Combination of preoperative platelet/lymphocyte and neutrophil/lymphocyte rates and tumor-related factors to predict lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer

Risk factor analysis and nomogram construction of postoperative complications for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer who received neoadjuvant immunotherapy and chemotherapy

Introduction

The combination of neoadjuvant immunotherapy and chemotherapy (NICT) has become a common treatment regimen for locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC). However, the safety and efficacy of radical gastrectomy following NICT (NICT-G) remain controversial. This study aimed to analyze the risk factors influencing postoperative complications (POCs) after NICT-G. Additionally, it aimed to construct a nomogram to provide a clinical reference for predicting POCs.

Methods

This study included 177 patients who received NICT-G at the Chinese PLA General Hospital First Medical Center from January 2020 to January 2024. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the risk factors influencing POCs, and a nomogram model was constructed. To evaluate the discrimination and accuracy of the nomogram model, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and the calibration curve were measured.

Results

In 177 patients who received NICT-G, the pathological complete response and major pathological response rates were 15.8% and 45.2%, respectively, whereas the rates of the overall and severe treatment-related adverse events were 71.8% and 15.8%, respectively. In addition, 43 (24.3%) patients developed overall POCs (Clavien-Dindo classification ≥ II). Univariable and multivariable logistic analyses showed that age ≥70 years, greater estimated blood loss, platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) ≤196, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) >1.33, non-R0 resection, and body mass index (BMI) < 18.5 kg/m2 were independent risk factors for overall POCs (p < 0.05). The nomogram model developed using the abovementioned variables showed that the AUC (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 0.808 (95% CI): 0.731-0.885 in predicting the POC risk. The calibration curves showed that the prediction curve of the nomogram was a good fit for the actual POCs (Hosmer-Lemeshow test: χ2 = 5.76, P = 0.451).

Conclusion

The independent risk factors for overall POCs in the NICT-G were age ≥ 70 years, greater estimated blood loss, PLR ≤ 196, NLR > 1.33, non-R0 resection, and BMI < 18.5 kg/m2. The nomogram model developed based on the abovementioned indicators showed better accuracy in predicting the POC risk.

Preoperatively predicting the lymph node metastasis and prognosis for gastric cancer patients

The preoperative distinguishment of lymph nodes (LN) with metastasis plays a pivotal role in guiding the surgical extension for gastric cancer (GC). We aim to identify the preparative risk factors for LN metastasis in GC patients. We retrospectively reviewed 424 patients who underwent radical GC resection in our medical center between Jan 2011 and Dec 2018. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to identify risk factors for LN metastasis, while multivariate COX regression was utilized to evaluate prognostic factors. The median overall survival of patients with or without LN metastases was 31 and 58 months, respectively. In multivariate analysis, lower albumin (OR = 0.512; P = 0.004) and prealbumin (OR = 0.367, P = 0.001) and higher CEA (OR = 3.178, P < 0.001), CA199 (OR = 2.278, P = 0.002) and platelets (OR = 1.697, P = 0.017) were found to be significantly associated with LN metastasis. In survival analysis, older age (HR = 1.712), larger tumors (HR = 1.082), higher D-dimer (HR = 1.561) and CA199 (HR = 1.553), advanced staging (stage II, HR = 3.446; stage III-IV, HR = 11.089), lower prealbumin levels (lower level for reference, HR = 0.63), and absence of adjuvant chemotherapy (HR = 0.396) was discovered to be associated with poorer overall survival (all P < 0.05). In conclusion, our results demonstrated that preoperative prealbumin-bound tumor markers can effectively predict LN metastasis. Additionally, prealbumin was found to possess prognostic value as well.

Unveiling the best predictive models for early‑onset metastatic cancer: Insights and innovations (Review)

Cancer metastasis is the primary cause of cancer deaths. Metastasis involves the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumors to other body parts, commonly through lymphatic and vascular pathways. Key aspects include the high mutation rate and the capability of metastatic cells to form invasive tumors even without a large initial tumor mass. Particular emphasis is given to early metastasis, occurring in initial cancer stages and often leading to misdiagnosis, which adversely affects survival and prognosis. The present review highlighted the need for improved understanding and detection methods for early metastasis, which has not been effectively identified clinically. The present review demonstrated the clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of early‑onset metastatic types of cancer, noting factors such as age, race, tumor size and location as well as the histological and pathological grade as significant predictors. In conclusion, the present review underscored the importance of early detection and management of metastatic types of cancer and called for improved predictive models, including advanced techniques such as nomograms and machine learning, so as to enhance patient outcomes, acknowledging the challenges and limitations of the current research as well as the necessity for further studies.

A nomogram for predicting lymph node metastasis in early gastric signet ring cell carcinoma

At present, the risk factors for lymph node metastasis in early gastric signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) remain unclear. However, it is worth noting that the LNM rate and prognosis of early gastric SRCC are superior to those of other undifferentiated cancers. With advancements in endoscopic technology, the 5-year survival rate following endoscopic treatment of early gastric cancer is comparable to traditional surgery while offering a better quality of life. The objective of this study was to develop a nomogram that can predict lymph node status in early gastric SRCC before surgery, aiding clinicians in selecting the optimal treatment strategy. A research cohort was established by retrospectively collecting data from 183 patients with early gastric SRCC who underwent radical gastrectomy with lymph node dissection at our hospital between January 2014 and June 2022. The predictors of early gastric signet ring cell carcinoma lymph node metastasis were identified in the study cohort using the least absolute selection and shrinkage operator (Lasso) and multivariate regression analysis, and a nomogram was developed. The discrimination, accuracy, and clinical practicability of the nomogram were assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, calibration curve analysis, and decision curve analysis. The incidence of lymph node metastasis was 21.9% (40/183) overall. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that tumor size and lymphovascular invasion (LVI) were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis. Lasso regression analysis demonstrated that tumor size, invasion depth, LVI, E-cadherin expression, dMMR, CA242, NLR, and macroscopic type were associated with lymph node metastasis. The integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) (P = 0.034) and net reclassification index (NRI) (P = 0.023) were significantly improved when dMMR was added to model 1. In addition, the area under curve (AUC) (P = 0.010), IDI (P = 0.001) and NRI (P < 0.001) of the model were significantly improved when type_1 was included. Therefore, we finally included tumor size, invasion depth, dMMR, and macroscopic type to establish a nomogram, which had good discrimination (AUC = 0.757, 95% CI 0.687-0.828) and calibration. Decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram had good clinical performance. We have developed a risk prediction model for early gastric signet ring cell carcinoma that accurately predicts lymph node involvement, providing clinicians with a valuable tool to aid in patient counseling and treatment decision-making.

Development and validation of a preoperative nomogram to predict lymph node metastasis in patients with bladder urothelial carcinoma

PURPOSE

Predicting lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with bladder urothelial carcinoma (BUC) before radical cystectomy aids clinical decision making. Here, we aimed to develop and validate a nomogram to preoperatively predict LNM in BUC patients.

METHODS

Patients with histologically confirmed BUC, who underwent radical cystectomy and bilateral lymphadenectomy, were retrospectively recruited from two institutions. Patients from one institution were enrolled in the primary cohort, while those from the other were enrolled in the external validation cohort. Patient demographic, pathological (using transurethral resection of the bladder tumor specimens), imaging, and laboratory data were recorded. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the independent preoperative risk factors and develop the nomogram. Internal and external validation was conducted to assess nomogram performance.

RESULTS

522 and 215 BUC patients were enrolled in the primary and external validation cohorts, respectively. We identified tumor grade, infiltration, extravesical invasion, LNM on imaging, tumor size, and serum creatinine levels as independent preoperative risk factors, which were subsequently used to develop the nomogram. The nomogram showed a good predictive accuracy, with area under the receiver operator characteristic curve values of 0.817 and 0.825 for the primary and external validation cohorts, respectively. The corrected C-indexes, calibration curves (after 1000 bootstrap resampling), decision curve analysis results, and clinical impact curves demonstrated that the nomogram performed well in both cohorts and was highly clinically applicable.

CONCLUSION

We developed a nomogram to preoperatively predict LNM in BUC, which was highly accurate, reliable, and clinically applicable.

Haematological and nutritional prognostic biomarkers for patients receiving CROSS or FLOT

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant carboplatin and paclitaxel with radiotherapy (CROSS) and perioperative docetaxel, oxaliplatin, calcium folinate and fluorouracil (FLOT) are widely used for gastric (GC), gastro-oesophageal junction (GOJ) and oesophageal cancers (OC). Prognostic and predictive markers for response and survival outcomes are lacking. This study evaluates dynamic neutrophil-lymphocyte ratios (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratios (PLR), albumin and body mass index (BMI) as predictors of survival, response and toxicity.

METHODS

This multi-centre retrospective observational study across 5 Sydney hospitals included patients receiving CROSS or FLOT from 2015 to 2021. Haematological results and BMI were recorded at baseline and pre-operatively, and after adjuvant treatment for FLOT. Toxicities were also recorded. An NLR ≥2 and PLR ≥200 was used to stratify patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine predictors of overall survival (OS), disease free survival (DFS), rates of pathological complete response (pCR) and toxicity.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty-eight patients were included (95 FLOT, 73 FLOT). A baseline NLR ≥2 was predictive for worse DFS (HR 2.78, 95% CI: 1.41-5.50, P<0.01) and OS (HR 2.90, 95% CI: 1.48-5.67, P<0.01). Sustained elevation in NLR was predictive for DFS (HR 1.54, 95% CI: 1.08-2.17, P=0.01) and OS (HR 1.65, 95% CI: 1.17-2.33, P<0.01). An NLR ≥2 correlated with worse pCR rates (16% for NLR ≥2, 48% for NLR <2, P=0.04). A baseline serum albumin <33 was predictive of worse DFS and OS with a HR of 6.17 (P=0.01) and 4.66 (P=0.01) respectively. Baseline PLR, BMI, and dynamic changes in these markers were not associated with DFS, OS or pCR rates. There was no association of the aforementioned variables with toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

This demonstrates that a high inflammatory state represented by an NLR ≥2, both at baseline and sustained, is prognostic and predictive of response in patients receiving FLOT or CROSS. Baseline hypoalbuminaemia is predictive of poorer outcomes.

Association between multiple coagulation-related factors and lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Patients with tumors generally present with accompanying activation of the coagulation system, which may be related to tumor stage. To our knowledge, few studies have examined the activation of the coagulation system in reference to lymph node metastasis within gastric cancer. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between multiple coagulation-related factors and lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer after excluding the influence of tumor T stage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated the relationship between lymph node metastasis and coagulation-related factors in 516 patients with T4a stage gastric cancer. We further analyzed influencing factors for lymph node metastasis and verified the predictive value of maximum amplitude (MA, a parameter of thromboelastography which is widely used to assess the strength of platelet-fibrinogen interaction in forming clots) in reference to lymph node metastasis.

RESULTS

Platelet counts (P=0.011), fibrinogen levels (P=0.002) and MA values (P=0.006) were statistically significantly higher in patients with T4a stage gastric cancer presenting with lymph node metastasis than in those without lymph node metastasis. Moreover, tumor N stage was statistically significantly and positively correlated with platelet count (P<0.001), fibrinogen level (P=0.003), MA value (P<0.001), and D-dimer level (P=0.010). The MA value was an independent factor for lymph node metastasis (β=0.098, 95% CI: 1.020-1.193, P=0.014) and tumor N stage (β=0.059, 95% CI: 0.015-0.104, P=0.009), and could be used to predict the presence of lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer (sensitivity 0.477, specificity 0.783, P=0.006). The independent influencing factors for MA value mainly included platelet levels, fibrinogen levels, D-dimer and hemoglobin levels; we found no statistically significant correlations with tumor diameter, tumor area, and other evaluated factors.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that MA value is an independent influencing factor for lymph node metastasis and tumor N stage in patients with T4a stage gastric cancer. The MA value has important value in predicting the presence or absence of lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

http://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2200064936.

The Utility of Pre-Treatment Inflammation Markers as Associative Factors to the Adverse Outcomes of Vulvar Cancer: A Study on Staging, Nodal Involvement, and Metastasis Models

BACKGROUND

Given the role of inflammation in carcinogenesis, this study investigated the utility of pre-treatment inflammatory markers as associative indicators for advanced-stage disease, lymph node metastasis (LNM), and distant metastasis (DM) in vulvar cancer (VC).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 86 women with VC in a single centre in Jakarta, Indonesia. The laboratory data was based on C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and fourteen derived, recorded and calculated ratios: leukocyte-to-platelet (LPR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (dNLR), neutrophil-to-monocyte (NMR), platelet-to-monocyte (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte (LMR), basophil-to-monocyte (BLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), body mass index, albumin, and NLR (BAN) score, haemoglobin-to-platelet (HPR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), CRP-to-albumin, and CRP-to-procalcitonin. The optimal cut-off for each marker was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and their diagnostic indicator performances were assessed. The utility of these ratios as associative factors for three endpoints was further evaluated in multivariate regression models.

RESULTS

Investigated inflammatory markers exhibited specific performances for individual adverse outcomes, proving a fair to excellent ability in case finding and screening. After adjustment, the BAN score ≤ 334.89 (OR 9.20, p = 0.001) and ESR ≥ 104 (OR 4.18, p = 0.048) become two advanced-stage associative factors with AUC: 0.769. LNM was solely determined by higher NLR ≥ 2.83 (OR 4.15, p = 0.014) with AUC: 0.615. Meanwhile, BLR ≥ 0.035 (OR 5.67, p = 0.001) and ESR ≥ 84 (OR 6.01, p = 0.003) were contributing factors for DM, with AUC: 0.765.

CONCLUSIONS

Inflammatory markers are crucial for identifying the deleterious outcomes of VC. Accordingly, yielded models require external validation.

The Combination of Inflammatory Biomarkers as Prognostic Indicator in Salivary Gland Malignancy

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate how the systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), taken individually and combined, are associated with overall survival (OS) in patients surgically treated for malignant salivary gland tumors (MSGTs). Methods: A retrospective analysis of 74 cases following surgery at our department between January 2011 and June 2018 was performed. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was used to calculate the optimal cutoff values for SII, SIRI, PLR, and NLR. Survival curves of different groups at 1−3−5 years were estimated using the Kaplan−Meier method. Results: The optimal thresholds with the highest sensitivity and specificity were 3.95 for NLR, 187.6 for PLR, 917.585 for SII, and 2.045 for SIRI. The ROC curves revealed that the best combination with AUC = 0.884 was SII + SIRI. The estimated 5-year OS probability in patients with SII+ SIRI scores of 0, 1, and 2 was 96%, 87.5% and 12.5%, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusion: SII+ SIRI can independently predict the OS of patients after MSGT surgery. The prognostic score system based on SII+ SIRI may be good clinical practice as a reference for clinical decision-making.

The Significance of Fibrinogen in Combination with the Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio in Predicting the Prognosis of Patients with Gastric Cancer

Objective

To investigate the significance of fibrinogen (Fib) in combination with the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.

Methods

The preoperative peripheral blood-related indicators of 281 gastric cancer patients were reviewed retrospectively, and the differences in relationship indicators between the survival and death groups were compared and analyzed. The COX regression analysis and Kaplan–Meier Curve (K-M) were used to assess the prognostic significance of Fib combined with NLR in patients with gastric cancer.

Results

① The difference between the survival and death groups of patients with gastric cancer was statistically significant in the high and low Fib and NLR levels (X²=6.868 and 17.051, respectively, all P <0.01).② The correlation between Fib and NLR was remarkable (r=0.266, P=0.000).③ The F-NLR classifications showed statistically significant difference between the survival and death groups for gastric cancer patients (X²=20.200, P=0.000).④ Except for Fib and the middle/low classification of F-NLR, which was P<0.05, and the rest were all P<0.01. There was a substantial statistical difference between F-NLR classifications, Fib and NLR.⑤ F-NLR was found to be a predictive factor of death in patients with gastric cancer in COX regression analysis (P=0.000).⑥Patients with F-NLR scores of “0”, “1” and “2” had 5-year survival rates of 92.6%, 64.0% and 47.2%, respectively, and 3-year survival rates of 92.6%, 74.3% and 51.9%, respectively (all P=0.000).

Conclusion

The combination of Fib and NLR (F-NLR) improves the accuracy of prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.

Neutrophile-to-lymphocyte, lymphocyte-to-monocyte, and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios as prognostic and response biomarkers for resectable locally advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Perioperative fluorouracil plus leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel (FLOT) improves prognosis in locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC). Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte (LMR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) ratios are prognostic biomarkers but not predictive factors.

AIM

To assess blood ratios’ (NLR, LMR and PLR) potential predictive response to FLOT and survival outcomes in resectable LAGC patients.

METHODS

This was a multicentric retrospective study investigating the clinical potential of NLR, LMR, and PLR in resectable LAGC patients, treated with at least one preoperative FLOT cycle, from 12 Portuguese hospitals. Means were compared through non-parametric Mann-Whitney tests. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis defined the cut-off values as: High PLR > 141 for progression and > 144 for mortality; high LMR > 3.56 for T stage regression (TSR). Poisson and Cox regression models the calculated relative risks/hazard ratios, using NLR, pathologic complete response, TSR, and tumor regression grade (TRG) as independent variables, and overall survival (OS) as the dependent variable.

RESULTS

This study included 295 patients (mean age, 63.7 years; 59.7% males). NLR was correlated with survival time (r = 0.143, P = 0.014). PLR was associated with systemic progression during FLOT (P = 0.022) and mortality (P = 0.013), with high PLR patients having a 2.2-times higher risk of progression [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89-5.26] and 1.5-times higher risk of mortality (95%CI: 0.92-2.55). LMR was associated with TSR, and high LMR patients had a 1.4-times higher risk of achieving TSR (95%CI: 1.01-1.99). OS benefit was found with TSR (P = 0.015) and partial/complete TRG (P < 0.001). Patients without TSR and with no evidence of pathological response had 2.1-times (95%CI: 1.14-3.96) and 2.8-times (95%CI: 1.6-5) higher risk of death.

CONCLUSION

Higher NLR is correlated with longer survival time. High LMR patients have a higher risk of decreasing T stage, whereas high PLR patients have higher odds of progressing under FLOT and dying. Patients with TSR and a pathological response have better OS and lower risk of dying.

Association between neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer: A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION AND AIM

The prognostic role of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been explored extensively in the literature. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the link between NLR and lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer. A method for increasing specificity and sensitivity of pre-treatment staging has implications on treatment algorithms and survival.

SEARCH STRATEGY

The relevant databases were searched as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flowchart. After selection, 12 full text articles that met the inclusion criteria were included for quantitative analysis. 2 × 2 squares were generated using lymph node positive/negative, and NLR high/low data. The effect size for each study was calculated using the DerSimonian-Laird random effects model. P values were calculated using the chi-square method. Finally publication bias was evaluated. All statistics were calculated using R Studio.

RESULTS

Meta-analysis showed a 1.90 times (odds ratio, with 95% CI 1.52-2.38) increase in risk of positive lymph node status with high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. This has significant implications for cancer screening and staging, as NLR is a highly reproducible, cost-effective, and widely available prognostic factor for gastric cancer patients. Additionally, high or low NLR values may have implications for management pathways. Patients with lymph node metastasis can be offered neoadjuvant chemotherapy, avoiding salvage therapy in the form of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, which is poorly tolerated.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis shows an association between NLR and positive lymph node status in gastric cancer patients with implications for staging, as well as preoperative personalisation of therapy.

The Survival Relationship between Preoperative Inflammation Markers and Patients with Special Pathological Types of Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

The preoperative PLR is closely associated with prognosis of gastric cancer. This aims to research whether the PLR could predict overall survival (OS) of gastric cancer (GC) patients with SRC component.

METHODS

The data were collected from Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital between January 2001 and December 2013 in China. The patients were diagnosed with GC by pathologic examination, which contained SRC component in pathological organization. PLR is obtained from peripheral blood markers (platelets/lymphocytes).

RESULTS

There is a difference in OS between high PLR group and low group, which is verified by Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests (P < 0.001). Moreover, multivariate analysis prove PLR was independent prognostic factor for GC (HR = 1.384, 95% (CI): 1.048-1.828; P = 0.022). The preoperative PLR in stage I + II (P = 0.033), stage III (P < 0.001), SRC component lower than 50% (P < 0.001), SRC component equal to or higher than 50% (P = 0.044), and R0 resection (P < 0.001) GC are still effective.

CONCLUSION

PLR is a simple, useful, and repeatable predictor of OS in gastric cancer of stages I-III with SRC component and may help clinicians identify patients with high risk and develop a more reasonable follow-up plan.

A novel robust nomogram based on preoperative hemoglobin and albumin levels and lymphocyte and platelet counts (HALP) for predicting lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Accurate assessment of lymph node status in gastric cancer (GC) patients can help to select appropriate treatment strategies for GC, but the diagnostic accuracy of conventional methods needs to be improved. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of preoperative hemoglobin and albumin levels and lymphocyte and platelet counts (HALP) on lymph node status in GC patients and to construct a risk prediction model.

METHODS

This study retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics of 349 patients with GC who underwent radical gastrectomy, among which 250 patients were recruited in the training cohort and 99 patients in the independent validation cohort. Significant risk factors in univariate analysis were further identified as independent variables in multivariate logistic regression analysis, which were then incorporated and presented in a nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, Calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) curves were used to evaluate the discrimination, prediction accuracy and clinical effectiveness of the model.

RESULTS

Multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that alcohol use (OR =2.203, P=0.036), Depth of invasion (OR =7.756, P<0.001), differentiation (OR =2.252, P=0.018), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (OR =2.443, P=0.017), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA199) (OR =2.715, P=0.008) and HALP (OR =2.276, P=0.032) were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM) in GC. We used these factors to construct a nomogram for predicting LNM in GC patients, and the ROC curves showed good discrimination of the model with AUC values of 0.854 (training cohort) and 0.868 (validation cohort), respectively, and the calibration curves showed good predictive ability of the nomogram, in addition to the DCA curves results showed the clinical usefulness of the model.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, we established a nomogram for predicting LNM in patients with GC.

A potential novel biomarker in predicting lymph node metastasis of gastric signet ring cell carcinoma: A derived monocyte to lymphocyte ratio

BACKGROUND

This study is designed to evaluate the predictive value of derived monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (dMLR), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and eosinophil to lymphocyte ratio (ELR) for lymph node metastasis (LNM) in gastric signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) patients.

METHODS

We carried out a retrospective analysis for 203 eligible patients who underwent radical gastrectomy between January 2011 and September 2020.

RESULTS

The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for dMLR were 60.3% and 72.2%, respectively; while for NLR and ELR were 64.1% and 66.6%, and 91.6% and 23.6%, respectively. The dMLR and NLR were identified as independent predictors of LNM, but ELR was not. A nomogram was developed incorporating dMLR and clinical characteristics with AUC of 0.868, and the outcome of DCA supported good clinical benefit.

CONCLUSIONS

dMLR is a promising novel preoperative biomarker to predict LNM of gastric SRCC.

Prognostic Value of Combination of Inflammatory and Tumor Markers in Resectable Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory response and tumor marker levels have been shown to correlate with the prognosis in several human tumors. However, only a few studies on these markers have been performed in gastric cancer (GC) patients; the clinical significance of the combined markers is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the role of the combination of preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) for predicting the prognosis of patients with GC.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 458 patients who underwent gastrectomy with curative intent between January 2013 and July 2014 in the second hospital of Lanzhou University. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was performed to determine the cut-off values for biomarkers, and their prognostic values were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier curve. The combined score indicators were established based on the optimal cut-off values, which range from 0 to 2. Prognostic significances for overall survival (OS) were assessed by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Nomogram was used as a visual supplement for the prognostic score system, and the predictive accuracy and discriminative ability were determined by the concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve.

RESULTS

The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS were 66.2% (n = 303), 42.8% (n = 196), and 40.2% (n = 184) in all 458 patients, respectively. The high NLR (≥1.96), PLR (≥126), CA19-9 (≥27 U/mL), and CEA (≥ 5 ng/mL) were associated with poor prognosis of GC patients. The NLR + CA19-9 score indicator proved to be related to tumor size, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, perineural invasion, T stage, N stage, TNM stage, PLR, and CEA in patients with GC and an independent prognostic factor for prediction of 5-year OS (score 1: HR = 1.423, 95%CI: 1.049-1.929, P = 0.023; score 2: HR = 2.740, 95%CI: 1.882-3.990, P < 0.001). NLR + CA19-9 has a better predictive ability than other combined or single score indicators based on inflammation and tumor markers (AUC = 0.662, 95%CI: 0.616-0.705, P < 0.001). Moreover, a nomogram was established by the significant characteristics in the multivariate analysis for OS, which represented high accuracy (C-index = 0.692, 95%CI: 0.675-0.708).

CONCLUSION

NLR + CA19-9 can independently predict the overall survival of patients with gastric cancer after surgery. The prognostic nomogram based on NLR + CA19-9 is a convenient, economical, and effective prognostic system for clinical practice.

Association between the preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and tertiary lymphoid structures surrounding tumor in gastric cancer

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been reported to be associated with a poor prognosis in various types of cancer. We previously reported that an antitumor immune response was induced by tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) surrounding tumor, and increased TLS was an independent prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer. The present study examined the stratification based on the correlation between the preoperative NLR and TLS density in gastric cancer. A total of 199 patients who underwent surgery for stage Ib-IV gastric cancer were included in the study. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the appropriate cut-off values of the preoperative NLR and the TLS density. The prognostic factors were evaluated in a multivariate analysis. The median NLR was 2.18 (mean ± SD, 2.7±2.04). A total of 91 patients with an NLR ≥2.33 was classified into the high NLR group. The overall survival was significantly improved in patients with a low NLR than in those with a high NLR. Additionally, the low NLR group tended to have a high TLS density. The multivariate analysis indicated that the preoperative NLR and TLS density were independent risk factors. When the patients were classified into the high and low NLR and TLS groups and the survival rates were compared, the prognosis was significantly improved in the low NLR and high TLS group than in the other groups. The preoperative NLR may be associated with the presence of TLSs surrounding the tumor, and the combination of NLR and TLS may be useful for the stratification of patient prognosis. The present results suggested that the NLR and TLS density may be surrogate markers for immunotherapy against gastric cancer.

Development and Validation of a Nomogram to Predict Lymph Node Metastasis in Patients With T1 High-Grade Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder

Purpose

This study aims to develop and validate a nomogram to predict lymph node (LN) metastasis preoperatively in patients with T1 high-grade urothelial carcinoma.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated the data of 2,689 patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) treated with radical cystectomy (RC) and bilateral lymphadenectomy in two medical centers. Eventually, 412 patients with T1 high-grade urothelial carcinoma were enrolled in the primary cohort to develop a prognostic nomogram designed to predict LN status. An independent validation cohort (containing 783 consecutive patients during the same period) was subjected to validate the predicting model. Binary regression analysis was used to develop the predicting nomogram. We assessed the performance of the nomogram concerning its clinical usefulness, calibration, and discrimination.

Results

Overall, 69 (16.75%), and 135 (17.24%) patients had LN metastasis in the primary cohort and external validation cohort, respectively. The final nomogram included information on tumor number, tumor size, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), fibrinogen, and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR). The nomogram showed good predictive accuracy and calibration with a concordance index in the primary cohort of 0.853. The application of the nomogram in the external validation cohort still gave good discrimination (C-index, 0.845) and good calibration. The analysis of the decision curve shows that the nomogram has clinical application value.

Conclusion

The nomogram that incorporated the tumor number, tumor size, LVI, fibrinogen, and MLR showed favorable predictive accuracy for LN metastasis. It may be conveniently used to predict LN metastasis in patients with T1 high-grade urothelial carcinoma and be helpful in guiding treatment decisions.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in gastric cancer: an updated meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Pre-treatment PLR (platelet-lymphocyte ratio) was reported to be associated with the prognosis in gastric cancer (GC), but the results remain inconclusive. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prognostic potential of the pre-treatment PLR in gastric cancer.

METHODS

We performed a systematic literature search in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to identify eligible publications. The hazard ratio (HR)/odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence (CI) of survival outcomes and clinicopathological parameters were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 49 studies (51 cohorts), collecting data from 28,929 GC patients, were included in the final analysis. The pooled results demonstrated that the elevated pre-treatment PLR was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) (HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.26-1.49, p < 0.001; I² = 79.90%, P_h < 0.001) and disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.22-1.90, p < 0.001, I² = 88.6%, P_h < 0.001). Furthermore, the patients with the elevated PLR had a higher risk of lymph node metastasis (OR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.02-1.33, p = 0.023), serosal invasion (T3+T4) (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.10-1.64, p = 0.003), and increased advanced stage (III+IV) (OR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.06-1.37, p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

An elevated pre-treatment PLR was a prognostic factor for poor OS and DFS and associated with poor clinicopathological parameters in GC patients.

Preoperative C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio predicts long-term outcomes in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

Systemic inflammation may have prognostic value in some malignancies and association with lymph node metastasis. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of systemic inflammatory biomarkers on long-term and oncological outcomes as well as to assess the association between biomarkers with lymph node metastasis in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients.

METHODS

We enrolled 271 consecutive patients who underwent surgical resection for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Poor prognostic factors were compared to identify the biomarkers that were most associated with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) using receiver operating characteristic curves and multivariable analysis. Furthermore, we evaluated the relationship between biomarkers and lymph node metastasis.

RESULTS

Four and two biomarkers were predictive for OS and DFS, respectively, among which, the C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) had the highest area under the curve values (OS: 0.631, DFS: 0.624). Multivariable analysis showed that a high CAR was an independent prognostic factor for both OS and DFS (P = .002 and P < .001, respectively). Although a high CAR was not significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (P = .645), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 showed a significant correlation (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative CAR is the most accurate prognostic factor for OS and DFS in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients and is independent of lymph node metastasis.

Tumor Hypoxia As an Enhancer of Inflammation-Mediated Metastasis: Emerging Therapeutic Strategies

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Recent research has implicated tumor inflammation as a promoter of metastasis. Myeloid, lymphoid, and mesenchymal cells in the tumor microenvironment promote inflammatory signaling amongst each other and together with cancer cells to modulate sustained inflammation, which may enhance cancer invasiveness. Tumor hypoxia, a state of reduced available oxygen present in the majority of solid tumors, acts as a prognostic factor for a worse outcome and is known to have a role in tumor inflammation through the regulation of inflammatory mediator signals in both cancer and neighboring cells in the microenvironment. Multiple methods to target tumor hypoxia have been developed and tested in clinical trials, and still more are emerging as the impacts of hypoxia become better understood. These strategies include mechanistic inhibition of the hypoxia inducible factor signaling pathway and hypoxia activated pro-drugs, leading to both anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory effects. This prompts a need for further research on the prevention of hypoxia-mediated inflammation in cancer. Hypoxia-targeting strategies seem to have the most potential for therapeutic benefit when combined with traditional chemotherapy agents. This paper will serve to summarize the role of the inflammatory response in metastasis, to discuss how hypoxia can enable or enhance inflammatory signaling, and to review established and emerging strategies to target the hypoxia-inflammation-metastasis axis.

Metastatic patterns and surgical methods for lymph nodes No. 5 and No. 6 in proximal gastric cancer

Objective

The current surgical treatment guidelines for early proximal gastric cancer (PGC) still lack agreement. Lymphadenectomy of lymph nodes No. 5 and No. 6 is the major difference between total and proximal gastrectomy. We elucidated the appropriate surgical procedure for PGC by investigating the pathological characteristics and prognostic significance of lymph nodes No. 5 and No. 6.

Methods

In total, 333 PGC patients who underwent total gastrectomy were enrolled in this study. We investigated their clinicopathological characteristics and the metastatic patterns of the lymph nodes. Patients with metastasis in lymph nodes No. 5 and No. 6 were combined into one group and we compared the difference in survival between those with and without metastasis in lymph nodes No. 5, 6 (lymph nodes No. 5 and No. 6 in any group of metastasis) for different subgroups.

Results

The metastatic rates for lymph nodes No. 5 and No. 6 in PGC were 9.91% and 16.11%, respectively. The metastatic rate for both lymph nodes No. 5, 6 was 20.42%. Multivariate analysis showed that positive metastasis in lymph node No. 4, depth of invasion, and tumor size were independently correlated with the presence of metastasis in lymph nodes No. 5, 6.

Conclusions

When lymph node No. 4 is positive (intraoperative pathology) or tumor size ≥5 cm or T4 stage, lymphadenectomy should be performed for lymph nodes No. 5 and No. 6, and total gastrectomy is recommended.

Low periostin expression predicts poor survival in intestinal type gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Periostin is a protein from the Fascilin family. It is commonly present in normal tissues and is responsible for cell adhesion. Evidence has emerged showing that changes in periostin expression play an important role in tumor initiation, development, and progression. This study aims to investigate the effect of periostin in gastric cancer (GC) patients who underwent gastrectomy. Seven hundred and forty-seven GC patients who underwent gastrectomy between December 2006 and July 2011 were included in this study.

METHODS

Seven hundred and forty-seven cancer tissues and 70 paired adjacent normal tissues were collected. Periostin expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The Gene Expression Omnibus database was used to study the association between the mRNA level and patient's overall survival. The tumor microenvironment was also studied.

RESULTS

Periostin expression in stroma was downregulated in tumor tissues but it was upregulated in the epithelial cells. After dividing the tissues according to the Lauren Classification, we found that periostin expression in stroma and epithelial cells was higher in intestinal type than in diffuse type (P<0.001 and P=0.010, respectively). Periostin was an independent predictor of lymph node (LN) metastasis in GC patients. The study of CD163(+) tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) revealed that in diffuse type GC, periostin expression was associated with CD163(+) TAMs.

CONCLUSION

We found that the periostin expression can predict LN metastasis in patients undergoing curative gastrectomy. Intestinal type GC patients with high periostin level had both a favorable survival and lesser LN metastasis.

Significance of Preoperative Systemic Inflammation Score in Short-Term and Long-Term Outcomes of Patients with Pathological T2-4 Gastric Cancer After Radical Gastrectomy

BACKGROUND

Surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment for patients with gastric cancer (GC). Development of a simple, high-performance, integrated scoring system is needed to provide appropriate management. This study aimed to evaluate predictive values of the systemic inflammation score (SIS) for short- and long-term outcomes of patients who underwent surgery for GC.

METHODS

A total of 187 patients who underwent gastrectomy for pT2-4 GC without preoperative treatment were analyzed. SIS was formulated based on serum albumin level and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio, and graded into SIS 0, 1, and 2.

RESULTS

Preoperative SIS was significantly associated with incidence of postoperative complications, showing a stepwise increased incidence in proportion to SIS in the entire cohort and all subgroups according to operative procedure and disease stage. Overall and disease-free survival times of patients in SIS 0, 1, and 2 shortened in a stepwise fashion. SIS was linked to prevalence of hematogenous metastasis as initial recurrence site. Survival differences between patients with SIS 2 and the others were particularly large in patients who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy. The continuation rate of adjuvant S-1 was lower in the SIS 2 group.

CONCLUSION

SIS represents a simple predictor for incidence of postoperative complications and survival in patients with pT2-4 GC.

Sarcopenia is associated with the neutrophil/lymphocyte and platelet/lymphocyte ratios in operable gastric cancer patients: a prospective study

Purpose

Sarcopenia is distinguished by decreased skeletal muscle plus low muscle strength and/or physical performance. This study was designed to demonstrate the relationship between sarcopenia and systemic inflammatory response (neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio [NLR], platelet/lymphocyte ratio [PLR], and large platelet/lymphocyte ratio [LPLR]) prior to radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Patients and methods

We conducted a prospective study of gastric cancer patients who underwent radical gastrectomy. The clinical utility of the NLR, PLR, and LPLR was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curves. Sarcopenia components including skeletal muscle index, handgrip strength, and 6 m usual gait speed were measured. Logistic analysis was used to identify the independent indices associated with sarcopenia.

Results

A total of 670 patients were included, representing 504 men and 166 women. Of these, 104 patients (15.5%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia and 567 (84.5%) were non-sarcopenia. PLR has a diagnostic sensitivity of 91.3% for sarcopenia. In addition to the indicators of preoperative age, nutritional risk screening, body mass index, preoperative albumin, and diabetes, the NLR and PLR were independent predictors for sarcopenia (P<0.05).

Conclusion

The present study showed that at-diagnosis sarcopenia was associated with inflammation in patients with operable gastric cancer. Due to the complex assessment of muscle condition, PLR may be used as a primary screening test for sarcopenia. How systemic inflammatory response influences changes in sarcopenia may provide new therapeutic perception toward improving outcomes.

The accuracy of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and platelet to lymphocyte ratio as a marker for gastrointestinal malignancies

Background

Accurate predictors of locally advanced and recurrence disease in patients with gastrointestinal cancer are currently lacking. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have emerged as possible markers for predicting recurrence in these patients. In this study, we sought to evaluate the utility of NLR and PLR in predicting the presence of regional nodal disease, metastasis and systemic recurrence in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies.

Methods

We queried a comprehensive gastrointestinal oncology database to identify patients who had undergone surgery for a GI malignancy. NLR and PLR values were determined via a complete blood count (CBC). In patients treated with neoadjuvant therapy (NT) the NLR and PLR were calculated from CBCs before and after NT and in patients proceeding to surgery within 2 weeks pre-operatively. The associations between NLR and PLR and the clinicopathologic parameters (sex, age, tumor size, differentiation, positive lymph nodes, and metastatic disease) were assessed via χ² or Fisher's exact tests where appropriate. All the tests were two-sided, and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

We identified 116 patients diagnosed with gastrointestinal malignancies. There were 76 (65.5%) males and 40 (34.5%) females with an average age of 69.4±10.7 years. The mean follow up was 14.1±15.5 months. We identified 49 (42.2%) esophageal, 34 (29.3%) pancreatic, 14 (12.1%) colorectal, 13 (11.2%) gastric, and 6 (5.2%) biliary cancers. There were 36 (31.0%) patients with node negative disease, 52 (44.8%) with node positive and 28 (24.2%) with metastatic disease at surgery. Of the metastatic patients 4 (3.4%) were found at staging laparoscopy and 24 (20.6%) were diagnosed pre-operatively. The median NLR for LN- patient's was 1.78 (0.23-8.2) and for LN+ and metastatic patients was 4.69 (2.27-36), P<0.001. The median PLR for LN- patient's was 123.03 (14-257.69) and for LN+ and metastatic patients was 212.42 (105.45-2,185.18), P<0.001. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for a NLR >2.25 was 98.8%, 72.2%, 89%, and 96% respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for PLR >140 was 95%, 78%, 90%, and 88% respectively. Utilizing both NLR and PLR the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV was increased.

Conclusions

Elevation of NLR and PLR can be used to help identify patients with advanced disease GI malignancies and recurrences after surgery. Additionally, failure of normalization of NLR and PLR 3-month post-surgical resection may indicate early recurrence or persistent disease. Individually, NLR has a higher sensitivity and negative predictive value while PLR has a higher specificity and positive predictive value for distinguishing metastatic disease and node positivity. The combination of NLR and PLR has the highest accuracy of predicting advanced disease among all gastrointestinal malignancies.

Preoperative platelet-lymphocyte ratio is an independent prognostic factor in ampullary carcinoma following pancreaticoduodenectomy

The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether preoperative platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) could predict the prognosis for curative resected ampullary carcinoma. A total of 94 patients were retrospectively included over a 6-year period in which consecutive cases underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for ampullary malignancy. Preoperative blood results were available in the 94 cases of resected ampullary carcinoma. Preoperative PLR and NLR cut-off values of 226.8 and 2.58 were determined to represent the optimal cut-off values in the cases for survival analysis. PLR remained a significant independent predictor of survival in multivariate analysis (Cox, P<0.001) in addition to tumor differentiation (P<0.001), nodal status (P<0.001) and stage (P<0.001). While NLR failed to serve as a prognostic factor in univariate (P=0.0637) and multivariate (P=0.164) survival analysis. Furthermore, the nodal involvement rate was higher in high PLR group (74.2 vs. 19.05%, P<0.001). Preoperative PLR and NLR merit further evaluation as a prognostic index in curative resected ampullary carcinoma. Additionally, it is a candidate predictor for the lymph node metastasis.

Pretreatment blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio is associated with metastasis and predicts survival in patients with pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

The predictive value of systemic inflammatory markers has been explored in various types of cancer. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the association between pretreatment neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and tumor metastasis in pancreatic cancer, and the values of NLR as a prognostic factor of overall survival.

METHODS

Clinical and laboratory data from 256 consecutive pancreatic cancer patients were analyzed retrospectively. The NLR was recorded before treatment and analyzed along with clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival of pancreatic cancer patients.

RESULTS

Multivariate analysis revealed that pretreatment NLR (HR: 2.393; 95% CI: 1.326-4.320; P=0.004) was an independent risk factor for distant metastasis. Furthermore, COX regression analysis showed that in addition to pretreatment NLR (HR: 1.871; 95% CI: 1.413-2.477; P<0.001), metastasis and stage were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSION

Pretreatment NLR values were significantly associated with distant metastasis in pancreatic cancer patients. Higher NLR values were detected in metastatic disease and may be an independent prognostic factor of overall survival in pancreatic cancer patients.

Peripheral venous blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts survival in patients with advanced gastric cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Background

Accurate and useful predictors of gastric carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy are lacking at present. We aim to explore the potential prognostic significance of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in advanced gastric cancer receiving S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) or oxaliplatin and capecitabine (XELOX) regimen.

Methods

We enrolled 91 patients with advanced gastric cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy from August 2008 to September 2015. The peripheral venous blood samples were collected before neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The NLR was divided into two groups: low NLR <2.17 group and high NLR ≥2.17 group. Univariate analysis on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were generated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Prognostic factors were assessed by univariate analyses, and the independent prognostic factors were evaluated using multivariate analysis (Cox’s proportional-hazards regression model).

Results

The univariate analysis showed that median DFS and median OS were worse for high NLR values than low NLR values before neoadjuvant chemotherapy (median DFS: 19.97 and 26.87 months, respectively, P=0.299; median OS: 25.83 and 29.73 months, respectively, P=0.405). Multivariate analysis showed that the NLR before neoadjuvant chemotherapy was not an independent prognostic factor for DFS and OS. However, median DFS and median OS were worse for high neutrophil values than for low neutrophil values (median DFS: 21.03 and 26.87 months, respectively, P=0.396; median OS: 24.43 and 29.37 months, respectively, P=0.534); for low lymphocyte values than for high lymphocyte values before neoadjuvant chemotherapy (median DFS: 22.33 and 26.87 months, respectively, P=0.624; median OS: 26.37 and 27.93 months, respectively, P=0.584). Nevertheless, patients with low NLR had better 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year DFS and OS rates.

Conclusion

NLR may serve as a cheap and convenient prognostic indicator in gastric carcinoma patients receiving SOX or XELOX neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Low NLR may help the doctors to take efficient treatment measures for gastric cancer.

Clinical utility of the platelet-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of postoperative complications after radical gastrectomy for clinical T2-4 gastric cancer

AIM

To identify simple and sensitive markers for postoperative complications after gastrectomy, the predictive values were compared among candidate preoperative factors.

METHODS

Three-hundred and twelve patients with previously untreated clinical T2-4 gastric cancer who underwent a D2 standard gastrectomy (distal gastrectomy or total gastrectomy) were included in the analysis. Correlations between 21 parameters that can be determined by preoperative routine blood tests and clinically relevant postoperative complications (grade II or higher according to the Clavien-Dindo classification) were evaluated. The optimal cutoff values and clinical significance of the selected markers were further evaluated by subgroup analyses according to age, body mass index, operative procedure and clinical disease stage.

RESULTS

Sixty-six patients (21.1%) experienced grade II or higher postoperative complications. The platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR, total lymphocyte count/platelet count × 100) exhibited the highest area under the curve value (0.639) for predicting postoperative complications among the 21 parameters, and the optimal cutoff value was determined to be 0.71 (sensitivity = 70%, specificity = 56%). In the univariate analysis, the odds ratio of a low PLR for the occurrence of postoperative complications was 2.94 (95%CI: 1.66-5.35, P < 0.001), and a multivariate binomial logistic analysis involving other potential risk factors identified a low PLR as an independent risk factor for postoperative complications (OR = 3.32, 95%CI: 1.82-6.25, P < 0.001). In subgroups classified according to age, body mass index, operative procedure and clinical disease stage, the low PLR group exhibited an increased incidence of postoperative complications.

CONCLUSION

The preoperative PLR is a simple and useful predictor of complications after curative gastrectomy in patients with clinical T2-4 gastric cancer.

Elevated preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio can predict poor survival in early stage gastric cancer patients receiving radical gastrectomy: The Fujian prospective investigation of cancer (FIESTA) study

Aims: This cohort study was conducted to evaluate the prognostic impact of blood-routine parameters before radical gastrectomy on gastric cancer mortality.

Methods: Total 3012 patients with gastric cancer were consecutively enrolled from a mono-center between 2000 and 2010, and the latest follow-up was completed in 2015.

Results: The median follow-up time was 44.05 months. Finally, 1331 out of 3012 gastric cancer patients died from gastric cancer. Per standard deviation increment in neutrophil (hazard ratio or HR=1.08, P<0.001), white blood cell count (HR=1.07, P=0.001), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio or NLR (HR=1.08, P<0.001) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (HR=1.08, P<0.001) was significantly associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer mortality, while that in lymphocyte (HR=0.69, P<0.001), hemoglobin (HR=0.82, P<0.001) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (HR=0.68, P<0.001) was associated with a reduced risk. Survival tree analysis indicated that in patients with TNM stage I/II, the contrasts of NLR>2.61 with ≤2.61 and NLR>1.87 with ≤1.87 were respectively associated with a 5.21-fold (P=0.004) and 2.36-fold (P=0.001) increased risk of gastric cancer mortality. The effect-size magnitude of NLR was further potentiated in patients with invasion depth T1/T2 (HR=1.73, P=0.001), regional lymph node metastasis N0 (HR=1.60, P<0.001), TNM stage I/II (HR=1.36, P=0.009) and tumor size ≤ 4.5 cm (HR=1.17, P<0.001).

Conclusions: Our findings consolidated the prognostic impact of preoperative NLR on gastric mortality, and demonstrated that elevated preoperative NLR was a robust indicator of poor survival in patients at early stage.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratios can Predict Treatment Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy in Esophageal Cancer

INTRODUCTION

We hypothesized that serum neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios may predict pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in esophageal cancer patients. The ability to predict favorable treatment response to therapy may aid in determining optimal treatment regimens.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective review of a prospective esophageal disease registry was conducted. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was defined as the pre-chemoradiotherapy serum neutrophil count divided by lymphocyte count. Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was similarly defined. Logistic regression was applied to analyze these ratios and their effect on pathologic complete response. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to analyze survival.

RESULTS

Sixty patients were included. Elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio were both negative predictors of pathologic complete response (odds ratio: 0.62; 95% confidence interval: 0.37-0.89, P = 0.037 and odds ratio: 0.91; 95% confidence interval: 0.82-0.98, P = 0.028, respectively). Only platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was predictive of decreased overall survival (hazard ratio: 1.05, 95% confidence interval: 0.94-1.16, P = 0.40).

CONCLUSION

Elevated neutrophil and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios were significant predictors of a poor treatment response to neoadjuvant therapy. Only elevated platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was predictive of worse overall survival. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios may offer a simple serum test to assess the likelihood of a pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal cancer.

The Prognostic Role of the Platelet-Lymphocytes Ratio in Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Background

Systemic inflammatory parameters, such as the elevator PLR (platelet-lymphocyte ratio), the NLR (neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio) and the platelet count (PLT), have been found to be associated with the prognosis in gastric cancer; however, these results, especially those relating to the PLR, remain inconsistent. So we aimed to evaluate the prognostic role of the PLR in gastric cancer by conducting and presenting the findings of this meta-analysis.

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library to evaluate the prognostic value of the PLR in gastric cancer. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Newcastle Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). The hazard ratio (HR) /Odds Ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence were pooled using a random effects model. A funnel plot based on overall survival was used to evaluate the publication bias.

Results

It total, 8 studies comprising 4513 patients with gastric cancer met the pre-setting inclusion criteria. In comparison to the normal PLR, an elevated PLR was correlated with a higher risk of lymph node metastasis with an OR of 1.50 (95% Cl:1.24–1.82; I² = 17%) and serosal invasion (T3 +T4) risk with an OR of 2.01 (95% Cl: 1.49–2.73; I² = 55%), and an elevated PLR also increased the advanced stage (III +IV) risk with an OR of 1.99 (95% Cl: 1.60–2.46; I² = 28%). An elevated PLR was not a reliable predictor for OS with an HR of 0.99 (95% CI: 0.9–1.1; I² = 12%).

Conclusions

An elevated PLR was correlated with a higher risk of lymph node metastasis, serosal invasion and advanced stage (III +IV) risk in gastric cancer; however, the PLR may not act as a negative predictor for the overall survival of gastric cancer.

The neutrophil lymphocyte ratio is associated with breast cancer prognosis: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common female malignancy within the spectrum of human cancer. One promising way to reduce the mortality and morbidity of BC is to explore novel diagnostic markers for early diagnosis and prognostication. The neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a good reflection of inflammation, which plays an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. However, the association between NLR and BC prognosis remains unclear. The aim of this meta-analysis is to explore the prognostic value of NLR in BC. Among the screened references in the database, 12 eligible studies were identified in this study. Patients with a higher NLR had a shorter disease-free survival (hazard ratio =1.46, 95% confidence interval: 1.12-1.90, P=0.044) and overall survival (hazard ratio =2.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.41-2.93, P<0.001). In the subgroup analysis of NLR and disease-free survival, the studies from Eastern countries had a positive result with perfect homogeneity (I (2)=0); however, this homogeneity has not been achieved in studies from Western countries. In the subgroup analysis of the NLR and overall survival, the results of the univariate and multivariate analyses were completely different, with different heterogeneity. In the luminal A and luminal B subtypes, we found that there was no association between the NLR and overall survival in the BC patients. Positive results were obtained in the analyses of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive and triple-negative BC subtypes. In conclusion, this meta-analysis suggests that NLR is a good prognostic marker for BC, and patients with a higher NLR have poorer prognoses. Future studies should perform more detailed investigations to decrease heterogeneity and determine the appropriate cut-off values for different races.