Transaminase Activity Predicts Survival in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer

Pan-cancer molecular signatures connecting aspartate transaminase (AST) to cancer prognosis, metabolic and immune signatures

Background

Serum aspartate transaminase (sAST) level is used routinely in conjunction with other clinical assays to assess liver health and disease. Increasing evidence suggests that sAST is associated with all-cause mortality and has prognostic value in several cancers, including gastrointestinal and urothelial cancers. Here, we undertake a systems approach to unravel molecular connections between AST and cancer prognosis, metabolism, and immune signatures at the transcriptomic and proteomic levels.

Methods

We mined public gene expression data across multiple normal and cancerous tissues using the Genotype Tissue Expression (GTEX) resource and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to assess the expression of genes encoding AST isoenzymes (GOT1 and GOT2) and their association with disease prognosis and immune infiltration signatures across multiple tumors. We examined the associations between AST and previously reported pan-cancer molecular subtypes characterized by distinct metabolic and immune signatures. We analyzed human protein-protein interaction networks for interactions between GOT1 and GOT2 with cancer-associated proteins. Using public databases and protein-protein interaction networks, we determined whether the subset of proteins that interact with AST (GOT1 and GOT2 interactomes) are enriched with proteins associated with specific diseases, miRNAs and transcription factors.

Results

We show that AST transcript isoforms (GOT1 and GOT2) are expressed across a wide range of normal tissues. AST isoforms are upregulated in tumors of the breast, lung, uterus, and thymus relative to normal tissues but downregulated in tumors of the liver, colon, brain, kidney and skeletal sarcomas. At the proteomic level, we find that the expression of AST is associated with distinct pan-cancer molecular subtypes with an enrichment of specific metabolic and immune signatures. Based on human protein-protein interaction data, AST physically interacts with multiple proteins involved in tumor initiation, suppression, progression, and treatment. We find enrichments in the AST interactomes for proteins associated with liver and lung cancer and dermatologic diseases. At the regulatory level, the GOT1 interactome is enriched with the targets of cancer-associated miRNAs, specifically mir34a - a promising cancer therapeutic, while the GOT2 interactome is enriched with proteins that interact with cancer-associated transcription factors.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that perturbations in the levels of AST within specific tissues reflect pathophysiological changes beyond tissue damage and have implications for cancer metabolism, immune infiltration, prognosis, and treatment personalization.

DMA, a Small Molecule, Increases Median Survival and Reduces Radiation-Induced Xerostomia via the Activation of the ERK1/2 Pathway in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Survival, recurrence, and xerostomia are considerable problems in the treatment of oral squamous carcinoma patients. In this study, we investigated the role of DMA (5-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-2-[2′-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)5″benzimidazoyl]benzimidazole) as a salivary gland cytoprotectant in a patient-derived xenograft mouse model. A significant increase in saliva secretion was observed in the DMA-treated xenograft compared to radiation alone. Repeated doses of DMA with a high dose of radiation showed a synergistic effect on mice survival and reduced tumor growth. The mean survival rate of tumor-bearing mice was significantly enhanced. The increased number of Ki-67-stained cells in the spleen, intestine, and lungs compared to the tumor suggests DMA ablates the tumor but protects other organs. The expression of aquaporin-5 was restored in tumor-bearing mice injected with DMA before irradiation. The reduced expression of αvβ3 integrin and CD44 in DMA alone and DMA with radiation-treated mice suggests a reduced migration of cells and stemness of cancer cells. DMA along with radiation treatment results in the activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway in the tumor, leading to apoptosis through caspase upregulation. In conclusion, DMA has strong potential for use as an adjuvant in radiotherapy in OSCC patients.

A novel signature derived from metabolism-related genes GPT and SMS to predict prognosis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Background

A growing body of evidence has suggested the involvement of metabolism in the occurrence and development of tumors. But the link between metabolism and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) has rarely been reported. This study seeks to understand and explain the role of metabolic biomarkers in predicting the prognosis of LSCC.

Methods

We identified the differentially expressed metabolism-related genes (MRGs) through RNA-seq data of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). After the screening of protein–protein interaction (PPI), hub MRGs were analyzed by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and Cox regression analyses to construct a prognostic signature. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was applied to verify the effectiveness of the prognostic signature in four cohorts (TCGA cohort, GSE27020 cohort, TCGA-sub1 cohort and TCGA-sub2 cohort). The expressions of the hub MRGs in LSCC cell lines and clinical samples were verified by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR). The immunofluorescence staining of the tissue microarray (TMA) was carried out to further verify the reliability and validity of the prognostic signature. Cox regression analysis was then used to screen for independent prognostic factors of LSCC and a nomogram was constructed based on the results.

Results

Among the 180 differentially expressed MRGs, 14 prognostic MRGs were identified. A prognostic signature based on two MRGs (GPT and SMS) was then constructed and verified via internal and external validation cohorts. Compared to the adjacent normal tissues, SMS expression was higher while GPT expression was lower in LSCC tissues, indicating poorer outcomes. The prognostic signature was proven as an independent risk factor for LSCC in both internal and external validation cohorts. A nomogram based on these results was developed for clinical application.

Conclusions

Differentially expressed MRGs were found and proven to be related to the prognosis of LSCC. We constructed a novel prognostic signature based on MRGs in LSCC for the first time and verified it via different cohorts from both databases and clinical samples. A nomogram based on this prognostic signature was developed.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-022-02647-2.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic marker for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: Meta-analysis

We investigated the prognostic impact of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We systematically searched electronic databases and identified articles reporting an association between NLR and treatment results in patients with HNSCC treated with ICIs. Hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) and odds ratios (ORs) for response and disease control were extracted. Pooled HRs and ORs were estimated using random-effects models. Fourteen studies involving 929 patients were included. A higher NLR was associated with poor OS (HR 2.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50-2.74), PFS (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.44-3.21), response (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.26-0.93), and disease control (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.12-0.74). The NLR predicts treatment results with ICIs in patients with HNSCC.

The aspartate aminotransaminase/alanine aminotransaminase (De Ritis) ratio predicts sensitivity to radiotherapy in head and neck carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) and alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) ratio and local disease control in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) treated with radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy.

METHODS

We calculated the pre-treatment AST/ALT ratio in 670 patients with HNSCC treated with radiotherapy (n = 309, 46.1%) or chemoradiotherapy (n = 361, 53.9%).

RESULTS

Five-year local recurrence-free survival for patients with a low AST/ALT ratio value (n = 529, 79.0%) was 75.0% (95% CI: 71.1-78.9), and for patients with a high value (n = 141, 21.0%) it was 53.4% (CI 95: 44.4-62.4) (p = 0.0001). In a multivariable analysis, patients with a high ratio had nearly twice the risk of having a local tumor recurrence (HR 1.97, 95% CI 1.42-2.75, p = 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

The AST/ALT ratio was independently associated with the risk of local recurrence in patients with HNSCC treated with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy.

The AST/ALT (De Ritis) Ratio Predicts Survival in Patients with Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer

Aminotransaminases, including aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) and alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), are strongly involved in cancer cell metabolism and have been associated with prognosis in different types of cancer. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of the pre-treatment AST/ALT ratio in a large European cohort of patients with oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (OOSCC). Data from 515 patients treated for OOSCC at a tertiary academic center from 2000–2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Levels of AST and ALT were measured prior to the start of treatment. Uni- and multivariate Cox regression analyses were applied to evaluate the prognostic value of the AST/ALT ratio for cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS), survival rates were calculated. Univariate analyses showed a significant association of the AST/ALT ratio with CSS (hazard ratio (HR) 1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.38–2.12; p < 0.001) and OS (HR 1.69, 95% CI 1.41–2.02; p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the AST/ALT ratio remained an independent prognostic factor for CSS and OS (HR 1.45, 95% CI 1.12–1.88, p = 0.005 and HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.14–1.77, p = 0.002). Applying receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis, the optimal cut-off level for the AST/ALT ratio was 1.44, respectively. In multivariate analysis, an AST/ALT ratio > 1.44 was an independent prognostic factor for poor CSS and OS (HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.10–2.43, p = 0.014 and HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.12–2.15; p = 0.008). We conclude that the AST/ALT ratio is a prognostic marker for survival in OOSCC patients and could contribute to a better risk stratification and improved oncological therapy decisions.

Prognostic Role of Pretreatment De Ritis Ratio (Aspartate Transaminase/Alanine Transaminase Ratio) in Urological Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: To examine the potential prognostic significance of pretreatment De Ritis ratio (aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase ratio) in urological cancers, including upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC), renal cell carcinoma (RCC), prostate cancer (PCa), bladder cancer (BCa).

Methods: Potential literatures were searched with PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science in December 2019. Merged hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the associations.

Results: Totally, 15 studies with 8,565 patients were included. Merged results showed that an elevated pretreatment De Ritis ratio was correlated with poorer OS (HR 1.80, 95% CI 1.61–2.01), CSS (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.80–2.56), PFS (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.34–1.85), BRFS (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.11–2.53) for urological cancers. Subgroup analyses by cancer type for OS found that De Ritis ratio can be a predictor in UTUC (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.57–2.33), RCC (HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.47–2.07), and BCa (HR 1.80, 95% CI 1.43–2.27). Similar results could be found for CSS (UTUC: HR 2.46, 95% CI 1.93–3.13; RCC: HR 1.90, 95% CI 1.46-2.47; BCa: HR 2.71, 95% CI 1.39-5.31) and PFS (UTUC: HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.15–2.20; RCC: HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.26–1.83; BCa: HR 1.79, 95% CI 1.18–2.72). There was no publication bias among these included studies.

Conclusions: Pretreatment De Ritis ratio was a significant predictor for OS, CSS, PFS and BRFS in urological cancers, indicating that it could be a promising prognostic factor during clinical practice.

The AST/ALT (De Ritis) ratio predicts clinical outcome in patients with pancreatic cancer treated with first-line nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine: post hoc analysis of an Austrian multicenter, noninterventional study

Background:

The pretreatment De Ritis ratio [aspartate transaminase (AST)/alanine transaminase (ALT)] has been shown to be an adverse prognostic marker in various cancer entities. However, its relevance to advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has not yet been studied. In the present study we investigated the AST/ALT ratio as a possible predictor of treatment response and disease outcome in patients with advanced PDAC treated with first-line gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel.

Methods:

A post hoc analysis of a prospective, multicenter, noninterventional study was performed. A total of 202 patients with advanced PDAC treated with first-line gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel for whom the AST/ALT ratio was measured were included in this analysis.

Results:

Median and 1-year progression-free survival estimates were 4.8 months and 5.1%, respectively in patients with an AST/ALT ratio above the 75th percentile of its distribution, and 6.0 months and 18.7%, respectively in patients with an AST/ALT ratio less than or equal to this cutoff, respectively (log-rank p = 0.004). In univariable Cox regression, a doubling of the AST/ALT ratio was associated with a 1.4-fold higher relative risk of progression or death [hazard ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06–1.80, p = 0.017]. The prognostic association was also found in multivariable analysis adjusting for Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status and lung metastases (hazard ratio per AST/ALT ratio doubling = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.00–1.75, p = 0.047). In treatment response analysis, a doubling of the AST/ALT ratio was associated with a 0.5-fold lower odds of objective response (odds ratio = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.31–0.94, p = 0.020).

Conclusions:

The pretreatment serum AST/ALT ratio predicts poor disease outcome and response rate in patients with advanced PDAC treated with gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel and might represent a novel and inexpensive marker for individual risk assessment in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

The prognostic value of De Ritis (AST/ALT) ratio in patients after surgery for urothelial carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Recently, the De Ritis (AST/ALT) ratio has been considered as a prognostic biomarker for various malignancies. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the prognostic value of preoperative De Ritis ratio in patients after surgery for urothelial carcinoma.

Methods

We searched the online database Embase, PubMed and Cochrane Library up to October 2019. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were extracted from the studies.

Results

A total of 8 studies incorporating 3949 patients were included in the quantitative synthesis. We observed that elevated preoperative De Ritis ratio is associated with inferior OS (HR = 1.97; 95% CI 1.70–2.28; P < 0.001), CSS (HR = 2.40; 95% CI 2.02–2.86; P < 0.001), RFS (HR = 1.31; 95% CI 1.11–1.54; P = 0.001), PFS (HR = 2.07; 95% CI 1.68–2.56; P < 0.001) and MFS (HR = 2.39; 95% CI 1.16–4.91; P = 0.018). Stratified by diseases, the elevated De Ritis ratio also served as an unfavorable factor.

Conclusion

The elevated preoperative De Ritis ratio is an unfavorable factor for patients with urothelial carcinoma. In patients with BC and UTUC, the elevated preoperative De Ritis ratio is also associated with poor prognosis. But De Ritis ratio must be validated in large, independent cohorts before it can be applied widely.

Pretreatment Aspartate Aminotransferase-to-Alanine Aminotransferase (De Ritis) Ratio Predicts the Prognosis of Nonmetastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Background

The pretreatment aspartate aminotransferase-to-alanine aminotransferase (De Ritis) ratio is reportedly valuable in prognosis prediction of various malignancies. However, its value in the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has not yet been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the De Ritis ratio on the survival outcomes of patients with nonmetastatic NPC.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical data of 1023 patients with nonmetastatic NPC admitted between 2009 and 2013 at a single center. The Fine and Gray competing risk regression model was used to analyze the associations between the De Ritis ratio and the survival outcomes of cancer-specific survival (CSS) and progression-free survival (PFS) by using the subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) as size effects. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate the correlation between the De Ritis ratio and overall survival (OS) by using hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI as size effects.

Results

Patients were divided into two groups in accordance with the pretreatment De Ritis ratio by using an optimal cutoff value of 1.65. Compared with the patients with low De Ritis ratio (< 1.65), those with elevated De Ritis ratio (≥ 1.65) had poorer prognosis with regard to CSS, PFS, and OS. Notably, multivariate analyses showed that high De Ritis ratio was independently associated with poor CSS (SHR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.25–2.16), PFS (SHR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.30–2.19), and OS (HR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.39–2.40).

Conclusion

Pretreatment De Ritis ratio can be an independent prognostic predictor for patients with nonmetastatic NPC.

The Preoperative Predictive Factors for Pathological T3a Upstaging of Clinical T1 Renal Cell Carcinoma

We aimed to determine the oncological outcomes of patients with clinical T1 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) upstaged to pathological T3a and to identify the preoperative predictive factors for upstaging. We retrospectively reviewed 272 patients with clinical T1 RCC who underwent surgical treatment. Thirty-three patients (12%) were upstaged to pathological T3a. These patients had a significantly larger tumor size on computed tomography (p < 0.0001), a higher aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio (p = 0.037), and an elevated c-reactive protein (CRP) level (p = 0.014) preoperatively compared with those with pathological T1 RCC. On multivariate analysis, tumor diameter was the only significant preoperative predictive factor for upstaging [hazard ratio (HR), 3.61; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.32-9.84; p = 0.01]. The AST/ALT ratio tended to be a preoperative predictive factor for upstaging, although it was not significant (HR, 2.14; 95% CI, 0.97-4.73; p = 0.06). Pathological T3a upstaging occurred in 25% of those with a tumor diameter ≥30 mm and a preoperative AST/ALT ratio ≥1.1. There was a significant correlation between pathological T3a upstaging and the number of preoperative risk factors (p = 0.0002). The preoperative tumor diameter and serum AST/ALT ratio can be predictive factors for pathological T3a upstaging in patients with clinical T1 RCC.

Prognostic value of aspartate transaminase to alanine transaminase (De Ritis) ratio in solid tumors: a pooled analysis of 9,400 patients

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have reported the association between pretreatment serum aspartate transaminase to alanine transaminase (AST/ALT) ratio and prognosis in multiple cancers. However, the results remain controversial and no consensus has been reached. Thus, we conducted this meta-analysis to quantitatively assess the prognostic value of pretreatment AST/ALT ratio in solid tumors.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted by using PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Wanfang databases, as well as several trial registry platforms, including ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, up to April 5, 2019. HR and 95% CI for overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were calculated to estimate the effect size.

RESULTS

A total of 18 studies with 9,400 patients were included. Overall, a high level of pretreatment AST/ALT ratio was significantly associated with worse OS (pooled HR=1.70, 95% CI=1.38-2.09). The statistical significance was observed in all cancer types, including renal cell carcinoma (pooled HR=1.64, 95% CI=1.30-2.05), liver cancer (pooled HR=1.16, 95% CI=1.04-1.29), urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (pooled HR=1.96, 95% CI=1.53-2.51), bladder cancer (pooled HR =2.66, 95% CI=1.69-4.20), and other cancers (pooled HR=1.44, 95% CI=1.18-1.76). Moreover, an increased level of serum AST/ALT ratio predicted unfavorable CSS (pooled HR=2.07, 95% CI=1.74-2.46) and RFS (pooled HR=1.51, 95% CI=1.15-1.99).

CONCLUSION

Elevated level of serum AST/ALT ratio before treatment is significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes of OS, CSS, and RFS in patients with solid tumors. Pretreatment AST/ALT ratio can serve as a useful prognostic predictor for malignant patients.

High aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase ratio predicts poor prognosis in patients with localized upper tract urothelial cancer: a propensity score-matched study in a large Chinese center

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase (AST/ALT) ratio in a large Chinese cohort surgically treated for localized upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

Methods: Data of 908 consecutive patients with localized UTUC who underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) were retrospectively evaluated. The endpoints of prognosis were progression-free survival (PFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) after RNU. We compared these endpoints according to the AST/ALT ratio before and after 1:1 PSM. The independent predictors for PFS, CSS and OS were also analyzed.

Results: A high AST/ALT ratio was correlated with unfavorable factors, including elderly age, female gender, history of coronary disease, alcohol and tobacco consumption, lower body mass index, and larger tumor volume. Before PSM, the Kaplan–Meier curves showed significantly poorer survival outcomes in PFS, CSS, and OS (all P<0.001) for patients with high AST/ALT ratios. After PSM, the high AST/ALT ratio group also had significantly inferior survival outcomes in terms of PFS, OS and CSS (all P<0.001). Furthermore, multivariate analyses revealed that the AST/ALT ratio was an independent predictor for PFS, CSS and OS before PSM (PFS hazard ratio [HR] 1.454, P=0.001; CSS HR 2.577, P<0.001; OS HR 1.925, P<0.001) and after PSM (PFS HR 1.711, P<0.001; CSS HR 2.588, P<0.001; OS HR 1.957, P<0.001).

Conclusion: The preoperative AST/ALT ratio can be a convenient and useful prognostic biomarker for patients with localized UTUC.

Platelet count and platelet-lymphocyte ratio as prognostic markers for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Thrombocytosis is associated with the prognosis of various types of cancer. The purpose of this study was to quantify the prognostic impact of platelet count and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

METHODS

We systematically searched electronic databases and identified articles reporting an association between platelet count or PLR and HNSCC prognosis. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall survival (OS) were extracted, and the pooled HRs were estimated using random effect models.

RESULTS

Eight studies that enrolled 4096 patients and 9 studies that enrolled 2327 patients were included in the platelet count and PLR analyses, respectively. A platelet count greater than the cutoff value was associated with poor OS (HR 1.81; 95% CI 1.16-2.82) and any PLR greater than the cutoff value was associated with poor OS (HR 1.64; 95% CI 1.13-2.37).

CONCLUSION

Elevated platelet count and PLR are associated with poor prognosis in patients with HNSCC.

The effect of AST/ALT (De Ritis) ratio on survival and its relation to tumor histopathological variables in patients with localized renal cell carcinoma

Purpose

To assess the relationship between De Ritis (aspartate aminotransaminase [AST]/Alanine aminotransaminase [ALT]) ratio and pathological variables and whether it is an independent prognostic factor.

Materials and Methods

We analyzed 298 consecutive patients who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy for non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) between 2006 and 2015. The association between De Ritis ratio and pathological variables including tumor size, presence of renal vein invasion, vena cava invasion, renal capsule infiltration, Gerota fascia invasion, renal sinus involvement, renal pelvic invasion, angiolymphatic invasion, adrenal gland involvement, lymph node involvement, tumor necrosis, and Fuhrman's grade was tested. Multivariable Cox analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of this ratio on overall survival and cancer-specific survival.

Results

An increased preoperative De Ritis ratio was significantly associated with renal vein invasion, renal capsule infiltration and renal pelvis involvement (p<0.05) in non-metastatic RCC. On multivariate analysis we found that tumor size, Fuhrman grade and lymph node involvement were independent prognostic factors for cancer-specific survival. AST/ALT ratio had no influence on the risk of overall and cancer-specific survival.

Conclusion

An increased preoperative AST/ALT ratio had a significant association with renal vein invasion, renal capsule infiltration and renal pelvis involvement in patients with non-metastatic RCC. However, it does not appear to be an independent prognostic marker in non-metastatic RCC.

Pretreatment serum lactate dehydrogenase as a prognostic indicator for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

To examine whether lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) can predict the prognosis of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to determine the optimal cut-off values for LDH.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 184 patients with OSCC, treated with surgery between 2006 and 2014. The association between LDH and T, N classification was investigated using the Mann-Whitney test. Cut-off values for LDH were determined with a recursive partitioning analysis (RPA). Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox hazard model was used to assess the prognostic capability of LDH.

RESULTS

There was no association between LDH and T or N classification (p = .657, .619, respectively). RPA determined the cut-off values for LDH as 160 and 220 IU/L. The five year survival for low-, moderate-, and high-LDH groups were 87.7, 73.7, and 50.9%, respectively (p < .001). The hazard ratios (HRs) for death in moderate- and high-LDH groups were 2.92 (95%CI =1.02-12.30, p = .001) and 7.36 (95%CI =2.54-31.20, p < .001), respectively. The model including LDH-based stratification (Akaike's information criterion (AIC) = 516) was better than the model including clinical stage (AIC =528).

CONCLUSION

Pretreatment serum LDH is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in patients with OSCC.

The significance of De Ritis (aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase) ratio in predicting pathological outcomes and prognosis in localized prostate cancer patients

PURPOSE

To illustrate whether De Ritis (aspartate transaminase-AST/alanine transaminase-ALT) ratio is useful in risk stratification of localized prostate cancer and propose an easy predictive model for biochemical recurrence-free survival (BCRFS).

METHODS

In total, 438 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy were included in this study. Blood samples including AST and ALT were collected 1-7 days before surgery. An elevated AST and ALT value was defined as over 40 or 56 IU/L.

RESULTS

The median AST and ALT value was 18.5 (16-22) and 14 (11-18) IU/L. In total, 15 patients (3.4%) and 9 patients (2.1%) exhibited elevated AST value and ALT value. The median De Ritis ratio was 1.33 (1.11-1.60), and ROC curve indicated the best cutoff of 1.325 in predicting the occurrence of biochemical recurrence. Higher De Ritis ratio was found to be related to older age (p < 0.001), higher tumor stages (p < 0.001) and Gleason Score (p < 0.001), presence of seminal invasion (p < 0.001), positive surgical margin (p < 0.001) and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.003). Multivariate logistic regression confirmed that De Ritis ratio was an independent predictor for final Gleason Score (p < 0.001), and multivariate Cox regression demonstrated De Ritis ratio as an independent risk factor for BCRFS. A simple predictive model which incorporated De Ritis ratio, pathological tumor stage and final Gleason Score could help risk stratification for BCRFS.

CONCLUSION

Higher De Ritis ratio could be predictive for worse pathological outcomes and higher BCR in localized prostate cancer patients. A predictive model which incorporates De Ritis ratio, Gleason Score and pathological tumor stage could help risk stratification for BCRFS.

The De Ritis (aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase) ratio as a predictor of oncological outcomes in patients after surgery for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma

PURPOSE

Recently, several studies have shown that the De Ritis ratio (aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase) can be a useful prognostic biomarker for certain types of malignant tumors. However, the prognostic value of the De Ritis ratio in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma remains largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of the De Ritis ratio in patients who had undergone radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma.

METHODS

In total, 1049 patients who underwent RNU at eight institutions from 2004 to 2015 were reviewed retrospectively. The De Ritis ratio and conventional clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was carried out using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. De Ritis ratio cutoff values were derived from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

RESULTS

ROC analysis showed the cutoff De Ritis ratio for overall death to be 1.6 (p = 0.002). The cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) were significantly shorter for patients with a high De Ritis ratio (>1.6). Multivariate analysis revealed an independent relationship between an increased De Ritis ratio (>1.6) and shorter CSS (hazard ratio, HR 2.49, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.70-3.64; p = 0.001) and OS (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.34-2.52; p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The De Ritis ratio can be a significant predictor of oncological outcomes in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma after surgery.