CRC patients undergoing curative resection. These findings highlight the importance of systemic inflammation in CRC prognosis and support its inclusion in preoperative risk stratification.

Applying Neural Networks to Analyse Inflammatory, Sociodemographic, and Psychological Factors in Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer and Colon Cancer: A Statistical and Artificial Intelligence Approach

Background/Objectives: Chronic inflammation and psychosocial factors significantly influence cancer progression and patient behavior in seeking medical care. Understanding their interplay is essential for enhancing early detection and developing personalized treatment strategies. This study aims to develop a comprehensive patient profiling model by comparing non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and colorectal cancer (CRC). The goal is to identify common and distinct patterns in inflammation and psychosocial factors that affect disease progression and clinical presentation. Methods: We conducted a comparative analysis of patients diagnosed with NMSC and CRC, integrating clinical data with sociodemographic and psychological assessments. Advanced neural network algorithms were employed to detect subtle patterns and interactions among these factors. Based on the analysis, a cancer risk assessment questionnaire was developed to stratify patients into low-, moderate-, and high-risk categories. Results: Patients with low systemic inflammation and adequate vagal tone, supported by a stable family environment, demonstrated heightened sensitivity to subclinical symptoms, enabling earlier diagnosis and timely intervention. Conversely, patients with high systemic inflammation and reduced vagal tone, often influenced by chronic stress and unstable family environments, presented at more advanced disease stages. The developed risk assessment tool effectively classified patients into distinct risk categories, facilitating targeted preventive measures and personalized therapeutic strategies. Neural network profiling revealed significant interactions between biological and psychosocial factors, enhancing our understanding of their combined impact on cancer progression. Conclusions: The integrated profiling approach and the newly developed risk assessment questionnaire have the potential to transform cancer management by improving early detection, personalizing treatment strategies, and addressing psychosocial factors. This model not only enhances clinical outcomes and patient quality of life but also offers a framework adaptable to other cancer types, promoting a holistic and patient-centered approach in oncology.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of cardiovascular mortality in cancer survivors

This study aims to evaluate the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a predictive biomarker for cardiovascular mortality among cancer patients, utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). From the NHANES dataset (2007-2018), we analyzed 4974 cancer survivors, investigating the prognostic significance of NLR for all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer-specific mortality. Survival outcomes were analyzed using Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier methods. Optimal NLR cutoffs were identified as 2.61 for differentiating the higher NLR group from lower NLR group. Elevated NLR levels significantly correlated with increased all-cause mortality (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.07-1.14, P < 0.001) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.08-1.21, P < 0.001) in adjusted models. Subgroup analyses revealed that age, sex, smoking status, and hypertension significantly influence NLR's association with cardiovascular mortality. Specific cancers including breast, prostate, non-melanoma skin, colon and melanoma experience increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the higher NLR group compared to lower NLR group. Elevated NLR is a significant predictor of increased mortality in cancer patients, particularly for cardiovascular outcomes. These findings support that NLR acts as a pivotal prognostic tool with significant implications for clinical practice in the realm of cardio-oncology.

First Molecular Evidence of Leishmania Infantum in Domestic Cats and Associated Risk Factors from the Black Sea Region of Türkiye

PURPOSE

The objectives of the present study are to determine the molecular prevalence of Leishmania spp. in the owned domestic cats in the Black Sea Region of Türkiye and analyze the associated risk factors in FeL.

METHODS

Conjunctival swabs (CS), blood, demographic, and clinical data were collected from 150 owned cats brought to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital during 2020-2022. Leishmania kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) from CS was screened by TaqMan Real-Time PCR (qPCR) with the genus-specific primers and a probe.

RESULTS

All qPCR positive products were also amplified and sequenced to identify Leishmania species by ITS1 primers. Molecular prevalence of L. infantum found as 12.6% (19/150) in the observed cats in the Black Sea Region of Türkiye. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between neutered and intact cats with regarding to L. infantum positivity. Intact cats found to be 0.368 times more prone to be L. infantum-positive (L+). Dermatological lesions were found the most common (26.3%) problems in the L + cats. The median leucocyte count was the only parameter that was found statistically (p < 0.05) lower in the L + group (6.60) than the negative group (L-) (8.96), when comparing the WBC, NEU/LYM, MONO/LYM, EOS/LYM and PLT/LYM values.

CONCLUSION

This study presented the molecular occurrence of FeL in the Black Sea Region of Türkiye for the first time indicating that the carrier status of the cats makes them alternative reservoirs for possible zoonotic transmission of L. infantum in this zone.

How Immunonutritional Markers Are Associated with Age, Sex, Body Mass Index and the Most Common Chronic Diseases in the Hospitalized Geriatric Population-A Cross Sectional Study

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship of different chronic diseases with immunonutritional markers in the senior population.

METHODS

this study included 1190 hospitalized geriatric patients. The criteria to participate were ability to communicate, given consent and C-reactive protein (CRP) lower than 6 mg/dL.

RESULTS

the mean age of the study population was 81.7 ± 7.6 years. NLR (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio), LMR (lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio), MWR (monocyte-to-white blood cell ratio), SII (systemic immune-inflammation index), PNI (prognostic nutritional index) and CAR (C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio) were related to age. NLR and MWR were higher, while LMR, PLR (platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and SII were lower in men. All markers were related to BMI. NLR, LMR, LCR (lymphocyte-to-CRP ratio), MWR, PNI and CAR were related to several concomitant chronic diseases. In multivariate analyses, age and BMI were selected as independent predictors of all studied immunonutritional markers. Atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus and dementia appear most often in the models. PNI presented the most consistent statistical association with age, BMI and concomitant chronic diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

this study reveals the pivotal role of aging and BMI in inflammatory marker levels and the association of immunonutritional markers with different chronic diseases. Atrial fibrillation seems to have the most dominant connection to the immunonutritional markers.

Preoperative serum cholinesterase as a prognostic factor in patients with colorectal cancer

Aim

Serum cholinesterase (ChE) levels are considered to reflect nutritional status. Although ChE has been well documented as a prognostic factor for some cancers, no clear consensus on its use for colorectal cancer (CRC) has been reached. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between preoperative serum ChE and postoperative long-term prognosis in CRC patients.

Methods

A total of 1053 CRC patients who underwent curative surgery were included in this study. The correlations between the preoperative ChE value and overall survival (OS) or cancer-specific survival (CSS) were assessed. By dividing patients into two groups according to their ChE value, OS and CSS were compared between the groups.

Results

Multivariate analysis revealed that the continuous ChE value was a significant predictor of OS (hazard ratio, 0.996; 95% CI, 0.993-0.998; p = 0.002) and CSS (hazard ratio, 0.994; 95% CI, 0.991-0.998; p = 0.001), independent of other variables. The low-ChE (≤234 U/L) group had a significantly poorer prognosis than the high-ChE (>234 U/L) group for both OS (5-year OS for low ChE and high ChE: 79.8% and 93.3%, respectively; p < 0.001) and CSS (5-year CSS for low ChE and high ChE: 84.8% and 95.6%, respectively; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Lower preoperative serum ChE levels are a predictive factor of poor prognosis for CRC patients. As serum ChE levels can be measured quickly and evaluated easily, ChE could become a useful marker for predicting the postoperative long-term outcomes of CRC patients.

Preoperative controlling nutritional status as an optimal prognostic nutritional index to predict the outcome for colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

The controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score effectively reflects a patient's nutritional status, which is closely related to cancer prognosis. This study investigated the relationship between the CONUT score and prognosis after radical surgery for colorectal cancer, and compared the predictive ability of the CONUT score with other indexes.

AIM

To analyze the predictive performance of the CONUT score for the survival rate of colorectal cancer patients who underwent potentially curative resection.

METHODS

This retrospective analysis included 217 patients with newly diagnosed colorectal. The CONUT score was calculated based on the serum albumin level, total lymphocyte count, and total cholesterol level. The cutoff value of the CONUT score for predicting prognosis was 4 according to the Youden Index by the receiver operating characteristic curve. The associations between the CONUT score and the prognosis were performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

Using the cutoff value of the CONUT score, patients were stratified into CONUT low (n = 189) and CONUT high groups (n = 28). The CONUT high group had worse overall survival (OS) (P = 0.013) and relapse-free survival (RFS) (P = 0.015). The predictive performance of CONUT was superior to the modified Glasgow prognostic score, the prognostic nutritional index, and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. Meanwhile, the predictive performances of CONUT + tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage for 3-year OS [area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) = 0.803] and 3-year RFS (AUC = 0.752) were no less than skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) + TNM stage. The CONUT score was negatively correlated with SMI (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

As a nutritional indicator, the CONUT score could predict long-term outcomes after radical surgery for colorectal cancer, and its predictive ability was superior to other indexes. The correlation between the CONUT score and skeletal muscle may be one of the factors that play a predictive role.

The relationship between systemic inflammatory response, screen detection and outcome in colorectal cancer

AIM

A raised systemic inflammatory response correlates with poorer colorectal cancer (CRC) outcomes. Faecal immunochemical test bowel screening aims to detect early-stage disease. We assessed the relationship between systemic inflammatory response, screen detection and CRC survival.

METHOD

A retrospective, observational cohort study compared screen-detected and non-screen-detected CRC patients undergoing resection. Systemic inflammatory response was measured using lymphocyte/monocyte, neutrophil/lymphocyte and platelet/lymphocyte ratios (LMR, NLR, PLR). Covariables were compared using χ2 testing and survival with Cox regression.

RESULTS

A total of 761 patients were included (326 screen-detected, 435 non-screen-detected). Screen-detected patients had lower systemic inflammatory response: low (<2.4) LMR (28.8% vs. 44.6%; P < 0.001), moderate (3-5) or high (>5) NLR (26.1% vs. 30.6%, P < 0.001; and 7.7% vs. 19.5%, P < 0.001) and high (>150) PLR (47.2% vs. 64.6%; P < 0.001). Median follow-up was 63 months. On univariate analysis, non-screen detection (hazard ratio [HR] 2.346, 95% CI 1.687-3.261; P < 0.001), advanced TNM (P < 0.001), low LMR (HR 2.038, 95% CI 1.514-2.742; P < 0.001), moderate NLR (HR 1.588, 95% CI 1.128-2.235; P = 0.008), high NLR (HR 2.382, 95% CI 1.626-3.491; P < 0.001) and high PLR (HR 1.827, 95% CI 1.326-2.519; P < 0.001) predicted poorer overall survival (OS). Non-screen detection (HR 2.713, 95% CI 1.742-4.226; P < 0.001), TNM (P < 0.001), low LMR (HR 1.969, 95% CI 1.340-2.893; P < 0.001), high NLR (HR 2.368, 95% CI 1.448-3.875; P < 0.001) and high PLR (HR 2.110, 95% CI 1.374-3.240; P < 0.001) predicted poorer cancer-specific survival (CSS). On multivariate analysis, non-screen detection (HR 1.698, 95% CI 1.152-2.503; P = 0.008) and low LMR (HR 1.610, 95% CI 1.158-2.238; P = 0.005) independently predicted poorer OS. Non-screen detection (HR 1.847, 95% CI 1.144-2.983; P = 0.012) and high PLR (HR 1.578, 95% CI 1.018-2.444; P = 0.041) predicted poorer CSS.

CONCLUSION

Screen-detected CRC patients have a lower systemic inflammatory response. Non-screen detection and systemic inflammatory response (measured by LMR and PLR respectively) were independent predictors of poorer OS and CSS.

The Relationship between Furin and Chronic Inflammation in the Progression of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia to Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVE

The current study aimed to delineate the relationship between furin and chronic inflammation while cervical intraepithelial neoplasia progresses to cancer.

STUDY DESIGN

This cross-sectional study included 81 women who required colposcopic examinations. The study groups were formed based on pathological results: Group I included women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I (n = 30); Group II included women with CIN II-III (n = 28); and Group III included women with cervical cancer (CC) (n = 23). Furin, ki-67, and p16 levels were evaluated based on immunostaining intensity. The inflammatory indices were calculated in parallel with the literature from routine blood samples retrieved within one week before the procedure.

RESULTS

Furin expression gradually increased from CIN I to CIN II-III and from CIN II-III to CC, respectively (p < 0.001, p = 0.005). NLR, MLR, PLR, and SII were significantly higher in the CC group (p < 0.001). ROC curve analysis unveiled that NLR, MLR, PLR, and SII predicted the presence of CC with a cutoff value of 2.39 for NLR (sensitivity: 91.3%, specificity: 63.8%, AUROC: 0.79, p < 0.001); a cutoff value of 0.27 for MLR (sensitivity: 78.3%, specificity: 72.4%, AUROC: 0.77, p = 0.009); a cutoff value of 123 for PLR (sensitivity: 100%, specificity: 41.4%, AUROC: 0.70, p = 0.04); and a cutoff value of 747 for SII (sensitivity: 69.6%, specificity: 90.7%, AUROC: 0.71, p = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

Furin expression increased gradually in parallel with the severity of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. The inflammatory indices were higher in the presence of CC and denoted a good discrimination ability for predicting cervical cancer.

Recovery from FOLFOX chemotherapy-induced systemic and skeletal muscle metabolic dysfunction in mice

FOLFOX (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin) chemotherapy is used to treat colorectal cancer and can acutely induce metabolic dysfunction. However, the lasting effects on systemic and skeletal muscle metabolism after treatment cessation are poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated the acute and lasting effects of FOLFOX chemotherapy on systemic and skeletal muscle metabolism in mice. Direct effects of FOLFOX in cultured myotubes were also investigated. Male C57BL/6J mice completed four cycles (acute) of FOLFOX or PBS. Subsets were allowed to recover for 4 wk or 10 wk. Comprehensive Laboratory Animal Monitoring System (CLAMS) metabolic measurements were performed for 5 days before study endpoint. C2C12 myotubes were treated with FOLFOX for 24 hr. Acute FOLFOX attenuated body mass and body fat accretion independent of food intake or cage activity. Acute FOLFOX decreased blood glucose, oxygen consumption (V̇o2), carbon dioxide production (V̇co2), energy expenditure, and carbohydrate (CHO) oxidation. Deficits in V̇o2 and energy expenditure remained at 10 wk. CHO oxidation remained disrupted at 4 wk but returned to control levels after 10 wk. Acute FOLFOX reduced muscle COXIV enzyme activity, AMPK(T172), ULK1(S555), and LC3BII protein expression. Muscle LC3BII/I ratio was associated with altered CHO oxidation (r = 0.75, P = 0.03). In vitro, FOLFOX suppressed myotube AMPK(T172), ULK1(S555), and autophagy flux. Recovery for 4 wk normalized skeletal muscle AMPK and ULK1 phosphorylation. Our results provide evidence that FOLFOX disrupts systemic metabolism, which is not readily recoverable after treatment cessation. FOLFOX effects on skeletal muscle metabolic signaling did recover. Further investigations are warranted to prevent and treat FOLFOX-induced metabolic toxicities that negatively impact survival and life quality of patients with cancer.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The present study demonstrates that FOLFOX chemotherapy induces long-lasting deficits in systemic metabolism. Interestingly, FOLFOX modestly suppressed skeletal muscle AMPK and autophagy signaling in vivo and in vitro. The FOLFOX-induced suppression of muscle metabolic signaling recovered after treatment cessation, independent of systemic metabolic dysfunction. Future research should investigate if activating AMPK during treatment can prevent long-term toxicities to improve health and quality of life of patients with cancer and survivors.

Prognostic Value of Post-Operative C-Reactive Protein-Based Inflammatory Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer Patients: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Post-operative inflammation in cancer patients can be modulated by drugs and diets, but evidence on its prognostic role, which would be crucial for personalized treatment and surveillance schemes, remains rather limited. We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyse studies on the prognostic value of post-operative C-reactive protein (CRP)-based inflammatory biomarkers among patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) (PROSPERO#: CRD42022293832). PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane databases were searched until February 2023. Studies reporting associations between post-operative CRP, Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) or modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) with overall survival (OS), CRC-specific survival (CSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were included. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the predictor-outcome associations were pooled using R-software, version 4.2. Sixteen studies (n = 6079) were included in the meta-analyses. Elevated post-operative CRP was a predictor of poor OS, CSS and RFS compared with low CRP levels [HR (95% CI): 1.72 (1.32-2.25); 1.63 (1.30-2.05); 2.23 (1.44-3.47), respectively]. A unit increase in post-operative GPS predicted poor OS [HR (95% Cl): 1.31 (1.14-1.51)]. Moreover, a unit increase in post-operative mGPS was associated with poor OS and CSS [HR (95% Cl): 1.93 (1.37-2.72); 3.16 (1.48-6.76), respectively]. Post-operative CRP-based inflammatory biomarkers have a significant prognostic role for patients with CRC. Prognostic value of these easy-to-obtain routine measurements thereby seems to outperform most of the much more complex blood- or tissue-based predictors in the current focus of multi-omics-based research. Future studies should validate our findings, establish optimal time for biomarker assessment and determine clinically useful cut-off values of these biomarkers for post-operative risk-stratification and treatment-response monitoring.

Markers of inflammation in invasive treatment of coloractal cancer liver metastases

Background. In 25–30% of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) who have no visible signs of metastasis at the time of surgery, metastases are detected within 5 years. Among the options for local treatment of metastatic liver lesions in patients with CRC, various resection options and minimally invasive methods, in particular radiofrequency ablation (RFA), occupy a prominent place. The inflammatory response caused by surgery is a factor that can negatively affect the course of tumor disease. The inflammatory responses of the body, as well as markers for their evaluation and prognosis in the treatment of CRC metastases, have not yet been sufficiently studied. Purpose – to study the dynamics of inflammatory markers in the invasive treatment of colorectal cancer liver metastases to select the most informative markers for assessing and predicting the degree of inflammatory response. Materials and methods. Clinical and laboratory examination was carried out in 18 patients with CRC during the treatment of metastases in the liver, adenocarcinoma was determined in all patients during histological examination. The examination was carried out in three stages: the day before RFA or resection, on days 3 and 14 after the intervention. Serum levels of insulin and IL-6 were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and levels of C-reactive protein and ferritin were determined using an automatic biochemical analyser. Results and discussion. Markers of inflammation in patients with CRC with liver metastases after invasive intervention were identified. A significant increase in the levels of circulating C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6 and ferritin was detected along with an increase in the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) on day 3 after RFA and resection. The increase in IL-6 was 2-fold higher and the HOMA-IR index was 1.5-fold higher after resection compared with RFA. Patients after RFA showed an approach of indicators to baseline values on day 14 of the study, while CRP, ferritin, IL-6 and insulin levels in patients after resection decreased by only 20–30% at the same time same period. This is consistent with other studies. In particular, elevated CRP levels are considered as a risk factor for the appearance and progression of CRC.There is also evidence that in patients with operable CRC, preoperative IL-6 levels affect the risk of recurrence. Strong evidence suggests that ferritin is a key mediator of immune dysregulation through direct immunosuppressive and pro-inflammatory effects. The accumulated data from the literature and our own results suggest the role of CRP, IL-6 and ferritin in postoperative inflammatory states as mediators and biomarkers of the further course of CRС, since their appearance identifies patients with a high risk of mortality, and timely or preventive correction of the inflammatory response improves their survival. Conclusions. The results of the study show that the most informative markers of the level of inflammatory response after RFA or surgical resection are the levels of C-reactive protein, IL-6 and ferritin. Moderate inflammatory reaction is shown in the early stages after RFA and pronounced and longer-lasting reaction after surgical treatment. Prediction, assessment of the degree of inflammatory reaction and the feasibility of anti-inflammatory therapy in the early stages after intervention can be determined by the complex of immunological, haematological and biochemical markers studied by us.

External validation of a simplified prognostic model for survival in patients with extrinsic malignant ureteral obstruction treated with tandem ureteral stents - a retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Prognostic models of survival can identify patients with extrinsic malignant ureteral obstruction who will benefit from long-term drainage as offered by tandem ureteral stents. The study aims to validate a simplified prognostic model published by Cordeiro et al. and to identify additional prognostic predictors in a cohort of patients drained solely with tandem ureteral stents.

METHODS

Medical records of consecutive patients who underwent drainage of malignant ureteral obstruction with tandem ureteral stents between 2007 and 2020 were reviewed retrospectively; patients with benign ureteral obstruction were excluded. Risk factors for survival included were: [1] the number of malignancy-related events (categorized as ≥4 and <4) and [2] the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Index (categorized as ≥2 and <2)]. Patients with ≥1 risk factor were grouped as intermediate-unfavorable risk and those without risk factors as favorable risk. The Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests were used for survival analysis. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to identify predictors of outcome.

RESULTS

The study cohort consisted of 65 patients; the median age was 60 years (IQR 51-72). The median follow-up time from diagnosis of hydronephrosis was 51 months (IQR 38-64). Estimated probabilities of survival at 1 month, 6 months 1 year, and 2 years were 100%, 87%, 75% and 57%, respectively in the favorable risk group (n = 40), and in the intermediate-unfavorable risk group (n = 25), 96%, 72%, 52%, and 20%, respectively, (p = .003). On multivariable analysis, the presence of ≥4 malignancy-related events (HR = 2.04, 95% CI [1.07-3.86], p = .03) and lung metastasis (HR = 2.37, 95% CI [1.0-5.6], p = .05) were associated with shorter survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings validate the prognostic model published by Cordeiro et al. The model can be applied when counseling patients being considered for drainage with tandem ureteral stents.

The impact of inflammatory markers on prognosis of stage II colon cancers depends on tumour sidedness

BACKGROUNDS

Accumulating evidence has reported a high correlation between inflammatory markers and oncological outcomes in colorectal cancer. In the present study, we aimed to assess the prognostic values of five inflammatory markers in stage II colon cancer patients with different tumour locations.

METHODS

The consecutive stage II colon adenocarcinoma patients undergoing curative resection were analysed retrospectively. ROC curves and the area under the curve (AUCs) via bootstrap method were used to analyse the prognostic impact of various inflammatory markers, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and prognostic nutrition index (PNI).

RESULTS

A total of 768 patients were enrolled for analysis. In univariate analysis, right-sided colon cancer (RCC) patients have significantly higher mean levels of all inflammatory markers than left-sided colon cancer (LCC) patients. In multivariate analyses, high NLR in LCC (P = 0.025) and low PNI in both RCC (P = 0.049) and LCC (P = 0.027) were significantly associated with a worse OS while none of the inflammatory markers was found to have a significant impact on DFS or CSS.

CONCLUSIONS

The profiles and prognostic impact of inflammatory markers are significantly different between stage II RCC and LCC patients. Researchers should take sidedness into consideration when addressing survival analysis of inflammatory markers.

Quantitative Metabolomics to Explore the Role of Plasma Polyamines in Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the major public health and socio-economic problems, which management demands the development of non-invasive screening tests. Assessment of circulating polyamines could be a valuable tool, although analytical problems still preclude its clinical practice. We exploited ultra-high-resolution liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, as a highly sensitive and innovative method, to profile eleven polyamines, including spermine and spermidine with their acetylated forms. These data together with an evaluation of the inflammatory indexes might represent suitable biomarkers for the identification of CRC patients. The statistical models revealed good discrimination in distinguishing CRC patients from healthy subjects. The plasma assessment of ornithine and acetylspermine, as well as lymphocyte/platelet ratio, revealed helpful information on the progression of CRC. The combined profiles of circulating polyamines and inflammatory indexes, together with the application of an innovative technology, could represent a valuable tool for discriminating patients from different clinical groups.

Klatskin Tumor: A Survival Analysis According to Tumor Characteristics and Inflammatory Ratios

Background and Objectives: The aim was to evaluate the association of inflammatory biomarkers with resectability and overall survival in hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study over 72 consecutive surgical cases of Klatskin tumor over an 11-year period. The sample was divided into two groups: 42 surgical resection cases and 30 unresectable tumors. Values of inflammatory ratios were compared according to the resectability. Log-rank test, univariate, and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the overall survival. Results: Subjects were between 42−87 years old (average age of 64.91 ± 9.15 years). According to the procedure: 58.33% benefited from resection (with a 30.95% R0 resection rate) and 41.66% had palliative surgery. Elevated NLR (neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio), PLR (platelet to lymphocyte ratio), and SII (systemic immune-inflammation index), and lower LMR (lymphocyte to monocyte ratio) at admission were associated with unresectable tumors (p < 0.01). For the multivariate Cox proportional hazard models, increased absolute values of NLR, PLR, and SII were associated with lower survival; no differences were observed for LMR absolute value. The cut-off value of NLR ≥ 6 was associated with lower survival. The median survival time for all subjects was 442 days, with 774 days for the resection group and 147 days for the group with palliative surgery. Conclusions: In hilar cholangiocarcinoma, inflammatory ratios are associated with tumor resectability. Tumor excision conferred an important advantage in survival. Elevated NLR, PLR, and SII values at admission significantly increased the hazard ratio. LMR had no influence on survival.

Clinlabomics: leveraging clinical laboratory data by data mining strategies

The recent global focus on big data in medicine has been associated with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in diagnosis and decision-making following recent advances in computer technology. Up to now, AI has been applied to various aspects of medicine, including disease diagnosis, surveillance, treatment, predicting future risk, targeted interventions and understanding of the disease. There have been plenty of successful examples in medicine of using big data, such as radiology and pathology, ophthalmology cardiology and surgery. Combining medicine and AI has become a powerful tool to change health care, and even to change the nature of disease screening in clinical diagnosis. As all we know, clinical laboratories produce large amounts of testing data every day and the clinical laboratory data combined with AI may establish a new diagnosis and treatment has attracted wide attention. At present, a new concept of radiomics has been created for imaging data combined with AI, but a new definition of clinical laboratory data combined with AI has lacked so that many studies in this field cannot be accurately classified. Therefore, we propose a new concept of clinical laboratory omics (Clinlabomics) by combining clinical laboratory medicine and AI. Clinlabomics can use high-throughput methods to extract large amounts of feature data from blood, body fluids, secretions, excreta, and cast clinical laboratory test data. Then using the data statistics, machine learning, and other methods to read more undiscovered information. In this review, we have summarized the application of clinical laboratory data combined with AI in medical fields. Undeniable, the application of Clinlabomics is a method that can assist many fields of medicine but still requires further validation in a multi-center environment and laboratory.

Inflamasyon ilişkili indeksler, palyatif bakım hastalarında kötü prognozu tanımlayabilir mi?

Aim: Palliative medicine provides holistic care to increase the quality of life of patients. Predicting prognosis is critical for a personalized treatment plan. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the survival prediction properties of routine biochemistry tests, complete blood count (CBC) and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios, in addition to biomarker-based indices (the mGPS, PI, and PNI). Materials and methods: The laboratory parameter values, prognostic factor scores, diagnoses and survival time of 139 palliative care patients in the last 5 weeks of their life were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Ninety-one (65.5%) patients were male and the average age was 65.9 years (28–91 years). Results of all three prognostic indices (the mGPS, PI, and PNI) investigated in this study were found to have a statistically significant relationship with the survival time of our patients. In addition, NLR, neutrophil percent, hemoglobin, serum albumin and CRP values were seen to have a statistically significant relationship with the scores of all three prognostic indices. Moreover, hand it is detected that WBC, NLR, albumin, and CRP values were associated with overall survival. Conclusion: The results of our study, which showed that these indices have prognostic markers in palliative care patients, will guide the management of the clinical process. We would like to emphasize the importance of palliative care clinicians in developing personalized treatment plans for patients using prognostic tools for survival prediction.

Identification of a Novel Tumor Inflammation Signature for Risk Stratification, Prognosis Prediction, and Immune Status in Colorectal Cancer

Background

Inflammation and immune cell dysfunction have been widely known as an essential role in the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Yet, the role of tumor inflammation signature (TIS) associated with CRC prognosis, immune infiltration, and drug resistance remained unknown.

Method

The transcriptome sequencing data, as well as clinical data of CRC from the public dataset, were acquired for further investigation. Inflammation-related gene expression patterns were obtained and analyzed. Bioinformatics methods were used to build a prognostic TIS, and its prediction accuracy was verified by using ROC curve analyses. The independent prognostic factors in CRC were identified through multivariable Cox regression analysis. In addition, the specific features of the immunological landscape between low- and high-risk CRC cohorts were analyzed.

Results

We firstly screened the differentially expressed inflammation-related genes in CRC and constructed a prognostic TIS. We further classified CRC patients into high or low TIS score groups based on the optimal cutoff of prognostic TIS, and patients with high-risk scores had shorter overall survival (OS) than those in the low-risk cohort. The diagnostic accuracy of TIS was evaluated and confirmed with ROC analysis. The result of the univariate and multivariate analysis found that TIS was directly and independently linked to OS of CRC. Otherwise, an optimal nomogram model based on TIS exhibited a better prognostic accuracy in OS. Finally, the immunological status and immune cell infiltration were observed different in the two-risk cohorts.

Conclusion

In summary, the risk model of the TIS in CRC was found to be useful for predicting patient prognosis and guiding individual treatment. This risk signature could also serve as potential biomarkers and immunotherapeutic targets and indicate immunotherapy response for patients with CRC.

Blood-Cell-Based Inflammatory Markers as a Useful Tool for Early Diagnosis in Colorectal Cancer

Background

Systemic inflammation seems to be involved in the pathogenetic pathways of colorectal cancer (CRC). Analytical markers that reflect the inflammatory status, such as neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) or systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), have been proposed as tools for the prognosis of CRC. Nevertheless, their use for diagnosis has been scarcely investigated.

Aims

To analyze the ability of these markers and of a new marker combining SII and hemoglobin concentration, named NP/LHb = [neutrophils x platelets]/[lymphocytes x hemoglobin], as tools for CRC diagnosis. Furthermore, we studied their association with CRC-related variables.

Methods

Case-control study including 214 CRC patients and 214 controls without CRC, matched by age (±5 years) and sex. We collected demographic, CRC-related and laboratory variables to calculate NLR, PLR, SII, and NP/LHb. In the case group, the laboratory variables were collected at two different period times, 6 months (IQR 4–8) before the CRC diagnosis and at the time of the diagnosis. ROC analysis was performed to evaluate the discriminatory accuracy of each index and we calculated Se, Sp, PPV, NPV, and OR to identify the diagnostic performance of each positive marker.

Results

NP/LHb showed high Sp (92.06%) and PPV (87.50%) to diagnose patients with CRC. This index exhibited an OR of 14.52 (8.26–25.52) and the best area under the curve (AUC: 0.78) for a positive CRC diagnosis. We found significant differences in all indices according to the presence of CRC, observing the highest values in CRC patients at time of diagnosis, in comparison with the analysis performed in the previous months to diagnosis or with control patients. There were significant differences in all ratios according to TNM stages (p < 0.05). PLR, SII and NP/LHb (but not NLR) showed significant differences according to tumor location (p < 0.05). Right-sided colon cancers presented the highest values, in comparison with left-sided and rectal cancers.

Conclusions

Systemic inflammatory cell ratios (especially NP/LHb) change over time with the development of CRC, so they could be useful in its early diagnosis. We suggest that they could be routinely measured in patients with suspicion of CRC, to identify those ones with a higher risk of cancer, considering the high positive predictive value they have shown in our study.

Association of Clinical Features of Colorectal Cancer with Circulating Tumor Cells and Systemic Inflammatory Markers

Background. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in peripheral blood have been shown to reflect the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer, and epithelial and mesenchymal markers further predict the likelihood of cancer dissemination. This study was conducted to identify possible association of clinical features of colorectal cancer with CTC counts, their subtypes, and systemic inflammatory markers. Methods. Blood samples of 316 colorectal cancer patients were used for CTC detection and subtyping with EpCAM, CK8/18/19, vimentin, and twist as biomarkers. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein/albumin ratio, lymphocyte/monocyte ratio, and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) were also measured. The relationship between clinical data and these markers or parameters was analyzed. Results. Total CTC counts were correlated with whether there was lymph node involvement but was not correlated with TNM staging. There was a difference in mesenchymal CTCs between patients with and without lymph node involvement ( $P<0.05$ ). Also, more patients with metastasis tested positive for mesenchymal CTCs ( $P<0.05$ ). Of the systemic inflammatory markers, platelet/lymphocyte ratio was positively correlated with CTC counts ( $P<0.01$ ), and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio was negatively correlated with CTC counts ( $P<0.05$ ). Conclusions. Colorectal cancer patients with the mesenchymal markers on their CTCs are more likely to have lymph node involvement or distant metastasis than those without these markers.

Machine Learning-Assisted Ensemble Analysis for the Prediction of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer

The clinical benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) before concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) vs. adjuvant chemotherapy after CCRT is debated. Non-response to platinum-based NACT is a major contributor to poor prognosis, but there is currently no reliable method for predicting the response to NACT (rNACT) in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). In this study we developed a machine learning (ML)-assisted model to accurately predict rNACT. We retrospectively analyzed data on 636 patients diagnosed with stage IB2 to IIA2 cervical cancer at our hospital between January 1, 2010 and December 1, 2020. Five ML-assisted models were developed from candidate clinical features using 2-step estimation methods. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), clinical impact curve, and decision curve analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness and clinical applicability of each model. A total of 30 candidate variables were ultimately included in the rNACT prediction model. The areas under the ROC curve of models constructed using the random forest classifier (RFC), support vector machine, eXtreme gradient boosting, artificial neural network, and decision tree ranged from 0.682 to 0.847. The RFC model had the highest predictive accuracy, which was achieved by incorporating inflammatory factors such as platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil-to-albumin ratio, and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio. These results demonstrate that the ML-based prediction model developed using the RFC can be used to identify LACC patients who are likely to respond to rNACT, which can guide treatment selection and improve clinical outcomes.

Prognostic values of inflammatory indexes in bevacizumab-treated patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Purpose:

Inflammatory indexes, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), have been confirmed as prognostic factors in multiple manigances. However, the prognostic value of these parameters in bevacizumab-treated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still not clear.

Methods:

We retrospectively studied 119 patients with advanced NSCLC who received bevacizumab treatment. The associations of pretreatment NLR, PLR, SII and LMR with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed.

Results & Conclusion:

The median PFS and OS of patients with high baseline NLR, PLR and SII and low LMR were significantly decreased than those of patients with low baseline NLR, PLR and SII and high LMR. Multivariable analysis indicated that high baseline SII was independently related with inferior prognosis, and baseline LMR was an independent predictor for OS.

In this study we retrospectively studied 119 patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer receiving bevacizumab treatment. We found that the prognosis of the patients with high baseline neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and low lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) were significantly poorer than those in patients with low baseline NLR, PLR and SII and high LMR. Multivariable analysis indicated that high baseline SII was independently related with inferior progression-free survival and overall survival, and that baseline LMR was an independent predictor for overall survival. This study suggests that we can predict the efficacy of bevacizumab by analyzing several blood cell count indexes.

Surgical site infection after laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer is associated with compromised long-term oncological outcome

Background

We evaluated the influence of infectious complications, particularly surgical site infection (SSI), on long-term oncological results after elective laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer.

Methods

A total of 199 patients who underwent laparoscopic elective resection with negative resection margins for stage I–III colorectal cancer were retrospectively examined. The postoperative course was recorded based on hospital records, and cancer relapse was diagnosed based on radiological or pathological findings under a standardized follow-up program. The severity of complications was graded using Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification.

Results

SSI was found in 25 patients (12.6%), with 12 (6.0%) showing anastomotic leak. The postoperative relapse-free survival (RFS) rate was significantly lower in patients with SSI (49.2%) than in patients without SSI (87.2%, P<0.001). Differences in RFS were found after both colectomy and rectal resection (P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). RFS did not differ between patients who had major SSI CD (grade III) and those who had minor SSI CD (grades I or II). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified the occurrence of SSI and pathological stage as independent co-factors for RFS (P<0.001 and P=0.003).

Conclusion

These results suggest that postoperative SSI compromises long-term oncological results after laparoscopic colorectal resection. Further improvements in surgical technique and refinements in perioperative care may improve long-term oncological results.

The prognostic impact of preoperative mean corpuscular volume in colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVE

The relationship between preoperative mean corpuscular volume and postoperative prognosis has been reported in some cancers recently, but no certain consensus has been reached, especially for colorectal cancer. We evaluated the usefulness of mean corpuscular volume as a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer patients.

METHODS

This study included 1003 patients with colorectal cancer who underwent curative surgery in a single institution. The relationship between mean corpuscular volume values and postoperative recurrence was evaluated by fractional polynomial model. Based on the result, patients were divided into groups according to mean corpuscular volume values. Clinicopathological factors and long-term outcomes were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

The risk of postoperative recurrence according to mean corpuscular volume value showed a J-shaped curve, suggesting that both low and high mean corpuscular volume have high risk. Low mean corpuscular volume (≤84 fl) group was oncologically advanced in terms of pathological tumor stage, histological grade and lymphatic invasion with higher inflammation markers. High mean corpuscular volume (>95 fl) group had higher frequency of drinking habit with higher values of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. Abnormal mean corpuscular volume group including these two groups showed significantly worse disease-free survival than the other (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis suggested that abnormal mean corpuscular volume was an independent risk factor for postoperative recurrence (hazard ratio, 1.344; 95% confidence interval, 1.005-1.796; P = 0.046). Furthermore, its prognostic impact was more significant in pStage III than in other stages.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative low and high mean corpuscular volume is a poor prognostic factor in colorectal cancer patients. It could be a predictive marker to estimate worse survival outcome after surgery.

Research Progress on the Relationship Between Inflammation and Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is one of the common malignant tumors. Relevant epidemiology and a large number of experimental studies have proved that chronic inflammation is highly correlated with the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer. And inflammatory bowel disease has been proven to be an independent risk factor for colorectal cancer. Various inflammatory cells participate in the establishment of the chronic inflammatory intestinal microenvironment required for the onset of colorectal cancer. The abnormal signal pathways mediated by various inflammatory factors and inflammatory mediators promote the occurrence of tumors, which are related to colorectal cancer and pathogenesis-related inflammation mechanisms. At the gene level, miRNAs can also affect the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer by regulating mesenchymal epithelial transformation. This article reviews the relationship between inflammation and colorectal cancer as well as the related inflammatory mechanisms.

Evaluation of clinical prognostic variables on short-term outcome for colorectal cancer surgery: An overview and minimum dataset

INTRODUCTION

Surgery for colorectal cancer is associated with post-operative morbidity and mortality. Multiple systematic reviews have reported on individual factors affecting short-term outcome following surgical resection. This umbrella review aims to synthesize the available evidence on host and other factors associated with short-term post-operative complications.

METHODS

A comprehensive search identified systematic reviews reporting on short-term outcomes following colorectal cancer surgery using PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Web of Science from inception to 8th September 2020. All reported clinicopathological variables were extracted from published systematic reviews.

RESULTS

The present overview identified multiple validated factors affecting short-term outcomes in patients undergoing colorectal cancer resection. In particular, factors consistently associated with post-operative outcome differed with the type of complication; infective, non-infective or mortality. A minimum dataset was identified for future studies and included pre-operative age, sex, diabetes status, body mass index, body composition (sarcopenia, visceral obesity) and functional status (ASA, frailty). A recommended dataset included antibiotic prophylaxis, iron therapy, blood transfusion, erythropoietin, steroid use, enhance recovery programme and finally potential dataset included measures of the systemic inflammatory response CONCLUSION: A minimum dataset of mandatory, recommended, and potential baseline variables to be included in studies of patients undergoing colorectal cancer resection is proposed. This will maximise the benefit of such study datasets.

Preoperative C-reactive protein to prealbumin ratio is independently associated with prognosis in patients with resectable colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Increasing attention has been drawn the prognostic value of inflammatory indices for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the prognostic value of the preoperative C-reactive protein to prealbumin ratio (CPAR) in CRC remains unclear.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted with 794 patients who had CRC and underwent radical surgical resection. The predictive performance of the inflammatory indices was analyzed and compared using the area under the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve. A competing risk regression model and Cox proportional hazard model were used to analyze the effects of CPAR on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), respectively.

RESULTS

Patients with high CPAR (>7.25) had poor survival outcome. The CPAR had the best predictive performance among all inflammatory indices, and was significantly associated with several characteristics of tumor invasion, including histological grade, tumor stage, and tumor size. Multivariate analysis showed that high CPAR was independently associated with poor DFS (subdistribution hazard ratio = 2.28, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.74-2.82) and OS (hazard ratio = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.60-1.96).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative CPAR assessment could serve as an effective and reliable tool for prognostic prediction in patients with resectable CRC.

The Clinical Impact of Combining Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio with Sarcopenia for Improved Discrimination of Progression-Free Survival in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of combined sarcopenia and inflammation classification (CSIC) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). The skeletal muscle index (SMI) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were measured in 1270 patients who underwent surgery between January 2005 and April 2014. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the correlation of sarcopenia, NLR, and CSIC, with progression-free survival (PFS). The integrated area under the curve (iAUC) was used to compare the discriminatory performance of each model. Using the cut-off values for SMI suggested by Martin et al. and for an NLR of 2.26, the CSIC was defined as follows: nonsarcopenia with low NLR (group 1), nonsarcopenia with high NLR (group 2), sarcopenia with low NLR (group 3), and sarcopenia with high NLR (group 4). Sarcopenia alone was not statistically significant. Multivariate analysis identified that CSIC (group 4 vs. group 1; hazard ratio (HR), 1.726; 95% CI, 1.130–2.634; p = 0.011) and NLR (HR, 1.600; 95% CI, 1.203–2.128; p = 0.001) were independently associated with PFS. The CSIC improved the prediction accuracy of PFS compared with NLR (iAUC mean difference = 0.011; 95% CI, 0.0018–0.028). In conclusion, the combination of sarcopenia and NLR could improve prognostic accuracy, and thus compensate for the limitation of sarcopenia.

Blood cholesterol-to-lymphocyte ratio as a novel prognostic marker to predict postoperative overall survival in patients with colorectal cancer

Background

Lipid disequilibrium and systemic inflammation are reported to correlate with tumorigenesis and development of colorectal cancer (CRC). We construct the novel biomarker cholesterol-to-lymphocyte ratio (CLR) to reflect the synergistic effect of cholesterol metabolism and inflammation on CRC outcomes. This study aims to investigate the clinical significance of CLR and establish a prognostic model for CRC.

Methods

Our study retrospectively enrolled 223 CRC patients who underwent curative surgical resection. The Kaplan-Meier method was employed to estimate the overall survival (OS) rates, and the association between serological biomarkers and survival was assessed with a log-rank test. Cox proportional hazard regression was applied in the univariate and multivariate analyses to identify independent prognostic factors, which were then used to develop a predictive nomogram model for OS in CRC. The nomogram was evaluated by the C-index, receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, and calibration plot. All cases were grouped into three stratifications according to the total risk points calculated from the nomogram, and the difference in OS between them was assessed with the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

At the end of the study, death occurred in 47 (21%) cases. Patients with low CLR (< 3.23) had significantly prolonged survival (P < 0.001). Multivariate analyses revealed that N stage (P < 0.001), harvested lymph nodes (P = 0.021), and CLR (P = 0.005) were independent prognostic factors for OS and a prognostic nomogram was established based on these variables. The nomogram showed good calibration and predictive performance with a superior C-index than TNM stage (0.755 (0.719–0.791) vs. 0.663 (0.629–0.697), P = 0.001). Patients of different risk stratifications based on the total score of nomogram showed distinct survival (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The nomogram based on CLR and other clinical features can be used as a potentially convenient and reliable tool in predicting survival in patients with CRC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-021-02471-4.

Prognostic value of preoperative high-sensitivity modified Glasgow prognostic score in advanced colon cancer: a retrospective observational study

Background

Several studies have demonstrated that the preoperative Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) and modified GPS (mGPS) reflected the prognosis in patients undergoing curative surgery for colorectal cancer. However, there are no reports on long-term prognosis prediction using high-sensitivity mGPS (HS-GPS) in colorectal cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to calculate the prognostic value of preoperative HS-GPS in patients with colon cancer.

Methods

A cohort of 595 patients with advanced resectable colon cancer managed at our institution was analysed retrospectively. HS-GPS, GPS, and mGPS were evaluated for their ability to predict prognosis based on overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS).

Results

In the univariate analysis, HS-GPS was able to predict the prognosis with significant differences in OS but was not superior in assessing RFS. In the multivariate analysis of the HS-GPS model, age, pT, pN, and HS-GPS of 2 compared to HS-GPS of 0 (2 vs 0; hazard ratio [HR], 2.638; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.046–6.650; P = 0.04) were identified as independent prognostic predictors of OS. In the multivariate analysis of the GPS model, GPS 2 vs 0 (HR, 1.444; 95% CI, 1.018–2.048; P = 0.04) and GPS 2 vs 1 (HR, 2.933; 95% CI, 1.209–7.144; P = 0.017), and in that of the mGPS model, mGPS 2 vs 0 (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.066–2.140; P = 0.02) were independent prognostic predictors of OS. In each classification, GPS outperformed HS-GPS in predicting OS with a significant difference in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. In the multivariate analysis of the GPS model, GPS 2 vs 0 (HR, 1.537; 95% CI, 1.190–1.987; P = 0.002), and in that of the mGPS model, pN, CEA were independent prognostic predictors of RFS.

Conclusion

HS-GPS is useful for predicting the prognosis of resectable advanced colon cancer. However, GPS may be more useful than HS-GPS as a prognostic model for advanced colon cancer.

Association between lead and cadmium co-exposure and systemic immune inflammation in residents living near a mining and smelting area in NW China

Exposure to both cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) can promote systemic inflammation. However, the effects of combined exposure to environmental levels of Cd and Pb on systemic immune inflammation have not been fully clarified. A total of 486 subjects (313 women and 173 men) living in either a control area or heavy metal-polluted area were included. Blood Cd and Pb and immune inflammation biomarkers were determined, including the eosinophil-lymphocyte ratio (ELR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII); moreover, the associations between exposure markers and systemic inflammation markers were analysed. The exposure levels in the polluted area were significantly higher than those in the control area. The NLR, PLR, and SII of subjects in the polluted area were higher and the LMR was lower than in the control area. Blood Pb and Cd levels are associated with elevated or decreased immune inflammation biomarkers in subjects from the exposed and control areas. Furthermore, co-exposure to both Cd and Pb was divided into high, middle, and low exposure groups. The subjects in the high co-exposure group displayed higher levels of ELR, NLR, and SII compared with the middle and low co-exposure group, and LMR levels displayed the opposite trend. Our data demonstrate that Cd and Pb co-exposure is associated with systemic immune inflammation, and the immune inflammatory response is aggravated with an increased co-exposure to Cd and Pb.

Significance of preoperative blood tests in the prognosis of colorectal cancer: A prospective, multicenter study from Hungary

BACKGROUND

The focus of this study was to analyze the prognostic value of different combinations of inflammatory and coagulation factors using preoperative blood and to appraise the clinical importance of these biomarkers in colorectal cancer patients.

METHODS

A prospective, multicenter study included patients undergoing radical colorectal surgery in three county hospitals. Inflammatory and coagulation markers were analyzed preoperatively.

RESULTS

Two hundred and one patients were included. We examined patients based on their tumor localization. Colon cancer group involved patients with the tumor localized in the colon (n = 105, 52.24%) and rectal cancer group the patients with the tumor in the rectum (n = 96, 47.76%). Examining coagulation factors, univariate Cox analysis of colon cancer patients showed that activated partial thromboplastin time (p = 0.020) was significantly associated with overall survival, but we could not prove it in multivariate analysis. In colon cancer patients, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR, p < 0.001) was positively correlated with tumor size and had significant association (χ2  = 5.48, p = 0.019, df = 1) with perineural invasion. Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis of colon cancer patients showed that NLR (p = 0.011 and p = 0.048) was significantly associated with disease-free survival (DFS).

CONCLUSION

NLR was proved to be an independent prognostic factor for DFS in patients with non-metastatic colon cancer. NLR might help to recognize the high-risk patients between patients with the same tumor-node-metastasis stage and could help with the decision on adjuvant chemotherapy. Since the biomarkers in preoperative blood tests are habitually evaluated, NLR could be an inexpensive prognostic marker that can be easily assessed in clinical practice.

Prognostic Value of Inflammation-based Prognostic Scores in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Background Anatomopathological staging is the primary method to determine the prognosis of patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC). However, new tools have been developed that can complement it, such as the analysis of the elevation of systemic inflammatory markers.

Objective To evaluate the impact of the elevation of scores based on inflammatory markers (the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR], the Glasgow Prognostic Score [GPS], and isolated C-reactive protein [CRP]) in the prognosis of patients diagnosed with CRC and submitted to potentially curative surgery in Hospital de Braga, Portugal, between January 1st, 2005, and December 31st, 2010.

Methods A retrospective analysis of the data of 426 patients was performed, with a collection of several clinico-pathological variables, as well as the levels of lymphocytes, neutrophils, albumin and CRP, in the pre- and postoperative periods, to apply the different scores to the sample.

Results From the analysis of the survival curves, we concluded that patients with increased NLR in the pre- and postoperative periods present a lower cancer-related survival than patients with normal NLR (preoperative period: 93.7 versus 122 months; p < 0.001; postoperative period: 112 versus 131 months; p = 0.002). Patients with increased NLR in the pre- and postoperative periods also had a lower disease-free survival (preoperative period: 88.0 versus 122 months; p < 0.001; postoperative period: 111 versus 132 months; p = 0.002). In addition, increased pre- and postoperative NLR was associated with a higher risk of death due to CRC (preoperatively: hazard ratio [HR] = 2.25; p < 0.001; postoperatively: HR = 2.18; p = 0.003). However, the multivariate analysis shows that only postoperative NLR (ajusted HR = 2.66; p = 0.002) does so independently of the remaining variables.

Conclusion Regarding the scores applied to the sample, the NLR was the one that most consistently related to the prognosis of the patients. However, it would be useful to develop a prospective study that could confirm this relationship.

Lymphocyte-to-C-Reactive Protein Ratio Is the Most Sensitive Inflammation-Based Prognostic Score in Patients With Unresectable Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Systemic inflammation contributes to the progression of malignancies. The preoperative lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio has recently been shown to predict survival of patients with colorectal cancer who undergo surgery, but its prognostic value remains unclear in patients with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the prognostic values of inflammation-based prognostic scores in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, focusing on the lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio.

DESIGN

This is a retrospective study from a prospectively collected database.

SETTINGS

This study was conducted at a high-volume multidisciplinary tertiary cancer center in Japan.

PATIENTS

The subjects were 756 consecutive patients with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer who received systemic chemotherapy from 2000 to 2015. The prognostic value of the lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio was evaluated by univariable and multivariable analyses. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristics curve analysis was conducted to compare the prognostic impact of the lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio with the impact of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, or the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcomes measured were the correlations of prognostic scores with overall survival.

RESULTS

Median survival times of patients with high, intermediate, and low lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratios were 29.4, 19.3, and 13.1 months (p < 0.001). In all subgroups according to key prognostic factors (performance status, use of targeted agents, pretreatment CEA levels, tumor sidedness, M category, and primary tumor resection), patient prognosis could be clearly stratified into 3 groups by the lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio. Multivariable analysis revealed that decreased lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio was independently associated with reduced survival (low vs high: HR 1.96, p < 0.001; intermediate vs high: HR 1.44, p < 0.001). The time-dependent receiver operating characteristics curve analysis revealed that the lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio was the most sensitive predictor of survival among all inflammation-based prognostic scores on a continuous basis.

LIMITATIONS

This study was retrospective in nature.

CONCLUSIONS

The lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio is a useful prognostic biomarker for unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer and could contribute to accurate prognostication and therapeutic decision making. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B600.

RELACIN ENTRE LINFOCITOS Y PROTENA C ES EL SCORE PRONOSTICO INFLAMATORIO MAS SENSIBLE EN PACIENTES CON CNCER COLORRECTAL METASTSICO IRRESECABLE

ANTECEDENTES:La inflamación sistémica contribuye en la progresión de neoplasias malignas. Recientemente se ha demostrado que la proporción preoperatoria de linfocitos -proteína C reactiva predice la supervivencia de los pacientes con cáncer colorrectal que se sometieron a cirugía, pero su valor pronóstico sigue sin estar claro en pacientes con cáncer colorrectal metastásico irresecable.OBJETIVO:Evaluar el valor pronostico de los scores inflamtorios centrandose en linfocito- proteina c reactiva en pacientes con cáncer colorrectal metastásico.DISEÑO:Estudio retrospective evaluando una base de datos.AJUSTE:Este estudio se llevó a cabo en un centro oncológico terciario multidisciplinario de gran volumen en Japón.PACIENTES:Se incluyeron 756 pacientes consecutivos todos con cáncer colorrectal metastásico irresecable que recibieron quimioterapia sistémica de 2000 a 2015. El valor pronóstico de la proteína C reactiva se evaluó mediante análisis univariables y multivariables. Se realizó análisis de la curva de características operativas del receptor dependiente del tiempo para comparar el impacto pronóstico de la proteína linfocito-C-reactiva con el de la proporción de neutrófilos a linfocitos, la proporción de plaquetas a linfocitos, la proporción de linfocitos a monocitos o la proporción de puntuación pronóstica segun escala de Glasgow modificada.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Correlacion de las puntuaciones pronósticas con la supervivencia global.RESULTADOS:La mediana de supervivencia de los pacientes con niveles altos, intermedios y bajos de proteína C reactiva de linfocitos fue de 29,4, 19,3 y 13,1 meses, respectivamente (p <0,001). En todos los subgrupos de acuerdo con los factores pronósticos clave (estado funcional, uso de agentes dirigidos, niveles de antígeno carcinoembrionario antes del tratamiento, lado del tumor, categoría M y resección del tumor primario), el pronóstico del paciente podría estratificarse claramente en tres grupos por linfocito a C- proteína reactiva. El análisis multivariable reveló que la disminución de linfocitos a proteína C reactiva se asoció de forma independiente con una supervivencia reducida (baja frente a alta: cociente de riesgo 1,96, p <0,001; intermedio frente a alto: cociente de riesgo 1,44, p <0,001). El análisis de la curva de características operativas del receptor dependiente del tiempo reveló que de linfocito a proteína C reactiva era el predictor de supervivencia más sensible entre todas las puntuaciones de pronóstico basadas en inflamación de forma continua.LIMITACIONES:Este estudio fue de naturaleza retrospectiva.CONCLUSIONES:La proteína C reactiva de linfocitos a C es un biomarcador pronóstico útil para el cáncer colorrectal metastásico irresecable y podría contribuir a un pronóstico preciso y a la toma de decisiones terapéuticas. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B600.

Preoperative white blood cell count predicts anastomotic leakage in patients with left-sided colorectal cancer

To determine whether preoperative white blood cell (WBC) counts reflect risk of anastomotic leak (AL) for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), we retrospectively examined data from records of 208 consecutive patients who had undergone resections for left-sided CRC, including their clinicopathological parameters and preoperative laboratory data. The diagnostic value of WBC count for AL was evaluated and compared with those of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-monocyte ratio and platelet count × C-reactive protein level multiplier (P-CRP) value; optimal cut-off values were derived from receiver operating characteristic curves. AL was observed in 11 of the 208 patients (5.3%). Compared with the no-AL group, the AL group had a significantly higher mean WBC count and smoking rate. In multivariate analysis, WBC count and smoking were independent risk factors for AL. Compared with the other tested inflammatory indicators, the cut-off value for WBC (6,200/μL) had the highest sensitivity (81.8%) and negative predictive value (98.4%), as well as the lowest likelihood ratio (0.289). Preoperative WBC count could therefore be a convenient predictor of AL in patients with left-sided CRC.

Preoperative Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio in the Prognostication of Advanced Resectable Colon Cancer: a Retrospective Observational Study

Lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) has been reported as a biomarker for predicting the prognosis of colorectal cancer. However, the clinical usefulness of LMR requires detailed research, which can contribute to better therapeutic strategies. A cohort of 554 patients with resectable advanced colon cancer in our institution was analyzed retrospectively. An analysis of stages II and III resectable advanced colon cancer was performed. LMR was useful for predicting overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). The ROC curve revealed an LMR value of 2.77 as a cutoff for OS. A high LMR was an independent prognostic factor and was associated with a high hazard ratio (HR) in all cases for OS (HR = 0.530, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.334-0.842, p = 0.007). A high LMR was not an independent prognostic factor in stage II cases but was a predictor with the strongest association with prognosis in patients with stage III cases for OS (HR = 0.383, 95% CI = 0.160-0.915, p = 0.031). LMR is a strong predictor of prognosis in patients with stage III colon cancer and may be useful in postoperative treatment options.

Maternal blood count parameters of chronic inflammation by gestational age and their associations with risk of preterm delivery in the Japan Environment and Children's Study

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), are three reportedly predictive biomarkers that reflect subclinical chronic inflammatory burden. However, how these biomarkers change during pregnancy and its clinical utility among pregnant women have been rarely studied. Among 76,853 singleton pregnancies delivered at 28–41 weeks of gestation that were enrolled in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, we observed the distribution of maternal NLR, PLR, and LMR values from week 0 to week 36 using spline curves, as well as their predictive values for preterm delivery with and without hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, placental abruption and intrauterine growth restriction (collectively termed ischemic placental disease due to their shared pathological and pathophysiological features) for measurements at 8–11 weeks, 12–17 weeks, and 18–21 weeks. NLR and PLR increased, whereas LMR decreased, with increasing gestation. High LMR and low NLR observed at 18–21 weeks, but not at earlier gestations, were associated with higher risk of preterm delivery with IPD (odds ratio 1.80 [95% CI 1.02, 3.19] per log[LMR]; odds ratio 0.49 [95% CI 0.29, 0.82] per log[NLR]). All parameters were not predictive of preterm delivery without IPD. We provide a robust reference curve for maternal blood count parameters NLR, PLR, and LMR by gestational week.

Preoperative iron status is a prognosis factor for stage II and III colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Iron deficiency anemia is represented in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Iron surplus load to increase non-transferrin bound iron (NTBI), and NTBI promotes cancer progression and influences microbiota. This study investigated whether preoperative serum iron status was associated with prognosis after CRC resection.

METHODS

We evaluated preoperative iron and transferrin saturation (TSAT), which was calculated as iron divided by total iron-binding capacity, in 327 patients who underwent surgery for Stage II-III CRC. Fe < 60 μg/dl and TSAT > 40% were defined as low and high iron, respectively. The associations between iron status and overall survival (OS) were evaluated in univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 327 patients, 179 (54.7%), 124 (37.9%) and 24 (7.3%) had low, normal and high iron, respectively. In univariate analysis, low iron was associated with shorter OS (hazard ratio [HR] 2.821, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.451-5.485, P = 0.002). High iron was also associated with shorter OS (HR 3.396, 95% CI 1.359-8.489, P = 0.009). In multivariate analysis, high age (P = 0.002), depth of invasion pT4 (P = 0.012), lymph-node metastasis presence (P = 0.035), low albumin (P = 0.011), low iron (HR 2.282, 95% CI 1.163-4.478, P = 0.016) and high iron (HR 3.757, 95% CI 1.486-9.494 P = 0.005) were independently associated with shorter OS. High iron was associated with the amount of intratumoral Fusobacterium nucleatum compared with normal iron.

CONCLUSION

Both low and high preoperative iron in Stage II-III CRC patients were associated with unfavorable OS in univariate and multivariate analyses.

The prognostic value of C-reactive protein and albumin in patients undergoing resection of colorectal liver metastases. A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The systemic inflammation-based Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) and modified GPS (mGPS), as measured by preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) and albumin, correlate with poor survival in several cancers. This study evaluates the prognostic value of these scores in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM).

METHODS

This retrospective study assessed the prognostic role of preoperatively measured GPS and mGPS in patients undergoing liver resection because of CRLM. Clinicopathological data were retrieved from local databases. The prognostic value of GPS and mGPS were compared and a Cox regression model was used to find independent predictors of overall survival.

RESULTS

In total, 849 consecutive patients between January 2005 and December 2015 were included. Patients with GPS 0 had a median survival of 70 months compared to 49 months in patients with GPS 1, and 27 months in patients with GPS 2. Multivariable analyses showed that GPS 1 (HR = 1.51, 95%CI [1.14-2.01]) and GPS 2 (HR = 2.78, 95%CI [1.79-4.31]), after correction for age >70 years (HR = 1.75 [1.36-2.26]), and extended resection (HR = 2.53, 95%CI[1.79-3.58]), were associated with poor overall survival.

CONCLUSION

A preoperative GPS is an independent prognostic factor in patients with CRLM, and appears to be a better prognostic tool than mGPS.

Serum calcium improved systemic inflammation marker for predicting survival outcome in rectal cancer

Background

Systemic inflammation markers have shown prognostic values with variability in rectal cancer. Considering the association of serum calcium with inflammation, we aimed to examine whether it could improve systemic inflammation markers for survival prediction.

Methods

We enrolled 508 patients with stage I to III rectal cancer who underwent curative resection. The cohort was grouped by corrected serum calcium (cCa), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and CaPLR (a score model combining cCa with PLR) for survival analysis. The LR (likelihood ratio) test and AIC (Akaike information criterion) were applied to compare models in survival prediction. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS).

Results

A total of 26.7% (136/508) patients reached recurrence after curative surgery. Both high cCa (HR 1.486; 95% CI, 1.018-2.171; P=0.040) and high PLR (HR 1.452; 95% CI, 1.059-1.991; P=0.021) were significantly associated with worse DFS. In model comparison, the AIC and LR were improved after cCa was added to PLR model in DFS prediction (AIC: 1,704.83 vs. 1,707.14 vs. 1,707.15; LR: 8.68 vs. 4.37 vs. 4.36; P=0.037). The CaPLR was developed for DFS prediction with adjusted HRs of 2.216 (95% CI, 1.256-3.909; P=0.006) and 1.679 (95% CI, 1.004-2.836; P=0.047) for high and intermediate score group respectively compared to low score group. A nomogram for predicting DFS was generated by using CaPLR and other clinical predictors, with a concordance index of 0.705 (95% CI, 0.620-0.789; P<0.001).

Conclusions

Serum calcium could improve systemic inflammation markers in survival prediction for patients with rectal cancer.

Combined fibrinogen-to-pre-albumin ratio and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 score is a promising metric to predict progression of metastatic colorectal mucinous adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of colorectal mucinous adenocarcinoma (CMA). Albumin-to-fibrinogen ratio (AFR) and fibrinogen-to-pre-albumin ratio (FPR) were independent prognostic factors for many kinds of solid malignancies. However, the association between the inflammatory scores and progression of metastatic CMA remains unknown.

METHODS

Peripheral blood neutrophil count and circulating fibrinogen, albumin, and pre-albumin levels were detected, and neutrophil-to-albumin ratio (NAR), neutrophil-to-pre-albumin ratio(NPAR), AFR, and FPR were calculated in 42 metastatic MCA patients. Kaplan-Meier curve, Cox regression, time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve (tdROC) were selected to investigate the prognostic utility of them in the patients.

RESULTS

Metastatic CMA patients commonly occurred in middle-younger patients (80.95%). NPAR (adjusted hazard ratio (HR)=2.405, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.195-4.842) and FPR (p_log-rank =0.007, adjusted HR=2.364, 95% CI=1.203-4.645) were significantly associated with poor progression-free survival in these patients. The prognostic prediction area under tdROC (AUROC) of FPR was significantly higher than that of NPAR(0.703 versus 0.537). Moreover, the patients with a high CA19-9-FPR score showed worse outcomes than those with the low score (p_log-rank <0.001, adjusted HR=7.273, 95% CI=2.721-19.435 for the score 1 versus 0). The prediction AUROC, sensitivity, and specificity of the score were 0.892 (0.788-0.996), 76.32%, and 100.00%, respectively, and its predicted efficacy was better than that of the single biomarkers.

CONCLUSION

The combined CA19-9-FPR score is an economical, simple, effective, and independent prognostic factor for metastatic MCA.

Combination of lymphocyte count and albumin concentration as a new prognostic biomarker for rectal cancer

Although numerous studies have highlighted the prognostic values of various inflammation-related markers, clinical significance remains to be elucidated. The prognostic values of inflammation-related biomarkers for rectal cancer were investigated in this study. A total of 448 patients with stage II/III rectal cancer undergoing curative resection were enrolled from the discovery cohort (n = 240) and validation cohort (n = 208). We comprehensively compared the prognostic values of 11 inflammation-related markers-derived from neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet, monocyte, albumin, and C-reactive protein for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Among 11 inflammation-related markers, only "lymphocyte × albumin (LA)" was significantly associated with both OS and RFS in the discovery cohort (P = 0.007 and 0.015, respectively). Multivariate analysis indicated that low LA was significantly associated with poor OS (hazard ratio [HR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-4.58, P = 0.025), and poor RFS (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.01-2.80, P = 0.048). Furthermore, using the discovery cohort, we confirmed that low LA was significantly associated with poor OS (HR 2.89, 95% CI 1.42-6.00, P = 0.002), and poor RFS (HR 1.79, 95% CI 1.04-2.95, P = 0.034). LA can be a novel prognostic biomarker for stage II/III rectal cancer.

Preoperative transferrin level is a novel prognostic marker for colorectal cancer

AIM

This study investigated whether preoperative serum transferrin, a rapid-turnover protein, was associated with prognosis after colorectal cancer (CRC) resection.

METHODS

We evaluated preoperative transferrin, which was calculated as iron and unsaturated iron-binding capacity, in 501 patients who underwent surgery for Stage I-III CRC. Transferrin level was directly proportional to total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), and TIBC < 250 μg/dl was defined as low transferrin. The associations between transferrin and prognosis were evaluated in univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses.

RESULTS

Fifty-eight of 501 patients (11.5%) had low transferrin. In these patients, low transferrin was significantly associated with high age, female gender, low body mass index (<18.5), high white blood cell count, low total protein, low albumin, high C-reactive protein, low hemoglobin, and low neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio. In the univariate analysis, low transferrin was associated with shorter relapse-free survival (RFS) (hazard ratio [HR] 2.180, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.417-3.354, P < .001), overall survival (OS) (HR 2.930, 95% CI 1.784-4.811, P < .001), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR 2.122, 95% CI 1.053-4.275, P = .035). In multivariate analysis, high age (P < .001), Glasgow Prognostic Score (P = .009), and low transferrin (HR 2.336, 95% CI 1.173-4.654, P = .011) were independently associated with shorter OS, and depth of invasion pT4 (P = .015), presence of lymph node metastasis (P = .001), low hemoglobin (P = .034), and low transferrin (HR 2.638, 95% CI 1.113-5.043, P = .025) were independently associated with shorter CSS.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative serum transferrin in Stage I-III CRC patients was identified as a novel prognostic marker by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Prediction of Recurrence in Patients with Stage III Colon Cancer Using Conventional Clinicopathological Factors and Peripheral Blood Test Data: A New Analysis with Artificial Intelligence

BACKGROUND

Survival rate may be predicted by tumor-node-metastasis staging systems in colon cancer. In clinical practice, about 20 to 30 clinicopathological factors and blood test data have been used. Various predictive factors for recurrence have been advocated; however, the interactions are complex and remain to be established. We used artificial intelligence (AI) to examine predictive factors related to recurrence.

METHODS

The study group comprised 217 patients who underwent curative surgery for stage III colon cancer. Using a self-organizing map (SOM), an AI-based method, patients with only 23 clinicopathological factors, patients with 23 clinicopathological factors and 34 of preoperative blood test data (pre-data), and those with 23 clinicopathological factors and 31 of postoperative blood test data (post-data) were classified into several clusters with various rates of recurrence.

RESULTS

When only clinicopathological factors were used, the percentage of T4b disease, the percentage of N2 disease, and the number of metastatic lymph nodes were significantly higher in a cluster with a higher rate of recurrence. When clinicopathological factors and pre-data were used, three described pathological factors and the serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly higher and the serum total protein (TP) levels, serum albumin levels, and the percentage of lymphocytes were significantly lower in a cluster with a higher rate of recurrence. When clinicopathological factors and post-data were used, three described pathological factors, serum CRP levels, and serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels were significantly higher and serum TP levels, serum albumin levels, and the percentage of lymphocytes were significantly lower in a cluster with a higher rate of recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

This AI-based analysis extracted several risk factors for recurrence from more than 50 pathological and blood test factors before and after surgery separately. This analysis may predict the risk of recurrence of a new patient by confirming which clusters this patient belongs to.

Previous Use of Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor Agents Decreases Efficacy of Fruquintinib in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Refractory to Standard Therapies

Purpose

Fruquintinib is an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) agent. The FRESCO trial demonstrated that patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) refractory to standard therapies could benefit from fruquintinib with tolerable adverse events (AEs). However, the efficacy and safety of fruquintinib in clinical practice has scarcely been reported, especially in patients with previous use of anti-VEGFR agents.

Methods

This retrospective study investigated the efficacy and safety of fruquintinib in patients with mCRC between January 2019 and December 2019. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed by a Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test. A Cox regression model was performed to identify independent prognostic factors.

Results

A total of 46 patients were included. The median PFS and OS were 3.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9–4.3 months) and 9.0 months (95% CI, 7.2–10.8 months), respectively. Patients previously treated with anti-VEGFR agents had shorter median PFS compared with those without previous use of anti-VEGFR agents (1.9 vs. 3.7 months, P = 0.006), while the median OS was similar between the two groups (8.5 vs. 9.0 months, P = 0.992). Multivariate analysis revealed that the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was an independent prognostic factor in PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.230; 95% CI, 1.191–4.517, P = 0.014) and OS (HR, 4.221; 95% CI, 1.683–10.586; P = 0.002). The most common non-hematological and hematological AEs were hand-foot syndrome (37.0%) and anemia (39.1%), respectively.

Conclusion

Fruquintinib was an effective third-line therapy in mCRC with tolerable AEs. Efficacy of fruquintinib was decreased in patients with previous use of anti-VEGFR agents. NLR was an independent prognostic factor in PFS and OS in patients treated with fruquintinib.

High levels of leptin and non-high molecular weight-adiponectin in patients with colorectal cancer: Association with chemotherapy and common genetic polymorphisms

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide. Leptin and adiponectin are hormones produced by adipose tissues, which exhibit opposing effects on tumor growth. Leptin promotes tumor development and metastasis, whereas adiponectin attenuates this. The aim of the present study was to assess the possible association between leptin and adiponectin [both high molecular weight (HMW) and non-HMW factions] levels with CRC, CRC response to chemotherapy, and to study the relationship between LEPR (rs6588147), ADIPO (rs266729), LEP (rs2167270), and ADIPO (rs822369) polymorphisms and CRC. A total of 32 blood samples collected from CRC patients were analyzed to identify the serum levels of leptin and adiponectin, and the presence of CRC related polymorphisms. A total of 25 healthy subjects were recruited in the control group. Serum levels of leptin and adiponectin were detected using ELISA whereas DNA from patients and controls was amplified and analyzed using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. The results showed that the levels of leptin and non-HMW adiponectin were significantly higher in CRC patients compared with the controls (P<0.05). In addition, HMW adiponectin was significantly higher in patients receiving chemotherapy. The association between LEPR (rs6588147), ADIPO (rs266729), LEP (rs2167270) and ADIPO (rs822369) polymorphisms and CRC was not significant (P>0.05). In conclusion, higher leptin and non-HMW adiponectin levels may be associated with increased CRC. Chemotherapy may positively influence the levels of HMW adiponectin. No association between LEPR (rs6588147), ADIPO (rs266729), LEP (rs2167270) and ADIPO (rs822369) polymorphisms with CRC was found.

Nutritional and inflammatory measures predict survival of patients with stage IV colorectal cancer

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of nutritional and inflammatory measures (controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS)) on overall survival (OS) in patients with stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods

Subjects were 996 patients with stage IV CRC who were referred to the National Cancer Center Hospital between 2001 and 2015. We retrospectively investigated correlations between OS and CONUT score, PNI, and mGPS. Multivariate analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards regression models.

Results

After adjusting for known factors (age, gender, BMI, ECOG performance status, location of primary tumor, CEA levels, histological type, M category, and prior surgical treatment), all three measures were found to be independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with stage (CONUT score, p < 0.001; PNI, p < 0.001; mGPS, p < 0.001). Significant differences in OS were found between low CONUT score (0/1) (n = 614; 61%) and intermediate CONUT score (2/3) (n = 276; 28%) (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–1.42, p = 0.032), and intermediate CONUT score and high CONUT score (≥4) (n = 106; 11%) (HR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.01–1.67, p = 0.045). Significant differences in OS were found between mGPS = 0 (n = 633; 64%) and mGPS = 1 (n = 234; 23%) (HR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.54–2.19, p < 0.001), but not between mGPS = 1 and mGPS = 2 (n = 129; 13%) (HR = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.88–1.41, p = 0.349). Patients with low PNI (< 48.0) (n = 443; 44%) showed a significantly lower OS rate than those with high PNI (≥48.0) (n = 553; 56%) (HR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.19–1.62, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

CONUT score, PNI, and mGPS were found to be independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with stage IV CRC, suggesting that nutritional and inflammatory status is a useful host-related prognostic indicator in stage IV CRC.