Albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio as a novel prognostic indicator for patients undergoing minimally invasive lung cancer surgery: Propensity score matching analysis using a prospective database

Association between albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio and a 3-month unfavorable outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke

Background

The albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) is a predictor of several disease outcomes. However, there is no study about AAPR and acute ischemic stroke outcomes. This study aims to investigate the relationship between AAPR and a 3-month unfavorable outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods

This prospective cohort study included 2084 patients with acute ischemic stroke in South Korea. After applying strict exclusion criteria, 1,886 patients were included in our analysis and divided into three groups based on AAPR tertiles. An unfavorable outcome was defined as a 3-month modified Rankin scale (mRS) score > 2. Logistic regression analysis and smooth curve fitting analysis were applied to investigate the relationship between AAPR and unfavorable outcomes. Subgroup analysis was also performed to assess whether influencing factors changed the association between AAPR and unfavorable outcomes.

Results

After adjusting for potential confounders, multivariate analysis showed that AAPR was significantly associated with a 3-month unfavorable outcome (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.09-0.35, p < 0.001). The smooth curve fitting analysis showed a nonlinear relationship between AAPR and a 3-month unfavorable outcome. The infection point was 0.588 according to the recursive method, and the threshold analysis showed when AAPR was ≤0.588, with the per unit increase of AAPR, the 3-month unfavorable outcome risk decreased by 96% (OR 0.04, 95% CI 0.01-0.2, p < 0.001). However, when AAPR was >0.588, there was no negative correlation between AAPR and a 3-month unfavorable outcome (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.08-1.3, p = 0.112).

Conclusion

This study is the first to suggest a non-linear relationship between AAPR and a 3-month unfavorable outcome of acute ischemic stroke. AAPR was negatively correlated with a 3-month unfavorable outcome when AAPR was <0.588.

The predictive value of albumin to alkaline phosphatase ratio for vertebral refractures in postmenopausal women

INTRODUCTION

To investigate the clinical value of serum albumin to alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) in predicting the risk of osteoporotic vertebral refractures group (OVRFs) after percutaneous vertebral augmentation (PVA) in postmenopausal women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective case-control study including a series of postmenopausal women patients with osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) and underwent PVA. Patients were divided into OVRFs and non-OVRFs. COX model was used to evaluate the correlation between preoperative AAPR and OVRFs after PVA. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Kaplan-Meier method were used to analyze the predictive value of AAPR for the incidence of OVRFs.

RESULTS

A total of 305 patients were included in the final study, and the incidence of postoperative OVRFs was 28.9%. Multivariate COX analysis showed that advanced age (HRs = 1.062, p = 0.002), low BMI (HRs = 0.923, p = 0.036), low AAPR (HRs = 0.019, p = 0.001), previous fall history (HRs = 3.503, p = 0.001), denosumab treatment (HRs = 0.409, p = 0.007), low L3 BMD (HRs = 0.977, p = 0.001) and low L3 paravertebral muscle density (PMD)value (HRs = 0.929, p = 0.001)) were closely related to the incidence of OVRFs. The area under the curve (AUC) of AAPR for predicting OVRFs was 0.740 (p < 0.001), and the optimal diagnostic cut-off value was 0.49. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that low AAPR group (< 0.49) was significantly associated with lower OVRFs-free survival (p = 0.001; log-rank test).

CONCLUSION

AAPR is an independent risk factor for OVRFs after PVA in postmenopausal women, and it can be used as an effective index to predict OVRFs.

Fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) is the best biomarker for the overall survival of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer

Objective

The inflammatory response and the nutritional status are associated with overall survival (OS) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but it is unclear which biomarkers are better suited to predict prognosis. This study sought to determine which of the commonly existing inflammatory and nutritional indicators best predicted the OS.

Methods

This study included 15 compound indicators based on inflammation or nutrition, with cutoff points obtained through the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional risk models were used to evaluate the relationship between these predictors and OS. Kaplan-Meier curves were used for survival analysis, and log-rank tests were used to compare differences between groups. The C-index was calculated to evaluate the predictive ability of the different indicators.

Results

The study included 899 patients with NSCLC. In the univariate analysis, all 15 measures were significantly associated with the OS of patients (all p < 0.05). The results of the C-index analysis showed that the fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR), the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and the albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) were the three indices with the best predictive performance. Among them, FAR (C-index = 0.639) had the best predictive power for OS in patients with NSCLC. In the different subgroups, FAR had the highest C-index in male, non-smoking, adenocarcinoma, and stage II patients. The C-index of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in female patients was the highest. SII was the highest in smokers, in those aged <65 and ≥65 years, and in stage III patients. The C-index of AAPR was the highest in non-adenocarcinomas. The C-index of the pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) was the highest in stage I patients. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, among FAR, SII, and AAPR, only FAR was an independent predictor of OS in patients with NSCLC. A high FAR was associated with a higher risk of death in patients with NSCLC (HR = 1.601, 95% CI = 1.028-2.495). In order to further evaluate the potential prognostic value of FAR, SII, and AAPR in patients with different stages, Cox regression analysis was performed for those with stage I-II and stage III NSCLC. The results showed that FAR was an independent prognostic factor for OS in patients with stage I-II NSCLC.

Conclusion

For all patients with NSCLC, the prognostic power of FAR was superior to that of other inflammatory and nutritional indicators.

Association between alkaline phosphatase to albumin ratio and mortality among patients with sepsis

The alkaline phosphatase-to-albumin ratio (APAR) is correlated to worse prognosis in coronary artery disease, cancer, and acute renal failure. However, the relationship between APAR and sepsis prognosis has received little research. The content of this research was to investigate the prognostic relationship between APAR and sepsis. And validate the stability of the correlation in 90-days and 1-year mortality. Retrospective cohort research was conducted basing MIMIC-IV database (version 2.0). The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (Cl) were computed using multivariate Cox regression analysis. In addition, plots of survival curves and subgroup analyzes were conducted. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were also used. 9741 participants were included in this investigation. The 90-days mortality was 32.8%, and the 1-year mortality was 42.0%. After controlling for confounders, the adjusted HRs (95% CI) for tertile 2 (2.2-3.8) and tertile 3 (> 3.8) were 1.37 (1.25-1.51) and 1.74 (1.58-1.91), respectively. The Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed a higher probability of 90-days death in the higher APAR group. The area under the curve (AUC) of APAR was 0.674 and could reach 0.709 after combining the Oxford Acute Severity of Illness Score (OASIS). This study demonstrates that APAR is significantly related to bad clinical outcomes in sepsis.

Clinical role of pretreatment albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio in lung cancer: a meta-analysis

The association between pretreatment albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) and clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in lung cancer is unclear. The study aimed to identify the clinical role of pretreatment AAPR among lung cancer patients. Several databases were searched for relevant studies. The primary outcome and secondary outcome were long-term survival including the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) and clinicopathological characteristics, respectively. The hazard ratios (HRs) and relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined. A total of 11 publications involving 10,589 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results manifested that a lower pretreatment AAPR predicted poorer OS (HR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.59-0.71, P < 0.001) and PFS (HR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.59-0.78, P < 0.001). Furthermore, subgroup analysis for the OS and PFS based on the pathological type and treatment showed similar results and pretreatment AAPR was significantly associated with worse prognosis. Besides, pretreatment AAPR was significantly associated with male (RR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.03-1.13, P < 0.001), poor differentiation (RR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.03-1.73, P = 0.029), advanced T stage (RR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.03-1.52, P = 0.026), N stage (RR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.15-1.55, P < 0.001) and TNM stage (RR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.06-1.223, P < 0.001). Therefore, pretreatment AAPR is significantly related to prognosis and tumor stage in lung cancer and patients with a lower pretreatment AAPR are more likely to experience poor survival and advanced tumor stage.

Alkaline phosphatase combines with CT factors for differentiating small (≤ 4 cm) fat-poor angiomyolipoma from renal cell carcinoma: a multiple quantitative tool

PURPOSE

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum and CT factors to establish a convenient diagnostic method for differentiating small (≤ 4 cm) fat-poor angiomyolipoma (AML) from renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study analyzed the preoperative serum laboratory data and CT data of 32 fat-poor AML patients and 133 RCC patients. The CT attenuation value of tumor (AVT), relative enhancement ratio (RER), and heterogeneous degree of tumor were detected using region of interest on precontrast phase (PCP) and the corticomedullary phase. Multivariate regression was performed to filter the main factors. The main factors were selected to establish the prediction models. The area under the curve (AUC) was measured to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy.

RESULTS

Fat-poor AML was more common found in younger (47.91 ± 2.09 years vs 53.63 ± 1.17 years, P = 0.02) and female (70.68 vs 28.13%, P < 0.001) patients. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was higher in RCC patients (81.80 ± 1.75 vs 63.25 ± 2.95 U/L, P < 0.01). For CT factors, fat-poor AML was higher in PCP_AVT (40.30 ± 1.49 vs 32.98 ± 0.69Hu, P < 0.01) but lower in RER (67.17 ± 3.17 vs 84.64 ± 2.73, P < 0.01). Gender, ALP, PCP_AVT and RER was found valuable for the differentiation. When compared with laboratory-based or CT-based diagnostic models, the combination model integrating gender, ALP, PCP_AVT and RER shows the best diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.922).

CONCLUSION

ALP was found higher in RCC patients. Female patients with ALP < 70.50U/L, PCP_AVT > 35.97Hu and RER < 82.66 are more likely to be diagnose as fat-poor AML.

Prognostic value of modified-Gustave-Roussy Immunity Score in resectable proximal gastric cancer

The prognostic evaluation of GRIm score has been confirmed in many tumor species. The purpose of this study is to clarify the value of GRIm score in the prognostic evaluation of patients with resectable proximal gastric cancer. A single center retrospective study was conducted in 174 patients with proximal gastric cancer who underwent radical total gastrectomy. An in-depth analysis was carried out to explore the prognostic differences between high and low GRIm, and the influencing factors of disease-free survival rates and overall survival rates were analyzed by Cox regression model and Kaplan-Meier method. A total of 174 patients were divided into two groups: 135 patients were marked in L-mGRIm and 39 patients in H-mGRIm groups respectively. The median OS of the H-mGRIm and L-mGRIm groups were 23.2 and 38.6 months, respectively. The median DFS of the H-mGRIm and L-mGRIm groups was 16.9 and 31.7 months, respectively. Both DFS and OS were significantly different between groups (P = .000, P = .000). In multivariate analysis, ZPS (2 vs 0-1: HR 1.99 95% CI 1.05-3.76 P = .035), LDH (≥193 vs <193:HR 0.6; 95% CI 0.38-0.95 P = .028), mGRIm score (2-3 vs 0-1: HR 2.4; 95% CI 1.09-5.23 P = .029) was independent risk factors of OS. The age (>65 vs ≤65 years HR 0.63; 95% CI 0.4-0.95 P = .003), LDH (>193 U/L vs ≤193 U/L: HR 0.55; 95% CI 0.37-0.82 P = .004) and mGRIm score (2-3 vs 0-1: HR 4.74; 95% CI 2.24-9.9 P = .000) as an independent risk factor for DFS. mGRIm score is a novel, simple and effective index for prognosis evaluation of resectable cardiac cancer and can be used as a part of the risk stratification process.

Naples Prognostic Score is an Independent Prognostic Factor in Patients with Small Cell Lung Cancer and Nomogram Predictive Model Established

Background

The routine clinical nutritional and inflammatory indicators such as serum albumin, total cholesterol and lymphocytes have been widely investigated in the prognosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The Naples prognostic score (NPS), based on nutritional and inflammatory status, has been identified as a prognostic impactor in several malignancies. However, the prognostic role of NPS in SCLC has not been elucidated. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic effect of NPS in SCLC patients.

Patients and Methods

Patients with SCLC were recruited at Hebei General Hospital between April 2015 and August 2021. Pretreatment clinical and laboratory data were obtained. Participants were assigned into three groups according to NPS (group 0: NPS=0, group 1: NPS=1 or 2, group 2: NPS=3 or 4). Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis were performed to assess the prognostic significance of NPS. The RMS package in R software was used to draw the nomogram predictive model.

Results

A total of 128 patients were enrolled. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was 7.2 and 12.3 months, respectively. The median PFS and OS was 12.3 vs 19.8 months, 7.6 vs 14.1 months and 6.0 vs 8.45 months for the three groups respectively. There were significant differences in both OS and FPS among the three groups. Survival analysis showed that NPS was significantly correlated with both OS and PFS (P<0.05). Lower NPS is associated with longer OS and PFS. Multivariate analysis showed that NPS has an independent prognostic impact on OS (P<0.05). The nomogram predictive model showed that NPS has good predictive power for survival rates.

Conclusion

NPS is an independent prognostic factor for OS in SCLC patients. Low NPS may predict longer OS. Therefore NPS plays a vital role in the nomogram predictive model of survival rates in SCLC patients.

Prognostic Value of Albumin-to-Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio for EGFR-Mutated Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated with First-Line EGFR-TKIs: A Large Population-Based Study and Literature Review

Background

Resistance inevitably develops in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients after treatment of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). The albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR), a novel index, has been reported to be associated with survival in various cancers. In this study, we explored the prognostic value of AAPR in EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC patients treated with first-line EGFR-TKIs.

Methods

The clinical and pretreatment laboratory data were retrospectively extracted from hospital medical system. The Log-rank and Kaplan–Meier analyses were adopted to detect differences in survival between groups. Univariate and multivariate Cox’s proportional hazard regression models were applied to assess the prognostic value of AAPR for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results

Totally, 598 EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients with stage IIIB-IV were enrolled into this study. The median age of all patients was 60 years, and 56.9% were women. About 97% patients had common EGFR gene mutations of deletions in exon 19 (19 del) or a point mutation in exon 21 (L858R). Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the Youden index, the optimal cut-off value of pretreatment AAPR was 0.47. Patients with high AAPR achieved longer median PFS and OS than patients with low AAPR (14.0 months vs 10.4 months, P<0.01; 58.2 months vs 36.7 months, P<0.001, respectively). The multivariate analysis by Cox’s proportional hazards regression model demonstrated that AAPR was an independent prognostic factor for both PFS (HR: 0.813, 95% CI: 0.673–0.984, P=0.033) and OS (HR: 0.629, 95% CI: 0.476–0.830, P=0.001).

Conclusion

Pretreatment AAPR, measured as part of routine blood biochemical test, may be a reliable prognostic indicator in EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC patients treated with first-line first-generation EGFR-TKIs.

Prognostic significance of Naples prognostic score in non-small-cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases

Aims: The authors aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of Naples prognostic score (NPS) in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases. Materials & methods: A total of 186 consecutive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients were retrospectively analyzed. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional regression models were used to assess the significance of NPS in overall survival and disease-free survival. Results: Multivariate Cox proportional regression analysis revealed that NPS was a significant independent predictive indicator for overall survival (hazard ratio: 1.897; 95% CI: 1.184-3.041; p = 0.008) and disease-free survival (hazard ratio: 2.169; 95% CI: 1.367-3.44; p = 0.001). Conclusion: NPS was a powerful prognostic indicator for outcome in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases.

Pretreatment Albumin-to-Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio Is a Prognostic Marker in Lung Cancer Patients: A Registry-Based Study of 7077 Lung Cancer Patients

Simple Summary

Since the albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) has shown promising prognostic prediction in cancer patients, the prognostic value of the AAPR was evaluated in a large cohort of 7077 lung cancer patients. We combined patient data from the Danish Lung Cancer Registry and the clinical laboratory information system (LABKA) and showed that a low AAPR was independently associated with an inferior median overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer patients and small cell lung cancer patients. Furthermore, data indicated a level-dependent correlation between the AAPR and survival and that the AAPR added additional prognostic value to the already well-established prognostic markers in lung cancer. Therefore, if our findings are validated in the future, the AAPR should be incorporated as a factor in the general prognostication of lung cancer patients.

Abstract

The albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) is a novel promising prognostic marker in cancer patients. However, the evidence for its significance in lung cancer is scarce. Therefore, we assessed the prognostic value of the AAPR in a large cohort of lung cancer patients. Data on lung cancer patients diagnosed from January 2009 to June 2018 were extracted from the Danish Lung Cancer Registry and combined with data on the pretreatment serum AAPR level extracted from the clinical laboratory information system (LABKA). AAPR tertiles were applied as cutoffs. Cox proportional hazard models assessed the prognostic value of the AAPR. In total, 5978 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and 1099 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients were included. Decreasing AAPR level was significantly associated with declining median overall survival (OS) in NSCLC patients (medium vs. low AAPR, adjusted HR = 0.73 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68–0.79); high vs. low AAPR, adjusted HR = 0.68 (95% CI 0.62–0.73)) and in SCLC patients (medium vs. low AAPR, adjusted HR = 0.62 (95% CI 0.52–0.74); high vs. low, adjusted HR = 0.59 (95% CI 0.50–0.70)). In conclusion, the AAPR was an independent prognostic factor in NSCLC and SCLC patients. The correlation seems to be level dependent, with reducing survival found to be associated with decreasing AAPR level.

Albumin-To-Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio as a Novel and Promising Prognostic Biomarker in Patients Undergoing Esophagectomy for Carcinoma: A Propensity Score Matching Study

Background

Albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) has been reported as a novel prognostic predictor for numerous solid tumors. We aimed to assess the prognostic role of preoperative AAPR in surgically resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by a propensity score matching (PSM) analysis with predictive nomograms.

Methods

Our study was conducted in a single-center prospective database between June 2009 and December 2012. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to distinguish the difference in survival outcomes between patients stratified by an AAPR threshold. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was finally generated to specify independent prognostic markers for the entire and PSM cohorts.

Results

A total of 497 patients with ESCC were included in this study. An AAPR of 0.50 was determined as the optimal cutoff point for prognostic outcome stratification. Patients with AAPR<0.50 had significantly worse overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) compared to those with AAPR≥0.50 (Log-rank P<0.001). This significant difference remained stable in the PSM analysis. Multivariable analyses based on the entire and PSM cohorts consistently showed that AAPR<0.50 might be one of the most predominant prognostic factors resulting in unfavorable OS and PFS of ESCC patients undergoing esophagectomy (P<0.001). The nomograms consisting of AAPR and other independent prognostic factors further demonstrated a plausible predictive accuracy of postoperative OS and PFS.

Conclusion

AAPR can be considered as a simple, convenient and noninvasive biomarker with a significant prognostic effect in surgically resected ESCC.

Decreased albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio predicted poor survival of resectable gastric cancer patients

Background

The albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) is an innovative prognostic index for various cancer patients, the clinical significance of the AAPR in patients with GC is unknown.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 227 resectable GC patients in our center. The Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to analyze the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). The Likelihood Ratio Test (LRT) and Akaike information criterion (AIC) were used to compare the prognostic abilities of the TNM and AAPR-TNM staging systems in DFS and OS prediction.

Results

The AAPR was significantly decreased in GC patients, and the optimal cut-off value for resectable and benign gastric disease was 0.437 as determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The correlation analysis revealed that decreased AAPR in GC was associated with T stage (P=0.004) and TNM stage (P=0.013). Decreased preoperative AAPR correlated with both unfavorable disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Cox regression analysis showed that the TNM stage (DFS: P=0.001, OS: P=0.002) and differential levels of AAPR (DFS: P<0.001, OS: P<0.001) were independent risk factors of DFS and OS. ROC analysis showed that the AAPR-TNM system was more superior than the TNM staging system for DFS (z=1.91, P=0.028) and OS (z=1.937, P=0.026) prediction. The likelihood ratio test (LRT) analysis indicated that the AAPR-TNM system had a significantly larger χ² for both DFS (35.58 vs. 34.51, P<0.001) and OS (32.92 vs. 30.07, P<0.001), and a lower Akaike information criterion (AIC) value both for DFS (1,032 vs. 1,065, P<0.001) and OS (869 vs. 898, P<0.001) compared to the TNM system.

Conclusions

The AAPR level significantly decreased in patients with GC, and impacted the prognosis of patients.

Prognostic role of pretreatment lung immune prognostic index in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer treated with platinum plus etoposide chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

To investigate the prognostic role of lung immune prognostic index (LIPI) in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) patients treated with platinum plus etoposide chemotherapy.

METHODS

Data were obtained from two randomized controlled trials (NCT00119613 and NCT00363415). Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed according to LIPI score through Kaplan-Meier analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox-regression analysis were performed to investigate predictors for OS and PFS.

RESULTS

A total of 911 patients with ES-SCLC treated with platinum plus etoposide chemotherapy (CT) were included for analysis. The median age at diagnosis was 62 years, and 760 (83.4%) had performance status of 1 or less. 1-year OS for ES-SCLC with poor, intermediate, and good LIPI was 20%, 30% and 31%, respectively, and 1-year PFS was 7%, 15% and 21%, respectively. Cox-regression analysis showed that the PFS and OS of ES-SCLC with a poor LIPI score was significantly worse than those with good LIPI scores (HR 1.81, 95% CI: 1.38-2.36; p< 0.001 and HR 1.35, 95% CI: 1.07-1.72, p= 0.012), while no significant difference was observed between intermediate and poor LIPI groups in terms of OS (HR 1.01, 95% CI: 0.82-1.23, p= 0.82), but not for PFS (HR 1.27, 95% CI: 1.00-1.61, p= 0.048). In addition, LIPI score was significantly associated with disease control rate and objective response rate (both p< 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Prognosis of patients with pretreatment LIPI score of 2 is poorer than those with LIPI score of 0-1 among ES-SCLC who received first-line platinum plus etoposide chemotherapy; Further studies are still recommended to confirm our findings in prospective studies.

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

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

Prognostic Utility of Prechemoradiotherapy Albumin-to-Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio in Unresectable Locally Advanced Pancreatic Carcinoma Patients

BACKGROUND

We investigated the prognostic usefulness of prechemoradiotherapy (CRT) albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) in unresectable locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma (LAPAC) patients managed with definitive concurrent CRT (CCRT).

METHODS

A sum of 136 LAPAC patients who consecutively underwent definitive CCRT was retrospectively analyzed. The AAPR (serum albumin (g/dL)/serum alkaline phosphatase (IU/L)) was calculated by using the parameters obtained from the routine biochemistry tests on the first day of the CCRT. Ideal AAPR cutoff was sought by utilizing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The primary and secondary endpoints were the impact of the AAPR on the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) results, respectively.

RESULTS

At a median follow-up of 14.8 months (range: 3.2-85.7), the median PFS and OS times were 7.5 (95% confidence interval (CI): 6.0-9.0) and 14.9 months (95% CI: 11.9-17.9), respectively. The ideal common AAPR cutoff was identified at the rounded 0.46 (area under the curve: 72.3%; sensitivity: 71.2%; specificity: 70.3%) point that dichotomized the patients into two groups: low AAPR (L-AAPR; N = 71) and high AAPR (H-AAPR; N = 65) groups, respectively. Comparative survival analyses showed that the L-AAPR cohort had significantly shorter median PFS (6.8 (95% CI: 5.7-7.9) versus 11.3 (95% CI: 9.9-12.7) months; P = 0.005) and OS (12.8 (95% CI: 10.6-15.0) versus 19.2 (95% CI: 16.9-21.5) months; P = 0.001) durations than their H-AAPR counterparts, separately. Albeit the N1-2 (P = 0.004) and CA 19-9 > 90 U/mL (P = 0.008) were also found to be associated with inferior outcomes, yet the results of the multivariate analyses ascertained the L-AAPR as an independent indicator of diminished PFS (P = 0.003) and OS (P = 0.002) results.

CONCLUSION

The present results proposed that the pretreatment AAPR < 0.46 was a novel independent indicator of adverse PFS and OS in unresectable LAPAC patients undergoing definitive CCRT.

Albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio as a promising indicator of prognosis in human cancers: is it possible?

Background

The impact of albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) on prognosis in cancer patients remains uncertain, despite having multiple relevant studies in publication.

Methods

We systemically compiled literatures from 3 databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Web of Science) updated to May 24th, 2020. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed and synthesized using STATA 14, values were then pooled and utilized in order to assess the overall impact of AAPR on patient’s prognosis.

Results

In total, 18 studies involving 25 cohorts with 7019 cases were incorporated. Pooled results originated from both univariate and multivariate analyses (HR = 2.14, 95%CI:1.83–2.51, random-effects model; HR = 1.93, 95%CI:1.75–2.12, fixed-effects model; respectively) suggested that decreased AAPR had adverse effect on overall survival (OS). Similarly, pooled results from both univariate and multivariate analysis of fixed-effects model, evinced that decreased AAPR also had adverse effect on disease-free survival (DFS) (HR = 1.81, 95%CI:1.60–2.04, I² = 29.5%, P = 0.174; HR = 1.69, 95%CI:1.45–1.97, I² = 13.0%, P = 0.330; respectively), progression-free survival (PFS) (HR = 1.71, 95%CI:1.31–2.22, I² = 0.0%, P = 0.754; HR = 1.90, 95%CI:1.16–3.12, I² = 0.0%, P = 0.339; respectively), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR = 2.22, 95%CI:1.67–2.95, I² = 5.6%, P = 0.347; HR = 1.88, 95%CI:1.38–2.57, I² = 26.4%, P = 0.244; respectively). Admittedly, heterogeneity and publication bias existed, but stratification of univariate meta-analytic results, as well as adjusted meta-analytic results via trim and fill method, all showed that AAPR still significantly correlated with poor OS despite of confounding factors.

Conclusions

In summary, decreased AAPR had adverse effect on prognosis in cancer patients. As an inexpensive and convenient ratio derived from liver function test, AAPR might become a promising indicator of prognosis in human cancers.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-07921-6.

Albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio: A novel prognostic index for patients with driver mutation-negative advanced non-small cell lung cancer

INTRODUCTION

Albumin-to-Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio (AAPR), a novel developed prognostic index for cancers. Chemotherapy was the only method for driver mutation-negative advanced non-small cell lung cancer (DANSCLC).

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the clinical significance of AAPR in these patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 167 DANSCLCs and 58 healthy controls. Associations of clinicopathological characteristics and survival analysis were conducted.

RESULTS

Significantly decreased AAPR level was uncovered in DANSCLC patients compared to healthy controls. The correlation analysis revealed that the low AAPR level in DANSCLCs was correlated with poor differentiation (P = .024). Cox regression analysis showed that N stage, M stage, and different levels of AAPR were the independent risk factors of PFS and OS. The median PFS and OS survival ratio in patients with high and low AAPR level was, respectively, 17 months and 8 months, and 23 months and 13 months. The AUC of AAPR for both PFS and OS were higher than that of albumin and alkaline phosphatase (p < 0.05). The low AAPR was associated with much shorter PFS and OS than the high AAPR (mPFS: 8 vs. 25 months; mOS: 12 vs. 36 months). In the AP cohort, the low AAPR group experienced significantly shorter PFS and OS than the high AAPR (mPFS: 7 vs. 25 months; mOS: 12 vs. 36 months). Meanwhile, there was no significance in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) patients and GP regimens cohort.

CONCLUSION

AAPR significantly decreased in patients with DANSCLC, and it affects the prognosis of patients with DANSCLC and is a biomarker for DANSCLCs prognosis and treatment choice.

Gamma-Glutamyl Transpeptidase to Platelet Ratio Is a Novel and Independent Prognostic Marker for Resectable Lung Cancer: A Propensity Score Matching Study

BACKGROUND

We report this propensity score matching (PSM) analysis to assess prognostic roles of preoperative gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to platelet ratio (GPR) in video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy for stage I-II non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

The PSM-based study conducted on our single-center prospectively collected database from January 2014 to August 2015 provided Kaplan-Meier survival analyses using the log-rank test to discriminate differences in overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) between patients stratified by preoperative GPR.

RESULTS

Our study includes 379 patients diagnosed with operable primary stage I-II NSCLC. A GPR value at 0.16 was recognized as the optimal cutoff point for prognostic prediction. Both OS and DFS of patients with GPR ≥0.16 were significantly shortened when compared to those of patients with GPR <0.16. Patients with GPR ≥0.16 had significantly lower 5-year rates of OS and DFS than those of patients with GPR <0.16 (P <0.001). Significant associations between GPR and unfavorable survival still are validated in the PSM analysis. Multivariable Cox regression models on both the entire cohort and the PSM cohort consistently demonstrated that an elevated preoperative GPR could be an independent prognostic marker for both OS and DFS of resectable NSCLC.

CONCLUSIONS

GPR may be an effective and noninvasive prognostic biomarker in VATS lobectomy for surgically resectable NSCLC.

Prognostic Value of Pretreatment Albumin-to-Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio in Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Background

Recently, it has been reported that the pretreatment albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) is related to the prognosis of various cancers. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to explore the prognostic value of pretreatment AAPR on clinical outcomes in cancer.

Methods

PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase were systematically searched for relevant research before May 2020. Stata 12 was utilized to extract the data and the characteristics of each study and to generate a pooled hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) to assess the relationship between pretreatment AAPR and survival outcomes.

Results

We included 16 eligible published articles involving 5,716 patients. We found that low pretreatment AAPR was associated with poor overall survival (HR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.80–2.50, P < 0.001), cancer-specific survival (HR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.46–5.71, P < 0.001), disease-free survival (HR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.43–2.53, P < 0.001), and progression-free survival (HR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.49–2.52, P < 0.001). However, there was no statistical relationship between pretreatment AAPR and recurrence-free survival, distant-metastasis-free survival, or locoregional relapse-free survival. The correlation between pretreatment AAPR and overall survival did not change significantly when possible confounders were stratified. The sensitivity analysis showed that this study was reliable.

Conclusions

Low pretreatment AAPR was significantly associated with adverse clinical outcomes of cancer. Pretreatment AAPR could be a valuable noninvasive prognostic indicator for cancer.

Validation of the Prognostic Value of Preoperative Albumin-to-Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio in Patients with Surgically Treated Non-Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Purpose

Several studies have revealed that albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) was correlated to the survival of several cancers. To explore the impact of AAPR on the survival of non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients following nephrectomy, the present study was conducted.

Patients and Methods

A total of 648 patients were enrolled in the present study. The cut-off value of AAPR was determined based on the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Univariate and multivariate analyses were applied to identify prognostic factors. The discrimination and calibration of models for survival outcomes were evaluated based on the concordance index (C-index), ROC analysis and calibration curve.

Results

The low AAPR (≤0.5) was associated with older age (P<0.001), higher T stage (P=0.002), larger tumor size (P=0.014) and tumor necrosis (P=0.003). A high AAPR was significantly correlated to better OS (hazard ratio, HR=0.61; P=0.038) and CSS (HR=0.52; P=0.013) based on multivariate analysis. Integrating AAPR with UISS or SSIGN, the C-indexes of nomogram for OS (UISS: 0.790 vs 0.765; SSIGN: 0.861 vs 0.850) and CSS (UISS: 0.832 vs 0.805; SSIGN: 0.905 vs 0.896) increased. Moreover, the nomogram for OS and CSS was established based on the multivariate analysis. The C-indexes of nomogram for OS and CSS were 0.834 (95% CI 0.794–0.874) and 0.867 (95% CI 0.830–0.904), respectively.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the high preoperative AAPR was a favorable prognostic factor for surgically treated non-metastatic RCC patients. AAPR also could improve the predictive value of well-established models. The nomogram that incorporates AAPR had a good performance. More prospective studies with a large scale are essential to validate our findings.

Naples Prognostic Score as a novel prognostic prediction tool in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for early-stage lung cancer: a propensity score matching study

BACKGROUNDS

The Naples Prognostic Score (NPS) emerges as a novel prognostic scoring system in surgical oncology. We aim to assess the prognostic significance of preoperative NPS in patients undergoing completely video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

METHODS

The present study was conducted on our single-center prospectively maintained database between January 2014 and December 2015. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis using the log-rank test was used to distinguish differences in both overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) between the patients stratified by preoperative NPS. Finally, multivariable Cox-proportional hazards regression analysis and PSM analysis were carried out to determine the independent prognostic factors for both OS and DFS.

RESULTS

There were 457 patients with operable primary stage I-II NSCLC included. Per 1-point increase in NPS was found to be significantly associated with unfavorable OS and DFS of NSCLC. Both OS and DFS were significantly shortened along with each number increase in the NPS group, showing a step-wise fashion. Such strong correlations between preoperative NPS and survival outcomes still remained validated after PSM analysis. In addition, NPS held the best discriminatory power for predicting both OS and DFS when compared to the other peripheral biomarkers. Multivariable analyses on the entire cohort and the PSM cohort demonstrated that preoperative NPS could be an independent prognostic indicator for both OS and DFS.

CONCLUSIONS

The NPS scoring system can serve as a novel risk stratification tool to refine prognostic prediction after VATS lobectomy for surgically resected NSCLC.

Pretreatment albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio as a prognostic indicator in solid cancers: A meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis

BACKGROUND

Albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR), a novel and economic serum biomarker, is associated with survival in patients with cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the potential role of AAPR as a prognostic indicator of solid cancers.

METHODS

This meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis of retrospective studies was designed to investigate the relationship between AAPR and overall survival (OS) in solid cancers. The meta-analysis included 5951 patients from 20 cohorts. The main predictor variable was AAPR, and the main outcome was OS. Statistical tests were performed using Stata 12.0, Revman 5.3, and R 3.6.1.

RESULTS

Compared to patients with a lower AAPR, those with a higher AAPR had a better OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.43-0.58; p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis by tumor type indicated that a higher AAPR was associated with a better OS in non-small cell lung cancer (HR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.26-0.78; p < 0.001), small cell lung cancer (HR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.44-0.82; p < 0.001), hepatocellular carcinoma (HR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.34-0.69; p < 0.001), pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (HR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.31-0.71; p < 0.001), and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (HR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.21-0.85; p = 0.016).

CONCLUSION

Pretreatment AAPR may be a useful prognostic indicator in solid cancers.

Analysis of clinical features and prognostic factors of lung cancer patients: A population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVES

This paper analyses clinical features of lung cancer patients and discusses factors influencing the lung cancer occurrence and prognosis.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with lung cancer from 1975 to 2016 are analysed based on SEER database. The samples are divided into groups according to the number of positive lymph nodes of LN > 3 and LN ≤ 3. Univariate and multivariate Cox risk models are performed. After balancing the clinicopathological features of the two groups with the propensity score matching (PSM) method, the survival rates of the two groups are compared.

RESULTS

A total of 30 864 patients are included in this study. Kaplan-Meier curves show that the survival rate of patients with LN ≤ 3 is higher than that of patients with LN > 3 (P < 0.0001). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional risk model analysis suggests that the number of lymph nodes is an independent prognostic risk factor for lung cancer. LN ≤ 3 group shows better OS (HR2.066; 95% CI 1.941-2.199, P < 0.01) and better CSS (HR 2.461; 95% CI 2.304-2.629, P < 0.01). In addition, age at diagnosis, gender, Laterality, Derived AJCC T, 7th ed (2010-2015), Derived AJCC N, 7th ed (2010-2015) and Derived AJCC M, 7th ed, (2010-2015) have also been proved to be potential prognostic factors. A total of 1,851 pairs of patients are screened after 1:1 PSM matching. Patients with LN ≤ 3 have significant improvements in OS and CSS (HR 1.09; 95% CI 1.001-1.187, P < 0.05 and HR 1.127; 95% CI 1.03-1.232, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The number of lymph nodes is an independent prognostic risk factor for lung cancer. Patients with fewer lymph node positives have a better survival prognosis than patients with more lymph nodes.

Predictive value of pretreatment albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio for overall survival for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Objectives

To investigate the relation between AAPR and OS in patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 808 patients with advanced NSCLC who were treated in Guangxi Medical University Affiliated Tumor Hospital in China from 5 March 2009 to 31 August 2018. The target‐independent and dependent variables were AAPR measured in patients before anticancer treatment and overall survival (OS), respectively. Covariates involved in this study included age, gender, ECOG status, smoking history, clinical stages, pathological type, driver mutation (EGFR or ALK), metastasis or not (bone, lung, liver, brain, malignant plural effusion, and other organs), number of organ metastasis(≤3, >3), first‐line regiment and number of treatment lines (≤3, >3).

Results

The mean age of the selected patients was 58.3 ± 10.9 years and 68.6% were male. We divided patients according to their AAPR into low (AAPR < 0.34, n = 266), medium (AAPR = 0.34‐0.47, n = 259), and high (AAPR > 0.47, n = 283) tertile groups. Medium and high AAPR were associated with a decreased risk of death after fully adjusted Cox proportional hazard model(s) with hazards ratio (HR) 0.77 (95%CI = 0.58‐1.03) and HR 0.59 (95%CI = 0.45‐0.78), respectively (P for trend <.05). The median OS of low, medium, and high AAPR was 9.3, 11.8, and 16.9 months, respectively (P value <.0001). No optimal cutoff value of AAPR for prognosing OS was identified by smooth curve fitting. The HR and the 95% confidence intervals of the left and right sides of the inflection point 0.6 as cutoff value were 0.28 (95%CI = 0.14‐0.57) and 0.77 (95%CI = 0.34‐1.73), respectively (P value = .127). By subgroup analysis, similar results were consistently observed across nearly all the subgroups.

Conclusion

Our study implied that pretreatment AAPR can be used as an independent prognostic factor in patients with advanced NSCLC. This ratio should be applied for risk stratification and clinical decision‐making in those patients.

Albumin-to-Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio is an Independent Prognostic Indicator in Combined Hepatocellular and Cholangiocarcinoma

Background: The clinical significance of Albumin-to-Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio (AAPR) has been discussed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CC). The aim of this study is to clarify the prognostic value of AAPR in patients with combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA). Methods: A total of 267 patients pathologically diagnosed as Allen type C cHCC-CCA in our institution were retrospectively enrolled and randomly divided into the training (N=187) cohort and validation (N=80) cohort. The prognostic value of AAPR was evaluated and validated. An AAPR-based nomogram was constructed and its prediction performance was assessed. Results: We identified 0.43 as the optimal threshold value of AAPR by the X-tile software. In the training cohort, the median overall survival (OS) of patients with AAPR < 0.43 was significant shorter than that of those with AAPR ≥ 0.43(15.8 months vs 35 months, respectively, P < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that AAPR was a strong indicator of OS. The concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, likelihood ratio tests (LAT), Akaike information criteria (AIC) and decision curve analysis (DCA) demonstrated that AAPR outperformed the Child-Pugh (CP) grade and albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade in predicting OS. These findings were further verified in the validation cohort. The AAPR-based nomogram achieved C-index values of 0.76 (95%CI: 0.71-0.81) in the training cohort and 0.69 (95%CI: 0.60-0.78) in the validation cohort, which presented significant superiority to TNM stage. Conclusions: Preoperative AAPR is an independent prognostic predictor in cHCC-CCA. The AAPR-based nomogram contributes to personalized prognosis prediction and clinical decision making for cHCC-CCA.

Albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio serves as a prognostic indicator in unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a propensity score matching analysis

BACKGROUND

Recent evidence suggests that albumin-to-Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio (AAPR) functions as a novel prognostic marker in several malignancies. However, whether it can predict the prognosis of unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains unclear. Herein, we seek to investigate this possibility by a propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study in which 419 patients diagnosed with unresectable PDAC and receiving chemotherapy were recruited. Patients were stratified based on the cutoff value of AAPR. The PSM analysis was performed to identify 156 well-balanced patients in each group for overall survival (OS) comparison and subgroup analysis. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to examine the potential of AAPR to indicate the prognosis of unresectable PDAC. The prediction performance of conventional model and combined model including AAPR was compared using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and concordance index (C-index).

RESULTS

We identified an AAPR of 0.4 to be the optimal cutoff for OS prediction. Patients with AAPR≤0.4 had significantly shorter OS compared with patients with AAPR> 0.4 (6.4 versus 9.3 months; P < 0.001). Based on the PSM cohort and entire cohort, multivariate Cox analysis revealed that high pretreatment for AAPR was an independent marker predicting favorable survival in unresectable PDAC (hazard ratio, 0.556; 95% confidence interval, 0.408 to 0.757; P < 0.001). Significant differences in OS were observed in all subgroups except for the group of patients age ≤ 60. Combined prognostic model including AAPR had lower AIC and higher C-index than conventional prognostic model.

CONCLUSIONS

Pretreatment AAPR servers as an independent prognostic indicator for patients with unresectable PDAC. Inclusion of AAPR improved the prediction performance of conventional prognostic model, potentially helping clinicians to identify patients at high risk and guide individualized treatment.

The Year in Thoracic Anesthesia: Selected Highlights from 2019

THIS special article is the 4th in an annual series for the Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia. The authors thank the editor-in-chief, Dr. Kaplan; the associate editor-in-chief, Dr. Augoustides; and the editorial board for the opportunity to expand this series, the research highlights of the year that specifically pertain to the specialty of thoracic anesthesia. The major themes selected for 2019 are outlined in this introduction, and each highlight is reviewed in detail in the main body of the article. The literature highlights in this specialty for 2019 include updates in the preoperative assessment and optimization of patients undergoing lung resection and esophagectomy, updates in one lung ventilation (OLV) and protective ventilation during OLV, a review of recent meta-analyses comparing truncal blocks with paravertebral catheters and the introduction of a new truncal block, meta-analyses comparing nonintubated video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) with those performed using endotracheal intubation, a review of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) recent composite score rating for pulmonary resection of lung cancer, and an update of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines for both lung and esophageal surgery.

Biochemical Markers of Saliva in Lung Cancer: Diagnostic and Prognostic Perspectives

The aim of the work is to study the metabolic characteristics of saliva in lung cancer for use in early diagnosis and determining the prognosis of the disease. The patient group included 425 lung cancer patients, 168 patients with non-cancerous lung diseases, and 550 healthy volunteers. Saliva samples were collected from all participants in the experiment before treatment and 34 biochemical saliva parameters were determined. Participants were monitored for six years to assess survival rates. The statistical analysis was performed by means of Statistica 10.0 (StatSoft) program and R package (version 3.2.3). To construct the classifier, the Random Forest method was used; the classification quality was assessed using the cross-validation method. Prognostic factors were analyzed by multivariate analysis using Cox's proportional hazard model in a backward step-wise fashion to adjust for potential confounding factors. A complex of metabolic changes occurring in saliva in lung cancer is described. Seven biochemical parameters were identified (catalase, triene conjugates, Schiff bases, pH, sialic acids, alkaline phosphatase, chlorides), which were used to construct the classifier. The sensitivity and specificity of the method were 69.5% and 87.5%, which is practically not inferior to the diagnostic characteristics of markers routinely used in the diagnosis of lung cancer. Significant independent factors in the poor prognosis of lung cancer are imidazole compounds (ICs) above 0.478 mmol/L and salivary lactate dehydrogenase activity below 545 U/L. Saliva has been shown to have great potential for the development of diagnostic and prognostic tests for lung cancer.

Neutrophil-To-Lymphocyte Ratio Predicted Long-Term Chemotherapy Benefits In Stage IIIB-IV Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Without Sensitive Mutations

PURPOSE

To investigate the predictive capability of clinical parameters for long-term chemotherapy benefits among stage IIIB-IV non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients without sensitive mutations.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We investigated the clinical features of 206 stage IIIB-IV non-squamous NSCLC patients without sensitive mutations and assessed their predictive value for disease control rate (DCR) at 6 and 12 months post-treatment.

RESULTS

Seventy-two patients received docetaxel and platinum-based chemotherapy while 134 received pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy. The 6-month and 12-month DCR were 33 (45.8%) and 6 (8.3%) in the docetaxel group and 69 (51.5%) and 19 (14.2%) in the pemetrexed group, respectively. Univariate Cox regression revealed that age, sex, smoking history, adrenal gland metastasis, stage IV disease, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and serum albumin were associated with unfavorable progression-free survival (PFS). Age, stage IV disease, and NLR were identified as independent predictors of PFS using multivariate analysis. NLR was the only parameter that could predict 3-month and 6-month DCRs. NLR and age were able to predict 12-month DCR, with NLR presenting a larger area under the curve. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated that patients with NLR > 2.231 displayed significantly reduced long-term disease control. The group with higher NLR had more male patients, lower ALB levels, and serum sodium levels as well as higher platelet counts.

CONCLUSION

NLR was an independent predictor of long-term chemotherapy benefits among non-squamous NSCLC patients without sensitive mutations. Patients with lower NLR were optimal candidates for chemotherapy. Patients with high NLR may receive alternative treatments or be included in clinical trials.