Prognostic value of pretreatment serum lactate dehydrogenase level in patients with solid tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Lung Immune Prognostic Index-Based Predictive Score in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with a Programmed Death Ligand-1 Tumor Proportion Score ≥ 50

Background/Objectives: The Lung Immune Prognostic Index (LIPI) has emerged as a promising biomarker for predicting outcomes in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC). We assessed whether LIPI, in combination with baseline clinical characteristics, can guide first-line treatment selection between pembrolizumab (P) and pembrolizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy (PCT) in patients with PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥ 50% and EGFR/ALK/ROS1 wild-type. Methods: A predictive score was developed using baseline clinical variables, including age, sex, smoking status, and LIPI, in a proof-of-concept cohort (n = 241). This model was then validated in an independent cohort of 409 patients. OS was compared between patients treated with P versus PCT, stratified by predictive score. Results: In the proof-of-concept cohort, the median OS was 18.3 months for P and 26.6 months for PCT (p = 0.001). In the validation cohort, the median OS was 28.0 months for P and 22.2 months for PCT (p = 0.062). Stratification using the predictive score showed that patients with high scores (3-5) had improved OS with PCT compared to P (31.2 vs. 25.5 months, p = 0.001), while those with low scores (0-2) derived similar benefits from both treatments. Conclusions: This LIPI-based predictive score may assist in identifying aNSCLC patients who derive greater benefit from chemo-immunotherapy over immunotherapy. Its simplicity and clinical relevance support integration into treatment decision-making, pending prospective validation.

Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase Level Prior to First-Line Chemotherapy for Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma Is a Prognostic Factor for Avelumab Maintenance Therapy: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

OBJECTIVES

We investigate the association between serum lactate dehydrogenase and prognosis in patients with urothelial carcinoma who were treated with avelumab maintenance therapy in combination with other biomarkers.

METHODS

We identified 54 patients with advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma that received avelumab maintenance therapy between June 2021 and February 2024 at our institutions. We retrospectively analyzed progression-free survival and overall survival from the initiation of avelumab maintenance therapy. Best overall response was evaluated based on the RECIST guidelines v1.1. To investigate factors potentially associated with response to avelumab maintenance therapy and overall survival, we conducted an assessment of markers that have been previously reported as prognostic factors, including urothelial carcinoma and other cancers.

RESULTS

The median overall survival by best overall response of first-line chemotherapy was not reached for complete response, partial response, or 15-month stable disease (p = 0.27). As for avelumab maintenance therapy, median overall survival by best overall response was not reached for complete response, partial response, and not evaluable; it was 18 months for stable disease and 13 months for progressive disease, with significant differences (p = 0.04). In multivariable analysis, lactate dehydrogenase level below the upper limit of normal prior to first-line chemotherapy was a significant independent factor in predicting disease control rate (p < 0.01) and overall survival (p = 0.04) in avelumab maintenance therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Normal serum lactate dehydrogenase level prior to first-line chemotherapy was a significant predictor of favorable response or prognosis for avelumab maintenance therapy in our cohort.

Synthesis of 1-Hydroxy(and 1-Alkoxy, 1-Acyloxy)-1H-indoles and evaluations of their suppressive activities against tumor growth through inhibiting lactate dehydrogenase A

Inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) has emerged as a promising cancer therapy strategy due to its essential role in the metabolic transformation of cancer cells. In this study, 53 derivatives of 1-hydroxy(and 1-alkoxy, 1-acyloxy)indoles were designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated. Several multi-substituted 1-hydroxy(and 1-alkoxy, 1-acyloxy)indole compounds exhibited inhibitory activity against the LDH-A isoform (LDHA). We confirmed that the C(3)-substituent provided additional significant hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, which enhanced the LDHA inhibitory activity with high selectivity. Our results revealed that methyl 4-bromo-3-[(n-hexyloxy)methyl]-1-hydroxy-1H-indole-2-carboxylate (1g), selectively inhibited LDHA (IC50 = 25 ± 1.12 nM) without affecting the LDH-B isoform (LDHB). The compound exhibited potent cytotoxic activity in several cancer cell lines, including DLD-1 colorectal cancer cells (GI50 = 27 ± 1.2 μM). Compound 1g significantly inhibited cancer cell growth by activating apoptotic pathways in a xenograft cancer model, without causing weight loss or liver and kidney damage. Therefore, compound 1g may serve as a highly specific and promising candidate for the development of LDHA inhibitors for cancer therapy.

Serum lactate dehydrogenase as a prognostic marker for treatment response in IDH wild-type glioblastoma patients undergoing stupp protocol

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), a marker of tumor aggressiveness and metabolic alterations, may predict treatment response and overall survival across various tumors. This study investigates the correlation between serum LDH levels and clinical outcomes in glioblastoma patients treated with radiotherapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study analysed patients with IDH wild-type glioblastoma (IDH-wt GB) treated at the Radiotherapy Department of Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Senese from 2018 to 2023. Clinical data, including hematologic parameters (e.g., LDH), imaging (MRI), and MGMT promoter methylation status, were collected. All patients received RT and TMZ following the Stupp protocol. Serum LDH levels were measured one week before RT, and Radiological Response (RR) was assessed using RANO criteria. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and RR were primary endpoints. Statistical analyses included Kaplan-Meier, Cox regression, and decision tree analysis for LDH cut-off determination.

RESULTS

In a cohort of 147 IDH wild-type glioblastoma patients treated with the Stupp protocol, the median OS was 14 months and median PFS was 8 months. Elevated baseline LDH levels were associated with significantly poorer outcomes, showing a median OS of 9 months versus 20 months and a median PFS of 6 months versus 13 months for lower LDH levels (p < 0.001 and p = 0.0001, respectively). LDH levels also correlated with RR (p = 0,001), Multivariate analysis confirmed high LDH as an independent predictor of worse OS (HR = 2.31) and PFS (HR = 2.60), suggesting its utility as a prognostic biomarker.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated LDH levels before starting the Stupp protocol are clinically significant as they predict poorer overall survival and progression-free survival in glioblastoma patients and worse RR. Incorporating LDH measurements into treatment planning can help identify patients at higher risk of poor outcomes, allowing for more tailored and potentially aggressive treatment strategies to improve management and therapeutic responses in glioblastoma.

Predictive and Prognostic Value of Inflammatory and Nutritional Indexes in Patients with Breast Cancer Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Background and Objectives: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) improves survival by increasing pathologic complete response (pCR). Blood-based indexes have been studied in breast cancer for predicting pCR and prognosis, but the results are conflicting. We aimed to assess the impact of inflammatory and nutritional indexes on pCR and survival. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 304 patients. Pre-NAC laboratory data were used to calculate their neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (NLR), pan-immune inflammation values (PIV), lactate dehydrogenase-albumin ratios (LAR), and prognostic nutritional indexes. The optimal cut-off values were determined through an analysis of the receiver operating characteristic curve. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to reveal the factors predicting pCR. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were conducted to identify prognostic factors predicting survival. Results: The median follow-up was 38.5 months. pCR was achieved in 41.4% of the patients. In the univariate analyses, the NLR (p = 0.032) and PIV (p = 0.002) were indexes associated with pCR. In the multivariate analysis, the PIV (p = 0.008) was the only index significantly correlated with pCR. According to the multivariate Cox regression analyses, clinical stage 3 (p = 0.032), a pathologic response other than pCR (p = 0.021), and a high LAR (≥4.72) (p = 0.002) were correlated with increased recurrence risk. The univariate Cox regression analyses revealed that failure to achieve pCR (p = 0.037) and the presence of a high LAR (p = 0.044) were significant predictors of overall survival. However, the multivariate analyses failed to identify any significant predictors of death. Conclusions: We found that the PIV was more effective than the other indexes in predicting pCR. To our knowledge, this study is the first to determine an association between the LAR and disease-free survival in patients with breast cancer receiving NAC. We concluded that a high LAR was a poor prognostic factor, especially in patients without a pCR. Therefore, close postoperative monitoring and the intensification of adjuvant treatment should be considered for these patients. However, further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Comprehensive metabolomic analysis identifies key biomarkers and modulators of immunotherapy response in NSCLC patients

Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized immuno-oncology with effective clinical responses, only 30 to 40 % of patients respond to ICIs, highlighting the need for reliable biomarkers to predict and enhance therapeutic outcomes. This study investigated how amino acid, glycolysis, and bile acid metabolism affect ICI efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Through targeted metabolomic profiling and machine learning analysis, we identified amino acid metabolism as a key factor, with histidine (His) linked to favorable outcomes and homocysteine (HCys), phenylalanine (Phe), and sarcosine (Sar) linked to poor outcomes. Importantly, the His/HCys+Phe+Sar ratio emerges as a robust biomarker. Furthermore, we emphasize the role of glycolysis-related metabolites, particularly lactate. Elevated lactate levels post-immunotherapy treatment correlate with poorer outcomes, underscoring lactate as a potential indicator of treatment efficacy. Moreover, specific bile acids, glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA) and taurolithocholic acid (TLCA), are associated with better survival and therapeutic response. Particularly, TLCA enhances T cell activation and anti-tumor immunity, suggesting its utility as a predictive biomarker and therapeutic agent. We also suggest a connection between gut microbiota and TLCA levels, with the Eubacterium genus modulating this relationship. Therefore, modulating specific metabolic pathways-particularly amino acid, glycolysis, and bile acid metabolism-could predict and enhance the efficacy of ICI therapy in NSCLC patients, with potential implications for personalized treatment strategies in immuno-oncology. ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: Our study identifies metabolic biomarkers and pathways that could predict and enhance the outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in NSCLC patients.

New model to predict survival in advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients by measuring GGT and LDH levels and monocyte count

Introduction

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal cancer with a poor survival outcome. Predicting patient survival allows physicians to tailor treatments to specific individuals. Thus, a simple and cost-effective prognosis model is sorely needed.

Methods

This retrospective study assesses the prognostic value of blood biomarkers in advanced and metastatic PDAC patients (n=96) from Spain. Cut-off points for hematological parameters were calculated and correlated with overall survival (OS) using Kaplan-Meier, log-rank test, robust Cox proportional hazards and logistic regressions.

Results

In univariate analysis, individuals with low levels of GGT, LDH, ALP, leukocyte-, neutrophil- and monocyte counts showed significantly longer survival than patients with higher levels. In multivariate analysis, lower levels of GGT (HR (95%CI), 2.734 (1.223-6.111); p=0.014), LDH (HR (95%CI), 1.876 (1.035-3.400); p=0.038) and monocyte count (HR (95%CI), 1.657 (1.095-2.506); p = 0.017) remained significantly beneficial. In consequence, we propose a prognostic model based on logistic regression (AUC=0.741) of these three biomarkers as a pioneer tool to estimate OS in PDAC.

Conclusion

This study has demonstrated that the joint use of GGT (<92.00), LDH (<220.00) and monocyte count (<800) are independent positive prognostic factors in PDAC that can predict one-year survival in a novel prognostic logistic model.

Effect of Preoperative Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase-to-Albumin Ratio on the Survival of Oral Cancer: A Retrospective Study

Background

Several studies have investigated the relationship between serum lactate dehydrogenase-to-albumin ratio (LAR) and the prognosis of cancers. However, no studies have explored the association between serum LAR and the survival of oral cancer (OC). This study was aimed to determine the association of serum LAR with the overall survival (OS) of OC.

Methods

One hundred and ninety patients with OC were included in this study between January 2018 and December 2019. Log rank test and Kaplan-Meier method were used to compare the survival rate of OC between the low LAR group and the high LAR group. The association between serum LAR and the survival of OC patients was determined via univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses.

Results

Kaplan-Meier analysis and Log rank test indicated that the OS rate in low LAR group was significantly higher than that in high LAR group (P < 0.05). Univariate cox analysis showed that TNM III-IV stage, serum LDH > 162 U/L, and serum LAR > 3.79 were significantly associated with the OS of OC patients. Multivariate Cox analysis suggested that the TNM III-IV stage (HR, 2.317; 95% CI, 1.423-3.774, P = 0.001) and serum LAR > 3.79 (HR, 5.138; 95% CI, 2.245-11.756, P = 0.000) were independently related with poor OS of OC patients.

Conclusion

High serum LAR (>3.79) is an independent predictor of adverse prognosis in OC patients. LAR could be used as a promising marker for predicting the OS of OC patients.

Validation and comparison of prognostic scoring systems in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab

OBJECTIVE

Several scoring systems have been developed to predict prognosis in patients with refractory cancer. We aimed to validate eight scoring systems and determine the best method for predicting the prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab.

METHODS

This multicentre retrospective study involved 154 patients with recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab between 2017 and 2020. Oncological outcomes were assessed according to the scoring systems, including MD Anderson Cancer Center + neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and Hammersmith scores. Objective response, overall survival and progression-free survival were evaluated using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards analyses. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to calculate the area under the curve and estimate the efficacy of each score.

RESULTS

No significant associations were found between the responses and any score. Seven of the eight scoring systems were associated with disease control (odds ratio, 0.26-0.70). Amongst the eight scoring systems, MD Anderson Cancer Center + neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio showed the highest area under the curve for predicting response and disease control. Seven scoring systems were prognostic factors for progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 1.22-1.95). All eight scoring systems were prognostic factors for overall survival (hazard ratio, 1.62-3.83). According to the time-dependent receiver operating characteristics analysis for overall survival, the Hammersmith scoring system had the best predictive ability at 3 months, and the MD Anderson Cancer Center + neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio scoring system had the highest area under the curve between 6 and 24 months.

CONCLUSIONS

MD Anderson Cancer Center + neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and Hammersmith scoring systems were better predictors of prognosis in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab.

Tumor biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and targeted therapy

Tumor biomarkers, the substances which are produced by tumors or the body's responses to tumors during tumorigenesis and progression, have been demonstrated to possess critical and encouraging value in screening and early diagnosis, prognosis prediction, recurrence detection, and therapeutic efficacy monitoring of cancers. Over the past decades, continuous progress has been made in exploring and discovering novel, sensitive, specific, and accurate tumor biomarkers, which has significantly promoted personalized medicine and improved the outcomes of cancer patients, especially advances in molecular biology technologies developed for the detection of tumor biomarkers. Herein, we summarize the discovery and development of tumor biomarkers, including the history of tumor biomarkers, the conventional and innovative technologies used for biomarker discovery and detection, the classification of tumor biomarkers based on tissue origins, and the application of tumor biomarkers in clinical cancer management. In particular, we highlight the recent advancements in biomarker-based anticancer-targeted therapies which are emerging as breakthroughs and promising cancer therapeutic strategies. We also discuss limitations and challenges that need to be addressed and provide insights and perspectives to turn challenges into opportunities in this field. Collectively, the discovery and application of multiple tumor biomarkers emphasized in this review may provide guidance on improved precision medicine, broaden horizons in future research directions, and expedite the clinical classification of cancer patients according to their molecular biomarkers rather than organs of origin.

Isorhamnetin: what is the in vitro evidence for its antitumor potential and beyond?

Isorhamnetin (ISO) is a phenolic compound belonging to flavonoid family, showcasing important in vitro pharmacological activities such as antitumor, anti-inflammation, and organ protection. ISO is predominantly extracted from Hippophae rhamnoides L. This plant is well-known in China and abroad because of its "medicinal and food homologous" characteristics. As a noteworthy natural drug candidate, ISO has received considerable attention in recent years owing to its low cost, wide availability, high efficacy, low toxicity, and minimal side effects. To comprehensively elucidate the multiple biological functions of ISO, particularly its antitumor activities and other pharmacological potentials, a literature search was conducted using electronic databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. This review primarily focuses on ISO's ethnopharmacology. By synthesizing the advancements made in existing research, it is found that the general effects of ISO involve a series of in vitro potentials, such as antitumor, protection of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, anti-inflammation, antioxidant, and more. This review illustrates ISO's antitumor and other pharmacological potentials, providing a theoretical basis for further research and new drug development of ISO.

Analysis of clinical factors impacting recurrence in myxofibrosarcoma

Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is a malignant fibroblastic/myofibroblastic neoplasm with a prominent myxoid area. It has the clinical features of frequent local recurrence (LR) and occasional distant metastasis. Robust epidemiological data on MFS in China are lacking. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to determine the natural history of MFS, identify prognostic factors for recurrence and describe the real-life outcomes of MFS. We reviewed 52 patients with primary MFS from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University diagnosed between 2016 and 2020. All tumors were subjected to retrospective univariate analysis for prognostic factors of the disease, including tumor size, grade, location and sex; patient age; planned operation; surgical margin; and laboratory results. The significant factors identified by univariate analysis were subsequently analyzed via multivariate analysis. Overall survival (OS), post-treatment LR and metastatic-free survival were assessed as outcomes. The median age was 61 years (range, 13-93). Fourteen (26.92%) patients exhibited low grade disease, and 38 (73.08%) exhibited high grade disease. Among the 29 males, and 23 females, 15 (28.85%) had tumors in the trunk, 37 (71.15%) had tumors in the extremities, 26 had undergone planned surgery, and 26 had unexpected unplanned operation. The margin was negative in 39 (75%) patients and positive in 13 patients (25%). The serum creatine kinase (CK) concentration was high level in 33 (63.46%) patients and low level in 19 (36.54%) patients. The serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were low in 23 (44.23%) patients and high in 29 (55.77%) patients. LR was observed in 25 patients (48.08%), and 4 patients developed metastasis. A worse LR rate was found for patients with a low CK level (84.21%) than for those with a high CK level (27.27%) at 5 years (p < 0.05). The LR rate of patients who underwent planned surgery was lower than that of patients who underwent unplanned surgery (p < 0.05). There were significantly more patients with positive margins than patients with negative margins (92.30%, and 33.33%, respectively; p < 0.05). Moreover, superficial tumors were also associated with greater recurrence rate (2/20 [10%]) than deep tumors, (23/32 [71.86%]) [p < 0.05]. The probability of LR in patients with MFS was significantly greater in association with unplanned operations, positive margins, low serum CK levels or superficial tumor depth. These data could help identify high-risk patients; thus, more careful follow-up should be performed for higher-risk patients. Diagnosis and treatment at qualified regular medical centers can reduce the local recurrence rate of MFS.

Association between serum lactate dehydrogenase and lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2009 cervical cancer (CC) stages IB1-IIA2. All patient medical records with FIGO 2009 stage IB1-IIA2 CC between January 2012 and January 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. The association between serum LDH and LNM was assessed using uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses, subgroup analyses and P-splines. The present study included 586 patients, 91 (15.5%) of whom had LNM. Patients with an elevated LDH level were more likely to have a deep stromal invasion, lymph-vascular space invasion, LNM and to be of an older age. Multivariate logistic regression revealed a significant association between LNM and LDH levels. After adjusting for age, FIGO stage, tumor markers and risk factors according to the Sedlis criteria, patients in the highest LDH quartile had an increased risk of LNM compared with those in the lowest LDH quartile (odds ratio, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.57-7.81). Furthermore, P-spline regression revealed a dependence of LNM on LDH. The predictive value of LDH level remained significant in the subgroup analysis. The present study suggested that a higher LDH level was independently associated with CC and LNM, and that LDH level may serve as a potential tumor marker and treatment-related indicator.

Real-World Analysis of Clinical Characteristics and Survival Outcomes in Patients With Extensive-Stage SCLC Treated With First-Line Chemoimmunotherapy

Introduction

There are no clinically validated prognostic biomarkers in the management of extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC). We explored the association between clinical characteristics and survival outcomes in patients with ES-SCLC treated with chemoimmunotherapy.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, patients with ES-SCLC treated with first-line platinum-etoposide chemotherapy and atezolizumab were identified from medical records. Pretreatment clinical characteristics, biochemical parameters, and tumor and treatment characteristics were collected. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were used to evaluate treatment effect on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results

We evaluated 75 patients in total. The median PFS and OS were 6.1 months and 9.2 months, respectively. Statistically significant associations were found with lower lactate dehydrogenase and improved OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0-1.01, p = 0.006), whereas higher age (HR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.90-0.98, p = 0.006) and lower neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02-1.14, p = 0.005) were associated with improved PFS. The number of chemotherapy cycles received were associated with both an improved PFS (HR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.37-0.89, p = 0.011) and OS (HR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.30-0.84, p = 0.008).

Conclusions

This study highlights the important effect of chemotherapy on survival. Furthermore, the association between lactate dehydrogenase and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on survival further suggests that baseline tumor burden and optimizing sarcopenia are important factors for clinicians to consider as we seek to develop personalized treatment for this disease.

Serum lactate dehydrogenase level predicts the prognosis in bladder cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Recently, several studies investigated the association between lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level and the prognosis of urothelial carcinoma. However, no studies explored the role of serum LDH level in the survival of overall bladder cancer (BC). In this study, we intended to address the association of LDH level with the prognosis of BC.

METHODS

206 patients with BC were included in this study. The clinical data and blood samples of patients were collected. The overall survival and progression-free survival were used. Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test were used to evaluate the effects of LDH level on the survival of BC. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were utilized to identify prognosis predictors of BC.

RESULTS

Data indicated that serum LDH level in the BC patients was significantly higher than those in controls. In addition, this study suggested that serum LDH level was associated with T stage, N stage, tumor size, M stage, pathological type, and lymphovascular invasion. The Kaplan-Meier analysis found significant differences in the OS and PFS rate between lower and higher serum LDH level groups (LDH ≥ 225 U/L and < 225 U/L). Multivariate Cox regression indicated that pathological type, T2-3, and higher level of LDH were independently associated with adverse prognosis in BC patients.

CONCLUSION

The higher serum LDH level (≥ 225 U/L) is associated with poor prognosis in patients with BC. Serum LDH level could be used as a novel predictive biomarker for BC patients.

Prognostic value of serum α-HBDH levels in patients with lung cancer

BACKGROUND

The purpose of our study is to investigate the expression level and prognostic value of serum α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (α-HBDH) in lung cancer (LC) patients.

METHOD

LC patients treated in the Department of Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital from January 2014 to December 2016 were included in this study, all of whom underwent serological detection of α-HBDH prior to admission, and were enrolled in follow-up 5-year survival. Comparing the differences between high group and normal groups based on α-HBDH and LDH expression via clinicopathological parameters and laboratory data. Univariate and multivariate regression and overall survival (OS) were analyzed to explore whether elevated α-HBDH was an independent risk factor for LC, compared to LDH.

RESULTS

Multivariate regression analysis showed that age (P = 0.018), liver metastasis (P = 0.011), α-HBDH (P = 0.015), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (P = 0.031) were independent prognostic factors affecting OS in LC patients. The overall diagnostic efficacy of α-HBDH (AUC = 0.887) was higher than that of LDH (AUC = 0.709) in the ROC curve. The sensitivity was significantly higher of α-HBDH (sensitivity: 76.06%, specificity: 94.87%) compared with LDH (sensitivity: 49.30%, specificity: 94.87%). The median of OS was more significant in the high-α-HBDH group (6.4 months) than in the normal-α-HBDH group (12.7 months) (P = 0.023). The median of OS was significant in the high-LDH (> 245 U/L) group at 5.8 months and 12.0 months in the normal-LDH (≤ 245 U/L) group (P = 0.068).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated expression of α-HBDH may indicate a poor prognosis of LC patients. It has a higher sensitivity than LDH and can be used as a potential early biomarker and an independent risk factor predicting the prognosis of LC survival.

Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab as First-line Treatment for Patients With Metastatic Nonsquamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With High Tumor Mutation Burden: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial

Importance

Antiangiogenic drug combinations with anti-programmed cell death 1 protein and anti-programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) agents are a novel treatment option for lung cancer. However, survival remains limited, and the activity of these combinations for tumors with high tumor mutation burden (TMB) is unknown.

Objective

To assess the clinical benefits and safety of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab for patients with high-TMB advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Design, Setting, and Participants

This multicenter, single-arm, open-label, phase 2 nonrandomized controlled trial (Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab in First-Line NSCLC Patients [TELMA]) included treatment-naive patients aged 18 years or older with confirmed stage IIIB-IV nonsquamous NSCLC with TMB of 10 or more mutations/megabase and no EGFR, ALK, STK11, MDM2, or ROS1 alterations. From May 2019 through January 2021, patients were assessed at 13 sites in Spain, with follow-up until February 28, 2022.

Interventions

Participants were given atezolizumab, 1200 mg, plus bevacizumab, 15 mg/kg, on day 1 of each 21-day cycle. Treatment was continued until documented disease progression, unacceptable toxic effects, patient withdrawal, investigator decision, or death.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary end point was 12-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate (according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours, version 1.1 criteria); PFS was defined as the time from enrollment to disease progression or death. Adverse events were monitored according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0.

Results

A total of 307 patients were assessed for trial eligibility, of whom 266 were ineligible for enrollment. Of the 41 patients enrolled, 3 did not fulfill all inclusion criteria and were excluded. The remaining 38 patients (28 [73.7%] male; mean [SD] age, 63.7 [8.3] years) constituted the per-protocol population. The 12-month PFS rate was 51.3% (95% CI, 34.2%-66.0%), which met the primary end point. The 12-month overall survival (OS) rate was 72.0% (95% CI, 54.1%-83.9%). The median PFS was 13.0 months (95% CI, 7.9-18.0 months), and the median OS was not reached. Of the 38 patients, 16 (42.1%) achieved an objective response and 30 (78.9%) achieved disease control. The median time to response was 2.8 months (IQR, 2.8-3.58 months), with a median duration of response of 11.7 months (range, 3.57-22.4 months; the response was ongoing at cutoff). Of 16 responses, 8 (50.0%) were ongoing. Most adverse events were grade 1 or 2. For atezolizumab, the most common adverse events were fatigue (6 [15.8%]) and pruritus (6 [15.8%]). For bevacizumab, they were hypertension (10 [26.3%]) and proteinuria (4 [10.5%]). Drug discontinuation occurred in 2 patients receiving atezolizumab (5.3%) and 3 patients receiving bevacizumab (7.9%). PD-L1 levels were not associated with response, PFS, or OS.

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings suggest that atezolizumab with bevacizumab is a potential treatment for high-TMB nonsquamous NSCLC.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03836066.

Lactate dehydrogenase: relationship with the diagnostic GLIM criterion for cachexia in patients with advanced cancer

BACKGROUND

Although suggestive of dysregulated metabolism, the relationship between serum LDH level, phenotypic/aetiologic diagnostic Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria and survival in patients with advanced cancer has yet to examined.

METHODS

Prospectively collected data from patients with advanced cancer, undergoing anti-cancer therapy with palliative intent, across nine sites in the UK and Ireland between 2011-2016, was retrospectively analysed. LDH values were grouped as <250/250-500/>500 Units/L. Relationships were examined using χ² test for linear-by-linear association and binary logistics regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 436 patients met the inclusion criteria. 46% (n = 200) were male and 59% (n = 259) were ≥65 years of age. The median serum LDH was 394 Units/L and 33.5% (n = 146) had an LDH > 500 Units/L. LDH was significantly associated with ECOG-PS (p < 0.001), NLR (p < 0.05), mGPS (p < 0.05) and 3-month survival (p < 0.001). LDH was significantly associated with 3-month survival independent of weight loss (p < 0.01), BMI (p < 0.05), skeletal muscle mass (p < 0.01), metastatic disease (p < 0.05), NLR (p < 0.05) and mGPS (p < 0.01).

DISCUSSION

LDH was associated with performance status, systemic inflammation and survival in patients with advanced cancer. LDH measurement may be considered as an aetiologic criteria and become a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of cancer cachexia.

Utilizing the Lactate Dehydrogenase-to-Albumin Ratio for Survival Prediction in Patients with Bladder Cancer After Radical Cystectomy

Purpose

Previous studies have suggested that the preoperative lactate dehydrogenase-to-albumin ratio (LAR) is correlated with survival in several cancers except bladder cancer (BCa). This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of the LAR in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) after radical cystectomy (RC).

Patients and Methods

A total of 595 UCB patients with RC in West China Hospital from December 2010 to May 2020 were enrolled. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the optimal cutoff value of the LAR. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analyses were applied to evaluate the association of the LAR with overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival. Independent factors in multivariate analyses were selected to construct nomograms. Calibration curves, ROC curves, concordance index (C-index) and decision curve analyses were used to evaluate the performance of the nomograms.

Results

The optimal cutoff value of the LAR was determined to be 3.8. Preoperative low LAR was associated with decreased OS (P < 0.001) and RFS (P < 0.001), especially in patients with ≥ pT2 disease. LAR was an independent factor for OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.719; P <0.001) and RFS (HR: 1.429; P = 0.012). The addition of the LAR into nomograms could result in better prediction performance. The areas under the curves of the nomograms were 0.821 and 0.801 for the prediction of 3-year OS and RFS, respectively. The C-indexes of the nomograms were 0.760 and 0.741 for the prediction of OS and RFS, respectively.

Conclusion

The preoperative LAR is a novel and reliable independent prognostic biomarker for survival in UCB after RC.

The Tri-iodothyronine (T3) Level Is a Prognostic Factor for Patients With Advanced NSCLC: Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Is Associated With Liver Metastasis

BACKGROUND

Endocrine hormones influence tumor progression and the response to treatment. Despite the importance of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as treatments for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), few studies have explored the effects of hormone levels in NSCLC patients on the effectiveness of ICI therapies. We thus investigated the effects of baseline blood markers in patients with advanced NSCLC on ICI treatments.

METHODS

Patients with advanced NSCLC who received programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors at Chungnam National University Hospital between December 2016 and November 2020 and who lacked any history of thyroid gland-related diseases were analyzed retrospectively. We collected clinical information and baseline laboratory data, including the levels of endocrine hormones, cytokines, complete blood counts (CBCs), and peripheral blood chemistry panels. We explored the relationships of hormone levels with clinical outcomes (overall survival [OS], progression-free survival [PFS], and best response), liver metastasis, and blood markers using the Kaplan-Meier method, Cox's proportional hazards regression, and logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 113 patients were enrolled. A shorter PFS was independently associated with liver metastasis, higher cortisol levels, and lower hemoglobin (Hb) levels; a shorter OS was associated with liver metastasis, lower tri-iodothyronine (T3) levels, higher lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and lower albumin levels. Patients with low T3 levels exhibited a shorter PFS and OS, and a poorer best response. Patients with low T3 levels tended to have higher disease progression rates, lower levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), C-peptide, albumin, Hb, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and higher levels of interleukin (IL)-6, white blood cells, platelets, compared with those with normal T3 levels. We found a significant association between a low T3 level and liver metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

We found the baseline T3 level was associated with both prognosis and the response to ICIs in patients with advanced NSCLC, probably reflecting impaired liver function and systemic inflammation induced by the interaction of T3 with other biomarkers, such as IL-6, ACTH, cortisol, C-peptide, Hb, LDH, and albumin.

An analysis of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in advanced stage IV melanoma of the skin: prognostic capabilities and demographic variability

Despite its limitations, in part due to decreased specificity in advanced disease, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is one of few serum factors used in cancer staging. This study quantifies the predictive capabilities of LDH in stage IV melanoma of the skin and explores the validity of suggested demographic discrepancies which may exist in its use. The 1975-2017 Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database was queried for stage IV cutaneous melanoma cases. Demographic characteristics were compared between LDH groups using chi-square and t tests. Subsequent Cox multivariable regression was performed to assess survival differences. 334 cases of stage IV cutaneous melanoma (average age: 63.0 years) with measured serum LDH levels were identified. Of these patients, 150 (44.9%) had normal LDH, 112 (33.5%) had LDH < 1.5 × upper limit of normal (ULN), 57 (17.1%) had LDH 1.5-10 × ULN, and 15 (4.5%) had LDH > 10 × ULN. Lower incomes were associated with higher LDH; individuals with incomes < $50,000 had the greatest proportion of LDH 10 × ULN (19.2%; p = 0.0031). LDH > 10 × ULN also had the lowest proportion of White patients (p = 0.04). On Cox multivariable survival analysis, increasing LDH levels showed increased risk of death (LDH < 1.5 × ULN: HR = 2.05, p = 0.01; LDH 1.5-10 × ULN: HR = 1.46, p < 0.001; LDH > 10 × ULN: HR = 5.91, p < 0.001). This study reaffirms the utility of LDH as a significant predictor of mortality with incremental severity, suggesting possible use for mortality projections. We note that Black patients and those with lower incomes may be more likely to have an elevated LDH. Older age groups and presence of ulceration among patients with stage IV melanoma were also associated with a greater risk of mortality.

Pretreatment Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Lactate Dehydrogenase Predict the Prognosis of Metastatic Cervical Cancer Treated with Combination Immunotherapy

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have considerably changed the treatment paradigm for metastatic cervical cancer; nonetheless, only a proportion of patients achieve a durable response. Therefore, exploring the predictive biomarkers of immunotherapy response is of crucial importance. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive and prognostic value of hematological parameters in patients with metastatic cervical cancer treated with combination immunotherapy.

Methods

Clinical data of patients with metastatic cervical cancer treated with combination immunotherapy between June 2019 and April 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the cut-off values of continuous variables, and binary logistic analysis was conducted to compare the treatment response between groups. The Kaplan–Meier method was applied for survival analysis. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

Seventy patients were included in this study. The cut-off values for the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were 5.33 and 195.00 U/L, respectively. High pretreatment NLR (≥5.33) was correlated with decreased objective response rate (53.19% vs. 78.26%, p = 0.048). The survival analysis revealed that high pretreatment NLR (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.401, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.151–5.009, p = 0.020) and LDH level (HR = 1.987, 95% CI: 1.029–3.835, p = 0.041) were independent prognostic factors associated with short PFS.

Conclusions

Our study suggested that high pretreatment NLR and LDH values were independently correlated with poor survival in patients with metastatic cervical cancer treated with combination immunotherapy. Pretreatment NLR and LDH values could serve as potential biomarkers that may aid in the selection of patients who would benefit from combination immunotherapy. Further prospective studies investigating the prognostic value of NLR and LDH are warranted. Trial registration number: UHCT22008.

The key to immunotherapy: how to choose better therapeutic biomarkers for patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Immunotherapy has become the standard of care for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), either in combination or monotherapy. However, there are still some patients who cannot benefit from it. Immunization strategies for NSCLC are based on the expression of PD-L1 on tumor cells and TMB, and although these indicators have a certain predictive effect, their predictive performance is not good. Therefore, clinicians must make adjustments to recognize markers. This is a review article that summarized immunotherapeutic biomarkers according to the "seed-soil-environment", generalizes primary resistance to immunotherapy, and summarizes the integration of markers.

Serum lactate dehydrogenase levels predict the prognosis of patients with soft tissue sarcoma

Several studies have reported the prognostic factors for soft tissue sarcoma. Although serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels are associated with poor prognosis in several types of cancer, their role in soft tissue sarcomas remains unclear. Therefore, the present study evaluated the association between serum LDH levels and the clinical characteristics and prognosis of soft tissue sarcoma. A total of 103 patients diagnosed with primary soft tissue sarcoma between 2003 and 2019 were retrospectively examined, and the association between serum LDH levels at the first visit and clinical characteristics were analysed. In high-grade soft tissue sarcoma, the association between survival and clinical characteristics, including stratified LDH levels, was also analysed. Serum LDH levels were stratified (>253 and ≤253 IU/l) according to the standard values used at our institution. High serum LDH levels were significantly associated with the presence of metastasis and histological grade (P<0.001 and 0.040, respectively). In both the univariate and multivariate analyses, disease-specific survival (DSS) was significantly worse in patients with high-grade soft tissue sarcoma and high serum LDH levels than in patients with normal serum LDH levels (univariate analysis: P=0.025; multivariate analysis: Hazard ratio, 4.60; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-18.2; P=0.030). In conclusion, high serum LDH levels at the first visit predicted the presence of distant metastasis, high histological grade and worse DSS in patients with high-grade soft tissue sarcoma. Therefore, in patients with high serum LDH levels at the first visit, these risks should be considered during pretreatment examinations and post-treatment follow-up.

Factors of Recurrence After Complete Response in Children with Neuroblastoma: A 16-Year Retrospective Study of 179 Cases

Background

It is not clear which known adverse prognostic factors of neuroblastoma are closely associated with tumor recurrence after complete response. We analyzed the factors for post-remission recurrence in children with neuroblastoma through a retrospective study.

Methods

A total of 179 children with neuroblastoma who achieved initial complete response were included in this study. Kaplan–Meier method and multivariate Cox regression model were used to assess the factors that may have impact on tumor recurrence after complete response.

Results

The 5-year overall survival rates of the entire cohort (n = 179), recurrence group (n = 86) and non-recurrence group (n = 93) were 81.9%, 66.2%, and 98.7%, respectively. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates of the entire cohort and the high-risk cohort were 47.3% and 31.2%, respectively. RFSs were significantly reduced in children with age ≥18 months, INSS stage 4, unfavorable histology, bone marrow metastasis, osseous metastasis, serum NSE level ≥100 ng/mL, and serum LDH level ≥1400 U/L (P < 0.05). The independent risk factors for post-remission recurrence in the entire cohort were age ≥18 months, unfavorable histology, and serum LDH level ≥1400 U/L (P < 0.05). In the high-risk cohort, the independent risk factor for recurrence was serum LDH ≥1400 U/L (P < 0.05). Based on a new recurrence risk stratification, the 5-year RFSs of the children were 93.5%, 66.4%, and 22.5% in the low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups, respectively. The area under the ROC curve of the new stratification was 0.773 (95% CI: 0.704−0.842).

Conclusion

Age ≥18 months, unfavorable histology, and serum LDH level ≥1400 U/L are independent risk factors for post-remission recurrence in children with neuroblastoma. A newly established recurrence risk stratification has diagnostic advantages in predicting risk of recurrence, which is especially suitable for low- and middle-income countries or regions.

Utility of serum and salivary lactate dehydrogenase and uric acid levels as a diagnostic profile in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Background

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), an intra-cellular enzyme present in all cells of the body, catalyses the final step of anaerobic glycolysis. This intra-cellular enzyme is released into the extra-cellular space after tissue disintegration, which is evident in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, investigations comparing Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in OSCC and healthy controls have shown conflicting findings in both serum and saliva samples. Further, Uric acid's anti-oxidant activity has been demonstrated in several diseases. Several cancers have been linked to increased uric acid levels. However, uric acid levels in oral squamous cell cancer have varied. There exists limitted research comparing serum and salivary uric acid with OSCC. Thus, the present investigation was conducted to evaluate the combined diagnostic abilities of serum and salivary LDH and uric acid in OSCC.

Aim and Objective

To compare and correlate LDH and uric acid levels in serum and salivary samples of OSCC patients and healthy individuals.

Material and Methods

LDH levels and uric acid levels were measured using an enzymatic method in serum and salivary samples of OSCC cases (n = 18) and healthy individuals (n = 18).

Results

This study indicated statistically significant elevated levels of LDH in serum and saliva samples of OSCC patients when compared to healthy individuals. Furthermore, serum and salivary uric acid were higher in OSCC patients than in controls. This increased levels of uric acid was significant only in serum but not in saliva samples. However, salivary uric acid was found to be co-relating with serum uric acid. In addition to this, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve when plotted to assess combined diagnostic abilities of all the investigations to predict oscc, indicating the diagnostic ability to be 77%.

Conclusion

This study found an increase in uric acid levels in OSCC patients, which contradicts previous existing litratures. Salivary uric acid and LDH levels may be effective indicators for OSCC screening. However, because of the limited sample size, these findings should be viewed with caution.

Predictive Biomarkers of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Response in Breast Cancer: Looking beyond Tumoral PD-L1

Immune checkpoint inhibitors utilize the immune system to kill cancer cells and are now widely applied across numerous malignancies. Pembrolizumab has two breast-specific indications in triple-negative disease. Currently, programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression on tumor and surrounding immune cells is the only validated predictive biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in breast cancer; however, it can be imprecise. Additional biomarkers are needed to identify the patient population who will derive the most benefit from these therapies. The tumor immune microenvironment contains many biomarker candidates. In tumor cells, tumor mutational burden has emerged as a robust biomarker across malignancies in general, with higher burden cancers demonstrating improved response, but will need further refinement for less mutated cancers. Preliminary studies suggest that mutations in breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA-2) are associated with increased immune infiltration and response to ICI therapy. Other genomic alterations are also being investigated as potential predictive biomarkers. In immune cells, increased quantity of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells have correlated with response to immunotherapy treatment. The role of other immune cell phenotypes is being investigated. Peripherally, many liquid-based biomarker strategies such as PD-L1 expression on circulating tumor cells and peripheral immune cell quantification are being studied; however, these strategies require further standardization and refinement prior to large-scale testing. Ultimately, multiple biomarkers utilized together may be needed to best identify the appropriate patients for these treatments.

Retrospective Chart Review of Dabrafenib Plus Trametinib in Patients with Metastatic BRAF V600-Mutant Melanoma Treated in the Individual Patient Program (DESCRIBE Italy)

BACKGROUND

Real-world data on extended follow-up of patients with BRAF V600-mutant metastatic melanoma are limited. We investigated dabrafenib plus trametinib (dab + tram) outside of a clinical trial setting (Individual Patient Program; DESCRIBE Italy).

OBJECTIVE

To describe the baseline features, treatment patterns, efficacy, and safety outcomes in patients with BRAF V600-mutant unresectable or metastatic melanoma who had received dab + tram as part of the Managed Access Program (MAP) in Italy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

An observational, retrospective chart review was conducted in Italian patients with BRAF V600-mutant unresectable stage III/IV melanoma receiving dab + tram as part of the MAP. Baseline features, treatment patterns, efficacy, and safety outcomes were evaluated.

RESULTS

Overall, 499 patients were included in this analysis. BRAF V600E mutation was seen in 81.4% of patients. Overall response rate achieved in 243 of the 390 evaluable patients was 62.3% (95% CI 57.5-67.1). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 9.3 months (95% CI 8.6-10.6). Subgroup analyses revealed that patients with normal lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and ≤ three metastatic sites without brain metastases at baseline had better outcomes. With normal LDH at baseline, median PFS for patients with one or two metastatic sites other than cerebral was 18 months. No new safety signals were observed. Treatment was permanently discontinued because of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) in 9.2% of patients, and pyrexia (27.3%) was the most common TEAE, with a lower incidence than that in the phase 3 studies of dab + tram.

CONCLUSION

Treatment of BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic melanoma with dab + tram in the real-world setting was effective and safe, including the unselected population with several patients having a high tumor burden - concordant with the results of the pivotal phase 3 studies of dab + tram.

Exploring CT Texture Parameters as Predictive and Response Imaging Biomarkers of Survival in Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Treated With PD-1 Inhibitor Nivolumab: A Pilot Study Using a Delta-Radiomics Approach

In the era of artificial intelligence and precision medicine, the use of quantitative imaging methodological approaches could improve the cancer patient’s therapeutic approaches. Specifically, our pilot study aims to explore whether CT texture features on both baseline and first post-treatment contrast-enhanced CT may act as a predictor of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in metastatic melanoma (MM) patients treated with the PD-1 inhibitor Nivolumab. Ninety-four lesions from 32 patients treated with Nivolumab were analyzed. Manual segmentation was performed using a free-hand polygon approach by drawing a region of interest (ROI) around each target lesion (up to five lesions were selected per patient according to RECIST 1.1). Filtration-histogram-based texture analysis was employed using a commercially available research software called TexRAD (Feedback Medical Ltd, London, UK; https://fbkmed.com/texrad-landing-2/) Percentage changes in texture features were calculated to perform delta-radiomics analysis. Texture feature kurtosis at fine and medium filter scale predicted OS and PFS. A higher kurtosis is correlated with good prognosis; kurtosis values greater than 1.11 for SSF = 2 and 1.20 for SSF = 3 were indicators of higher OS (fine texture: 192 HR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.32–0.96, p = 0.03; medium texture: HR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.29–0.99, p = 0.04) and PFS (fine texture: HR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.29–0.95, p = 0.03; medium texture: HR = 0.49, 209 95% CI = 0.25–0.96, p = 0.03). In delta-radiomics analysis, the entropy percentage variation correlated with OS and PFS. Increasing entropy indicates a worse outcome. An entropy variation greater than 5% was an indicator of bad prognosis. CT delta-texture analysis quantified as entropy predicted OS and PFS. Baseline CT texture quantified as kurtosis also predicted survival baseline. Further studies with larger cohorts are mandatory to confirm these promising exploratory results.

Investigation of spleen CXCR4 expression by [68Ga]Pentixafor PET in a cohort of 145 solid cancer patients

Background

The chemokine receptor CXCR4 is frequently overexpressed and associated with adverse prognosis in most hematopoietic malignancies and solid cancers. Recently, CXCR4 molecular imaging using the CXCR4-specific positron emission tomography (PET) tracer Pentixafor ([⁶⁸Ga]Pentixafor) has become a well-established method to non-invasively measure CXCR4 expression in vivo. In previous Pentixafor imaging studies, highly variable CXCR4 tracer uptake to the spleen was observed.

Results

We investigated the hypothesis that enhanced spleen [⁶⁸Ga]Pentixafor uptake and thus CXCR4 expression in patients with solid tumors would indicate an activated spleen state and/or an association with clinical and prognostic features and survival parameters. In this retrospective study, [⁶⁸Ga]Pentixafor-PET images and patient records of 145 solid tumor patients representing 27 cancer entities were investigated for an association of spleen [⁶⁸Ga]Pentixafor uptake and clinical characteristics and outcome. Based on this assessment, we did not observe differences in clinical outcomes, measured by progression-free survival, overall survival and remission status neither within the entire cohort nor within subgroups of adrenal cancer, desmoplastic small round cell tumor, neuroendocrine tumors, non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer and pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients. No tumor entity showed especially high levels of spleen [⁶⁸Ga]Pentixafor uptake compared to others or a control cohort. However, when investigating laboratory parameters, there was a positive correlation of high spleen [⁶⁸Ga]Pentixafor uptake with leukocyte and/or platelet counts in neuroendocrine tumors, non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer.

Conclusion

Spleen [⁶⁸Ga]Pentixafor uptake was not associated with stage of disease and clinical outcomes in solid tumor patients. We identified positively associated platelet and/or leukocyte counts with spleen [⁶⁸Ga]Pentixafor uptake in neuroendocrine tumors, non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer, suggesting that splenic CXCR4 expression could possibly play a role in systemic immunity/inflammation in some types of solid tumors or a subgroup of patients within solid tumor entities.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13550-021-00822-6.

The Role of Cytokines in Predicting the Response and Adverse Events Related to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Recently, the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with advanced cancer has been significantly improved due to the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Low response rate and high occurrence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) make urgently need for ideal predictive biomarkers to identity efficient population and guide treatment strategies. Cytokines are small soluble proteins with a wide range of biological activity that are secreted by activated immune cells or tumor cells and act as a bridge between innate immunity, infection, inflammation and cancer. Cytokines can be detected in peripheral blood and suitable for dynamic detection. During the era of ICIs, many studies investigated the role of cytokines in prediction of the efficiency and toxicity of ICIs. Herein, we review the relevant studies on TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-8, TGF-β and other cytokines as biomarkers for predicting ICI-related reactions and adverse events, and explore the immunomodulatory mechanisms. Finally, the most important purpose of this review is to help identify predictors of ICI to screen patients who are most likely to benefit from immunotherapy.

Current and future biomarkers for outcomes with immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have been validated as an effective new treatment strategy in several tumoral types including lung cancer. This remarkable shift in the therapeutic paradigm is in large part due to the duration of responses and long-term survival seen with ICI. However, despite this, the majority of cancer patients do not experience benefit from ICI. Even among patients who initially respond to ICI, disease progression may ultimately occur. Moreover, in some patients, these drugs may be associated with new patterns of progression such as pseudo-progression and hyper-progressive disease, and different toxicity profiles with immune-related adverse events. Therefore, the identification of predictive biomarkers may help to select those patients most likely to obtain a true benefit from these drugs, and avoid exposure to potential toxicity in patients who will not obtain clinical benefit, while also reducing the economic impact. In this review, we summarize current and promising potential predictive biomarkers of ICI in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as well as pitfalls encountered with their use and areas of focus to optimize their routine clinical implementation.

A Retrospective Analysis of Dabrafenib and/or Dabrafenib Plus Trametinib Combination in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma to Characterize Patients with Long-Term Benefit in the Individual Patient Program (DESCRIBE III)

Simple Summary

Compassionate-use programs provide an opportunity to retrospectively evaluate the treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in a real-world setting to validate the results derived from controlled randomized clinical trials. The COMBI-d and COMBI-v studies established the superior efficacy of dabrafenib + trametinib (dab + tram) versus BRAF inhibitor monotherapy in patients with BRAF V600–mutant metastatic melanoma. In light of their five-year results demonstrating long-term benefit with first-line dab + tram, it is important to get a real-world perspective of the long-term treatment duration for dab + tram. DESCRIBE III was designed to retrospectively evaluate the impact of patient characteristics on the long-term outcomes of dab + tram in a real-world setting based on the duration of clinical benefit. Consistent with the findings from the pooled analysis of COMBI-d and COMBI-v, lower LDH level and <3 metastatic sites at baseline were associated with a longer duration of treatment benefit in a real-world setting.

Abstract

The dabrafenib plus trametinib (dab + tram) combination has demonstrated durable long-term efficacy in patients with BRAF V600–mutant metastatic melanoma. However, real-world data characterizing patients with long-term benefit are limited. DESCRIBE III was a global, observational, retrospective, chart review study in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma treated with dab monotherapy and/or dab + tram combination therapy as part of the Named Patient Program or Individual Patient Program. Overall, 509 patients were enrolled. Patients were categorized into three groups based on their observed treatment duration: long-term (on therapy ≥12 months), intermediate (on therapy ≥6 months and <12 months), and short-term (on therapy <6 months) duration of benefit. More patients in the short-term duration of benefit group had baseline characteristics associated with poor prognosis compared with the other two groups. Median lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels (368 U/L) at baseline were also higher in the short-term duration of benefit group. No new safety signals were identified. DESCRIBE III identified baseline characteristics associated with long-term benefit of dab + tram. Lower LDH level and <3 metastatic sites at baseline were associated with a longer duration of benefit, confirming that the findings from COMBI-d and COMBI-v are relevant to patients treated in a real-world setting.

Identifying key predictors of mortality in young patients on chronic haemodialysis-a machine learning approach

BACKGROUND

The mortality risk remains significant in paediatric and adult patients on chronic haemodialysis (HD) treatment. We aimed to identify factors associated with mortality in patients who started HD as children and continued HD as adults.

METHODS

The data originated from a cohort of patients <30 years of age who started HD in childhood (≤19 years) on thrice-weekly HD in outpatient DaVita dialysis centres between 2004 and 2016. Patients with at least 5 years of follow-up since the initiation of HD or death within 5 years were included; 105 variables relating to demographics, HD treatment and laboratory measurements were evaluated as predictors of 5-year mortality utilizing a machine learning approach (random forest).

RESULTS

A total of 363 patients were included in the analysis, with 84 patients having started HD at <12 years of age. Low albumin and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were the two most important predictors of 5-year mortality. Other predictors included elevated red blood cell distribution width or blood pressure and decreased red blood cell count, haemoglobin, albumin:globulin ratio, ultrafiltration rate, z-score weight for age or single-pool Kt/V (below target). Mortality was predicted with an accuracy of 81%.

CONCLUSIONS

Mortality in paediatric and young adult patients on chronic HD is associated with multifactorial markers of nutrition, inflammation, anaemia and dialysis dose. This highlights the importance of multimodal intervention strategies besides adequate HD treatment as determined by Kt/V alone. The association with elevated LDH was not previously reported and may indicate the relevance of blood-membrane interactions, organ malperfusion or haematologic and metabolic changes during maintenance HD in this population.

Real-world outcomes in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma according to risk factors: the STAR-TOR registry

Aim: Examine outcomes in sunitinib-treated patients by International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) or Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) risk factors. Patients & methods: Patients enrolled in STAR-TOR registry (n = 327). End points included overall survival, progression-free survival and objective response rate. Results: Overall survival was similar for IMDC 0 versus 1 (p = 0.238) or 2 versus ≥3 (p = 0.156), but different for MSKCC (0 vs 1, p = 0.037; 2 vs ≥3, p = 0.001). Progression-free survival was similar for IMDC 2 versus 3 (p = 0.306), but different for MSKCC (p = 0.009). Objective response rate was different for IMDC 1 (41.9%) and 2 (29.5%) and similar for MSKCC 1 (34.4%) and 2 (31.0%). Conclusion: Outcome data varied according to IMDC or MSKCC. MSKCC model accurately stratify patients into risk groups. Clinical trial registration: NCT00700258 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

The value of melanoma inhibitory activity and LDH with melanoma patients in a Chinese population

ABSTRACT

Malignant melanoma is a highly malignant tumor originating from the melanocytes of the neural crest, which is prone to metastasis and has a poor prognosis. Previous research demonstrated that melanoma inhibitory activity (MIA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) could serve as serum markers in malignant melanoma and indicate prognosis in the Caucasian race. Researchers suspected that both MIA and LDH could prompt the prognosis of malignant melanoma in the Chinese population. This study aimed to investigate the value of MIA and LDH in the prognosis of acral malignant melanoma.From January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2017, in Jiangsu Province, 44 acral malignant melanoma patients with complete data were chosen from the clinic. The LDH levels were extracted from their clinical data, and MIA levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. 8 paired advancing samples before and after metastasis were examined. 22 health donors were matched to the patient group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of MIA and LDH were drawn to determine acral malignant melanoma tumorigenesis and metastasis and finally got the cut-off value. Cumulative survival was illustrated with the Kaplan-Meier plot, and factors were compared using the Log-rank test.Compared with age-matched healthy donors, MIA was significantly high in patients (P < .001). Moreover, serum MIA was significantly higher in III-IV stage patients than I-II stage patients (P < .001). However, there was no such association between LDH and melanoma stage and risk. Further study indicated that the MIA cut-off > 914.7pg/mL predicted disease progression with 86.4% specificity and 95.5% sensitivity. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, MIA levels were independent risk factors for long-term mortality of acral malignant melanoma patients.It concluded that the quantification of MIA in the serum should be performed as a general standard of care in patients at risk of developing metastatic melanoma.

Preoperative Predictors of Early Mortality Risk in Isocitrate Dehydrogenase-Wild-Type Glioblastoma Patients Treated with Standard Therapy

Purpose

Early identification of early mortality for glioblastoma (GBM) patients based on laboratory findings at the time of diagnosis could improve the overall survival. The study aimed to explore preoperative factors associated with higher risk of early death (within 1 year after surgery) for isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) -wild-type (wt) GBM patients.

Patients and Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 194 IDH-wt GBM patients who underwent standard treatment. The probability of dying within 1 year after gross total resection (GTR) was defined as the end point “early mortality”. Retrospective collection of predictive factors including clinical characteristics and laboratory data at diagnosis.

Results

Median follow-up time after GTR was 16 months (3–41 months). Forty-two patients died within 1 year after surgery (1‐year mortality rate: 21.6%). All potential predictive factors were assessed on univariate analyses, which revealed the following factors as associated with higher risk of early death: older age (P = 0.013), occurrence of non-seizures symptoms (P = 0.042), special tumor positions (P = 0.046), higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (P = 0.015), higher red blood cell distribution width (RDW) (P = 0.019), higher lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (P = 0.005), and higher fibrinogen (FIB) (P = 0.044). In a multivariate analysis, tumor location (P = 0.012), NLR (P = 0.032) and LDH (P = 0.002) were independent predictors of early mortality. The C-index of the nomogram was 0.795. The calibration curve showed good agreement between prediction by nomogram and actual observation.

Conclusion

Tumor location, preoperative elevated NLR and serum LDH level were independent predictors for 1‐year mortality after GTR. We indicate that increased preoperative NLR or LDH may guide patients to review head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) more frequently and regularly to monitor tumor progression.

A Hematological-Related Prognostic Scoring System for Patients With Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma

Background

Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor. Recent studies have shown that hematological biomarkers have become a powerful tool for predicting the prognosis of patients with cancer. However, most studies have only investigated the prognostic value of unilateral hematological markers. Therefore, we aimed to establish a comprehensive prognostic scoring system containing hematological markers to improve the prognostic prediction in patients with glioblastoma.

Patients and Methods

A total of 326 patients with glioblastoma were randomly divided into a training set and external validation set to develop and validate a hematological-related prognostic scoring system (HRPSS). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to determine the optimal covariates that constructed the scoring system. Furthermore, a quantitative survival-predicting nomogram was constructed based on the hematological risk score (HRS) derived from the HRPSS. The results of the nomogram were validated using bootstrap resampling and the external validation set. Finally, we further explored the relationship between the HRS and clinical prognostic factors.

Results

The optimal cutoff value for the HRS was 0.839. The patients were successfully classified into different prognostic groups based on their HRSs (P < 0.001). The areas under the curve (AUCs) of the HRS were 0.67, 0.73, and 0.78 at 0.5, 1, and 2 years, respectively. Additionally, the 0.5-, 1-y, and 2-y AUCs of the HRS were 0.51, 0.70, and 0.79, respectively, which validated the robust prognostic performance of the HRS in the external validation set. Based on both univariate and multivariate analyses, the HRS possessed a strong ability to predict overall survival in both the training set and validation set. The nomogram based on the HRS displayed good discrimination with a C-index of 0.81 and good calibration. In the validation cohort, a high C-index value of 0.82 could still be achieved. In all the data, the HRS showed specific correlations with age, first presenting symptoms, isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation status and tumor location, and successfully stratified them into different risk subgroups.

Conclusions

The HRPSS is a powerful tool for accurate prognostic prediction in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma.

Integrating Circulating Biomarkers in the Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment in Lung Cancer

Simple Summary

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are now a cornerstone of treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite reporting tremendous results for some patients, ICI efficacy remains reserved to a subgroup that is not yet fully characterized. Tissue based assays, such as Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-L1) expression may enrich the responder population, but this biomarker is not always available or reliable, as responses have been observed in patients with negative PD-L1. Blood markers are hoped to be easier to access and follow, and to give an insight on patient’s immune status and tumor as well. To date, several papers have been looking for circulating biomarkers that are focused on tumor cells or host specific or general immunity in NSCLC treated with ICI. In this article, we review these circulating biomarkers in peculiar circulating immune cell, tumor related cell and soluble systemic marker. We describe the available data and comment on the technical requirements and limits of these promising techniques.

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are now a cornerstone of treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Tissue-based assays, such as Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-L1) expression or mismatch repair deficiency/microsatellite instability (MMRD/MSI) status, are approved as treatment drivers in various settings, and represent the main field of research in biomarkers for immunotherapy. Nonetheless, responses have been observed in patients with negative PD-L1 or low tumor mutational burden. Some aspects of biomarker use remain poorly understood and sub-optimal, in particular tumoral heterogeneity, time-evolving sampling, and the ability to detect patients who are unlikely to respond. Moreover, tumor biopsies offer little insight into the host’s immune status. Circulating biomarkers offer an alternative non-invasive solution to address these pitfalls. Here, we summarize current knowledge on circulating biomarkers while using liquid biopsies in patients with lung cancer who receive treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors, in terms of their potential as being predictive of outcome as well as their role in monitoring ongoing treatment. We address host biomarkers, notably circulating immune cells and soluble systemic immune and inflammatory markers, and also review tumor markers, including blood-based tumor mutational burden, circulating tumor cells, and circulating tumor DNA. Technical requirements are discussed along with the current limitations that are associated with these promising biomarkers.

Clinical significance of preoperative inflammatory markers in non-small cell lung cancer patients: A multicenter retrospective study

Inflammatory biomarkers have been associated with clinical outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the best prognostic marker(s) has not been identified, and the association between inflammatory markers and clinical characteristics is poorly understood. We selected 1,237 patients with resected NSCLC from Kyushu University (2003–2015) and Kyushu Cancer Center (2009–2015) in Japan. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient among inflammatory markers and area under curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses for overall survival (OS) were calculated. We analyzed the associations between inflammatory markers and clinical factors using Student’s t-test. Univariate and multivariate analyses with Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between survival and clinical factors. The cut-off values for neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio, and derived NLR (dNLR) were determined by ROC curve analyses for OS. We found a strong positive correlation between NLR and dNLR (r = 0.9629). The AUC of LMR was the highest amongst the measured metrics, and the AUC of NLR was higher than dNLR. Levels of some inflammatory markers were associated with sex, smoking, squamous cell carcinoma, and pathological stage. LMR ≥ 5.11 and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentration ≥ 222 (U/L) were independent predictors of both disease-free survival (DFS) and OS (LMR; P = 0.0009 and 0.0008, LDH; P = 0.0195 and 0.0187, respectively). Certain inflammatory markers, potentially linked to smoking, were associated with an advanced pathological stage in NSCLC. LMR and LDH were independent predictors of both DFS and OS.

Prognostic significance of serum lactate dehydrogenase in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

To investigate the prognostic significance of preoperative serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer (BCa).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A cohort of 263 patients undergoing open or laparoscopic radical cystectomy between 2011 and 2016 was studied. Baseline characteristics, hematological variables, follow-up data were collected. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard regression model were applied to assess the relationship between LDH and overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and disease-free survival (DFS).

RESULTS

After a median 34.2 (22.9-45.8) months follow-up, all-cause death, cancer-specific death, and disease recurrence occurred in 66 patients, 50 patients, and 91 patients. The elevation of serum LDH was associated with several unfavorable parameters, including advanced age, continent cutaneous urinary diversion, increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, decreased lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio. Patients with a higher serum LDH (> 220 U/L) had a worse OS (P < 0.001), CSS (P < 0.001) and DFS (P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox analysis suggested that elevated LDH was an independent predictor for OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.113, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.524-6.358; P = 0.002), CSS (HR: 4.564, 95% CI: 2.008-10.373; P < 0.001), DFS (HR: 2.051, 95% CI: 1.125-3.739; P = 0.019). Medical history of diabetes, high pT stage, and positive lymph node also were adverse predictors for oncological outcomes of BCa patients in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative serum LDH is an independent prognostic biomarker for OS, CSS, and DFS in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for BCa, which can be incorporated into prognostic models.

Structural Evidence for Isoform-Selective Allosteric Inhibition of Lactate Dehydrogenase A

Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) is frequently overexpressed in tumors, thereby sustaining high glycolysis rates, tumor growth, and chemoresistance. High-throughput screening resulted in the identification of phthalimide and dibenzofuran derivatives as novel lactate dehydrogenase inhibitors, selectively inhibiting the activity of the LDHA isoenzyme. Cocrystallization experiments confirmed target engagement in addition to demonstrating binding to a novel allosteric binding site present in all four LDHA subunits of the LDH5 homotetramer.

Prognostic Role of Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase in Patients With Urothelial Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: To investigate the potential prognostic role of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in patients with urothelial carcinoma (UC) using the method of systematic review and meta-analysis.

Materials and Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for eligible studies up to February 2020. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the relationship.

Results: A total of 14 studies including 4,009 patients with UC were incorporated. The results showed that a high pretreatment serum LDH was associated with an inferior overall survival (OS, HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.39–1.87, p < 0.001), cancer-specific survival (CSS, HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.05–1.90, p = 0.022), and disease-free survival (DFS, HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.04–2.59, p = 0.034) in UC. Subgroup analyses identified that a high pretreatment serum LDH was associated with a poor OS (HR 1.97, 95% CI 1.02–3.81, p = 0.042) and DFS (HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.04–2.59, p = 0.034) in upper tract urothelial carcinoma, a short OS (HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.37–2.15, p < 0.001) in urothelial carcinoma of bladder.

Conclusion: Our findings indicated that a high level of pretreatment serum LDH was associated with inferior OS, CSS, and DFS in patients with UC. This biomarker can be an important factor incorporated into the prognostic models for UC.

Prognostic role of pretreatment lactate dehydrogenase in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

To date, there remain uncertainties over the prognostic role of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eligible studies were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases up to October 2019. The endpoints included overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate each endpoint.

RESULTS

Thirty observational studies of low to moderate risk of bias embracing 6754 patients with mRCC were included. The results showed that patients with a high pretreatment serum LDH had an inferior OS (HR: 2.15, 95% CI: 1.85-2.51; P < 0.001) and PFS (HR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.49-2.10; P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses according to year of publication, study design, patient population, geographic region, sample size and NOS score did not alter the direction of results. There was significant publication bias for OS, but not for PFS. Sensitivity analyses further confirmed the robustness of the results.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicated that a high level of pretreatment serum LDH was associated with an inferior OS and DFS in patients with mRCC. Methodological limitations should be considered while interpreting these results.

The Immune Consequences of Lactate in the Tumor Microenvironment

The tumor microenvironment consists of complex and dynamic networks of cytokines, growth factors, and metabolic products. These contribute to significant alterations in tissue architecture, cell growth, immune cell phenotype, and function. Increased glycolytic flux is commonly observed in solid tumors and is associated with significant changes in metabolites, generating high levels of lactate. While elevated glycolytic flux is a characteristic metabolic adaption of tumor cells, glycolysis is also a key metabolic program utilized by a variety of inflammatory immune cells. As such lactate and the pH changes associated with lactate transport affect not only tumor cells but also immune cells. Here we provide an overview of lactate metabolic pathways and the effects lactate has on tumor growth and immune cell function. This knowledge provides opportunities for synergistic therapeutic approaches that combine metabolic drugs, which limit tumor growth and support immune cell function, together with immunotherapies to enhance tumor eradication.

EPSILoN: A Prognostic Score for Immunotherapy in Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Validation Cohort

BACKGROUND

Beyond programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), no other biomarkers for immunotherapy are used in daily practice. We previously created EPSILoN (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), smoking, liver metastases, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)) score, a clinical/biochemical prognostic score, in 154 patients treated with second/further-line immunotherapy. This study's aim was to validate EPSILoN score in a different population group.

METHODS

193 patients were included at National Cancer Institute of Milan (second-line immunotherapy, 61%; further-line immunotherapy, 39%). Clinical/laboratory parameters such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and lactate dehydrogenase levels were collected. Kaplan-Meier and Cox hazard methods were used for survival analysis.

RESULTS

Overall median progression-free survival and median overall survival were 2.3 and 7.6 months, respectively. Multivariate analyses for Progression-Free Survival (PFS) identified heavy smokers (hazard ratio (HR) 0.71, p = 0.036) and baseline LDH < 400 mg/dL (HR 0.66, p = 0.026) as independent positive factors and liver metastases (HR 1.48, p = 0.04) and NLR ≥ 4 (HR 1.49, p = 0.029) as negative prognostic factors. These five factors were included in the EPSILoN score which was able to stratify patients in three different prognostic groups, high, intermediate and low, with PFS of 6.0, 3.8 and 1.9 months, respectively (HR 1.94, p < 0.001); high, intermediate and low prognostic groups had overall survival (OS) of 24.5, 8.9 and 3.4 months, respectively (HR 2.40, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

EPSILoN, combining five baseline clinical/blood parameters (ECOG PS, smoking, liver metastases, LDH, NLR), may help to identify advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) patients who most likely benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

The Kinetic Changes of Systemic Inflammatory Factors during Bevacizumab Treatment and Its Prognostic Role in Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

Background: Bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy is still one of the standard options for treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients without driver mutations. Serum inflammatory factors, representing the systemic immune status, are shown to have complicated relationships with tumor angiogenesis, and proved to be associated with survival of advanced NSCLC patients. However, the information from the baseline factors is relatively limited, which cannot reflect the dynamic changes of systemic immune status during bevacizumab treatment. We, thus, attempted to evaluate longitudinal kinetics of systemic inflammatory factors during treatment of bevacizumab and to explore their predictive role in treatment response and patient outcomes in advanced NSCLC.

Method: Systemic inflammatory factors (neutrophil/lymphocyte (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte (PLR), neutrophil×platelet/lymphocyte (SII) and lymphocyte/monocyte (LMR)) and clinical variables were collected and analyzed from 161 advanced NSCLC patients treated with bevacizumab. Mixed effect regression models were first performed for longitudinal analysis of the changes of serum inflammatory factors during bevacizumab treatment. Then, univariate and multivariate Cox models were used for overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) analyses to determine the independent prognostic factors.

Results: In the first 6 cycles of bevacizumab treatment, patients with complete response/partial response (CR/PR) had a -0.11, -0.066, -0.15, and 0.073 change every 2 cycles in transformed NLR (95%CI: -0.19--0.03, p=0.008), PLR (95%CI: -0.12--0.013, p=0.015), SII (95%CI: -0.23--0.05, p<0.001) and LMR (95%CI: 0.049-0.14, p=0.036), respectively, compared to patients with progressive disease (PD). With respect to analysis of the longitudinal changes before progression, patients experienced a significant increase in transformed NLR (Coef=0.09, 95%CI: 0.019-0.17, p=0.014), PLR (Coef=0.05, 95%CI: 0.002-0.10, p=0.04), and SII (Coef=0.091, 95%CI: 0.015-0.17, p=0.019), but a decrease in transformed LMR (Coef=-0.08, 95%CI: -0.14-0.018, p=0.012). On multivariate Cox model analyses, decrease of LMR (HR=0.62, 95% CI: 0.4-0.96, p=0.033) was shown to be the independent risk factor for PFS; and low level of baseline LMR (HR=0.4, 95% CI: 0.17-0.94, p=0.036), increase of NLR (HR=2.36, 95%CI: 1.25-4.44, p=0.008), and decrease of LMR (HR=0.42, 95%CI: 0.18-0.97, p=0.041) were the independent risk factors for death.

Conclusion: The activation of systemic immune status evaluated by the kinetic changes of serum inflammatory factors was associated with good response to bevacizumab; however, the suppressive status may indicate the resistance to bevacizumab. Dynamic changes of systemic inflammatory factors also had prognostic value in predicting outcomes of advanced NSCLC patients treated with bevacizumab.