Prognostic significance of neutrophil-to- lymphocyte ratio in esophageal cancer: a meta-analysis

Association between accelerometer-measured light-intensity physical activity and tumor regression for male patients with esophageal cancer receiving neoadjuvant therapy: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Physical activity has the potential to promote tumor regression in patients with esophageal cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC); however, the benefits of light-intensity physical activity (LIPA) are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of LIPA on tumor regression in male patients with esophageal cancer during NAC and its optimal cutoff value.

METHODS

This retrospective single-center observational study included all male patients who underwent NAC or curative esophagectomy. We assessed the physical activity of patients using an accelerometer and calculated the time spent on LIPA. Tumor regression was defined as grade ≥ 1b according to the Japanese classification of esophageal cancer. The impact of LIPA on tumor regression was analyzed using multivariate analysis, and the optimal cutoff value was identified using the receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine male patients with esophageal cancer who underwent NAC were analyzed. The mean age was 68 years, mean body mass index was 22.4, and 80% of the patients were diagnosed with clinical stage 3 or 4 disease. Every extra 30-min increase in LIPA during the treatment phase was associated with tumor regression (adjusted OR 1.41 [1.02-2.04]). The optimal cutoff value of LIPA was 156.11 min/day, and patients with rich LIPA (≥ 156.11 min/day) were less likely to suffer from anorexia and malnutrition during NAC.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that LIPA during NAC has a potential of promoting tumor regression with a cutoff value of 156.5 min/day. Further clinical research is required to determine the prognostic benefits of LIPA in patients receiving NAC.

The value of perioperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio combined with the prognostic nutritional index for predicting anastomotic leakage after minimally invasive esophagectomy

Background

Across the world, esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive system. Anastomotic leakage is a severe complication after minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) for esophageal cancer. Research indicates that inflammation and immune system and nutritional status are linked to anastomotic leakage. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and prognostic nutrition index (PNI) reflect the inflammatory and nutritional status of the human body. The aim of this study is to investigate the value of perioperative NLR combined with the PNI to predict anastomotic leakage after MIE.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 232 patients who underwent MIE in The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University from January 2019 to May 2023. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of anastomotic leakage. Clinicopathological data and perioperative peripheral blood indices of the patients were collected, and the factors associated with postoperative anastomotic leakage were analyzed via univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Moreover, the value of NLR and PNI for predicting anastomotic leakage were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

Results

Anastomotic leakage occurred in 35 (15%) of 232 patients who underwent MIE. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified a history of diabetes, higher NLR levels on postoperative days 3 and 5, and a lower PNI score on postoperative day 3 as independent risk factors of anastomotic leakage. ROC curve analysis indicated that NLR combined with PNI on postoperative day 3 had the best predictive value for anastomotic leakage, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.826, a sensitivity of 82.9%, and a specificity of 78.2%.

Conclusions

Persistently high NLR levels and persistently low PNI levels in the postoperative period correlated with the development of anastomotic leakage after MIE, and NLR combined with the PNI on postoperative day 3 had the best predictive value for anastomotic leakage after MIE.

Associations between peripheral whole blood cell counts derived indexes and cancer prognosis: An umbrella review of meta-analyses of cohort studies

Meta-analyses have reported conflicting data on the whole blood cell count (WBCC) derived indexes (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR], platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio [PLR], and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio [LMR]) and cancer prognosis. However, the strength and quality of this evidence has not been quantified in aggregate. To grade the evidence from published meta-analyses of cohort studies that investigated the associations between NLR, PLR, and LMR and cancer prognosis. A total of 694 associations from 224 articles were included. And 219 (97.8%) articles rated as moderate-to-high quality according to AMSTAR. There were four associations supported by convincing evidence. Meanwhile, 165 and 164 associations were supported by highly suggestive and suggestive evidence, respectively. In this umbrella review, we summarized the existing evidence on the WBCC-derived indexes and cancer prognosis. Due to the direction of effect sizes is not completely consistent between studies, further research is needed to assess causality and provide firm evidence.

Analyzing risk factors and constructing a predictive model for superficial esophageal carcinoma with submucosal infiltration exceeding 200 micrometers

OBJECTIVE

Submucosal infiltration of less than 200 μm is considered an indication for endoscopic surgery in cases of superficial esophageal cancer and precancerous lesions. This study aims to identify the risk factors associated with submucosal infiltration exceeding 200 micrometers in early esophageal cancer and precancerous lesions, as well as to establish and validate an accompanying predictive model.

METHODS

Risk factors were identified through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate logistic regression. Various machine learning (ML) classification models were tested to develop and evaluate the most effective predictive model, with Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) employed for model visualization.

RESULTS

Predictive factors for early esophageal invasion into the submucosa included endoscopic ultrasonography or magnifying endoscopy> SM1(P<0.001,OR = 3.972,95%CI 2.161-7.478), esophageal wall thickening(P<0.001,OR = 12.924,95%CI,5.299-33.96), intake of pickled foods(P=0.04,OR = 1.837,95%CI,1.03-3.307), platelet-lymphocyte ratio(P<0.001,OR = 0.284,95%CI,0.137-0.556), tumor size(P<0.027,OR = 2.369,95%CI,1.128-5.267), the percentage of circumferential mucosal defect(P<0.001,OR = 5.286,95%CI,2.671-10.723), and preoperative pathological type(P<0.001,OR = 4.079,95%CI,2.254-7.476). The logistic regression model constructed from the identified risk factors was found to be the optimal model, demonstrating high efficacy with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.922 in the training set, 0.899 in the validation set, and 0.850 in the test set.

CONCLUSION

A logistic regression model complemented by SHAP visualizations effectively identifies early esophageal cancer reaching 200 micrometers into the submucosa.

Skeletal muscle mass recovery after oesophagectomy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy in oesophageal cancer: retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) is an important biomarker for prognosis and health in older patients with cancer. Limited information is available on the recovery course of SMM after oesophagectomy following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in older patients. This study was performed to investigate the recovery course of SMM after oesophagectomy following NAC and the preoperative predictors of delayed recovery in older patients with locally advanced oesophageal cancer (LAEC).

METHODS

This single-centre retrospective cohort study involved older (≥65 years) and non-older (<65 years) patients with LAEC who underwent oesophagectomy following NAC. The SMM index (SMI) was calculated using CT images. One-way analysis of variance and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed.

RESULTS

In total, 110 older patients and 57 non-older patients were analysed. Loss of the SMI after NAC to 12 months postoperatively was significantly greater in older patients than in non-older patients (p<0.01). The significant preoperative predictor of delayed recovery of the SMI 12 months after surgery was loss of the SMI during NAC in older patients (per 1%: adjusted OR 1.249; 95% CI 1.131 to 1.403; p<0.001), but not in non-older patients (per 1%: OR 1.074; 95% CI 0.988 to 1.179; p=0.108).

CONCLUSIONS

There is an especially large unmet need for preventing the long-term sequelae of SMM loss in older patients with LAEC after oesophagectomy following NAC. In older patients, loss of SMM during NAC is an especially useful biomarker for prescribing postoperative rehabilitation to prevent postoperative loss of SMM.

Platelet-to-albumin ratio and radiation-induced lymphopenia-prognostic biomarker for carcinoma esophagus

BACKGROUND

Esophageal cancer has a poor survival outcome with 5-year OS at 16.7% despite treatment. Some inflammation-based prognostic indicators like the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been previously studied as potential biomarker for predicting outcome in esophageal cancer. Recently, platelet-to-albumin ratio (PAR) has been reported as a promising prognostic factor in gastrointestinal malignancies.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively treated patients of carcinoma esophagus to evaluate the prognostic significance of inflammation-based prognostic indicators-neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and a composite inflammation-nutrition index: platelet-to-albumin ratio (PAR) in esophageal cancer. Based on previous studies, the optimal cut-off value of PAR was kept at 5.7 × 10^9, and 2.62 for NLR.

RESULTS

A total of 71 patients of locally advanced esophageal cancer treated between 2019 and 2022, with either neoadjuvant or definitive chemoradiotherapy, were included. Median follow-up time was 19 months [range: 7-44 months]. Median OS and PFS in our study cohort were 11.3 months [range: 7-23 months] and 7.8 months [range: 3-17 months], respectively. In univariate analysis, lower PAR was found to be significantly correlated with shorter survival time (HR = 2.41; 1.3-4.76; p = 0.047). There was no association found between the OS and the NLR [HR = 1.09; 0.95-1.26; p = 0.222]. Univariate and multivariate linear and logistic regressions found no association between V15, V10, V5, or V2 of spleen and nadir lymphocyte count or between Dmax or Dmean and nadir lymphocyte counts.

CONCLUSION

Present analysis found a trend toward an inverse association between PAR and OS. PAR, in the not-so-distant future, may evolve as a novel, convenient, and inexpensive prognostic indicator in esophageal cancer.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a new prognostic factor in cancers: a narrative review

The increasing incidence of cancer globally has highlighted the significance of early diagnosis and improvement of treatment strategies. In the 19th century, a connection was made between inflammation and cancer, with inflammation recognized as a malignancy hallmark. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), calculated from a complete blood count, is a simple and accessible biomarker of inflammation status. NLR has also been proven to be a prognostic factor for various medical conditions, including mortality classification in cardiac patients, infectious diseases, postoperative complications, and inflammatory states. In this narrative review, we aim to assess the prognostic potential of NLR in cancer. We will review recent studies that have evaluated the association between NLR and various malignancies. The results of this review will help to further understand the role of NLR in cancer prognosis and inform future research directions. With the increasing incidence of cancer, it is important to identify reliable and accessible prognostic markers to improve patient outcomes. The study of NLR in cancer may provide valuable insights into the development and progression of cancer and inform clinical decision-making.

Prognostic value of pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index in Chinese esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving radical radiotherapy: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The association between pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and long-term survival among Chinese esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients who received radical radiotherapy remains unclear. The aim of this study was to identify the prognostic role of pretreatment SII in Chinese ESCC patients receiving radical radiotherapy based on current evidence.

METHODS

The PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and CNKI databases were searched up to March 18, 2023. Primary and secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), respectively. The hazard ratios (HRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined to assess the predictive role of pretreatment SII for long-term survival of Chinese ESCC patients receiving radiotherapy. All statistical analyses were conducted by STATA 15.0 software.

RESULTS

A total of 8 eligibility studies involving 2101 cases were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results demonstrated that elevated pretreatment SII was significantly related to worse OS (HR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.24-2.02, P < .001) and PFS (HR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.13-1.57, P < .001). Besides, subgroup based on TNM stage showed similar results.

CONCLUSION

Pretreatment SII could serve as a novel prognostic factor in Chinese ESCC patients receiving definitive radiotherapy and patients with an elevated SII may experience poorer survival.

Retrospective study of the combination of TP and PF regimens with or without immune checkpoint inhibitors for the first-line treatment of locally advanced or advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective

To investigate the efficacy and safety differences between the cisplatin + paclitaxel (TP) and cisplatin + fluorouracil (PF) regimens in combination with or without immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) first-line treatment and prognostic factors.

Methods

We selected the medical records of patients with late stage ESCC admitted to the hospital between 2019 and 2021. Based on the first-line treatment regimen, control groups were divided into chemotherapy plus ICIs (n = 243) and non-ICIs (n = 171), 119 (49%) in the TP + ICIs group, 124 (51%) in the PF + ICIs group, 83 (48.5%) in the TP group, and 88 (51.5%) in the PF group in the control group. We analyzed and compared factors related to efficacy, safety, or response to toxicity and prognosis across four subgroups.

Results

The overall objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) of the TP plus ICIs group were 42.1% (50/119) and 97.5% (116/119), respectively, which were 6.6% and 7.2% higher than those of the PF plus ICIs group. Patients in the TP combined with ICIs group had higher overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) than those in the PF combined with ICIs group [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.702, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.767-1.499, p = 0.0167 and HR = 1.158, 95% CI: 0.828-1.619, p = 0.0055] ORR and DCR were 15.7% (13/83) and 85.5% (71/83) in the TP chemotherapy alone group, significantly higher than the PF group [13.6% (12/88) and 72.2% (64/88)] (p < 0.05), OS and PFS were also better in patients treated with TP regimen chemotherapy than PF (HR = 1.173, 95% CI: 0.748-1.839, p = 0.0014 and HR = 0.1.245, 95% CI: 0.711-2.183, p = 0.0061). Furthermore, following the combination of TP and PF diets with ICIs, the OS of the patients was higher than that of the group treated with chemotherapy alone (HR = 0.526, 95% CI: 0.348-0.796, p = 0.0023 and HR = 0.781, 95% CI: 0.0.491-1.244, p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the control nuclear status score (CONUT), and the systematic immune inflammation index (SII) were independent prognostic factors for the efficacy of immunotherapy (p < 0.05). The overall incidence of treatment-associated adverse events (TRAEs) was 79.4% (193/243) and 60.8% (104/171) in the experimental and control groups, respectively, and there was no statistically significant difference in TRAEs between TP + ICIs (80.6%) and PF + ICIs (78.2%) (61.4%) and PF groups (60.2%) (p > 0.05). Overall, 21.0% (51/243) of patients in the experimental group experienced immune-related adverse events (irAEs), and all of these adverse effects were tolerated or remitted following drug treatment without affecting follow-up.

Conclusion

The TP regimen was associated with better PFS and OS with or without ICIs. Furthermore, high CONUT scores, high NLR ratios, and high SII were found to be associated with poor prognosis in combination immunotherapy.

Effect of Perioperative Blood Transfusions and Infectious Complications on Inflammatory Activation and Long-Term Survival Following Gastric Cancer Resection

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of perioperative blood transfusion and infectious complications on postoperative changes of inflammatory markers, as well as on disease-free survival (DFS) in patients undergoing curative gastric cancer resection. Methods: Multicenter cohort study in all patients undergoing gastric cancer resection with curative intent. Patients were classified into four groups based on their perioperative course: one, no blood transfusion and no infectious complication; two, blood transfusion; three, infectious complication; four, both transfusion and infectious complication. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was determined at diagnosis, immediately before surgery, and 10 days after surgery. A multivariate Cox regression model was used to analyze the relationship of perioperative group and dynamic changes of NLR with disease-free survival. Results: 282 patients were included, 181 in group one, 23 in group two, 55 in group three, and 23 in group four. Postoperative NLR changes showed progressive increase in the four groups. Univariate analysis showed that NLR change > 2.6 had a significant association with DFS (HR 1.55; 95% CI 1.06−2.26; p = 0.025), which was maintained in multivariate analysis (HR 1.67; 95% CI 1.14−2.46; p = 0.009). Perioperative classification was an independent predictor of DFS, with a progressive difference from group one: group two, HR 0.80 (95% CI: 0.40−1.61; p = 0.540); group three, HR 1.42 (95% CI: 0.88−2.30; p = 0.148), group four, HR 2.85 (95% CI: 1.64−4.95; p = 0.046). Conclusions: Combination of perioperative blood transfusion and infectious complications following gastric cancer surgery was related to greater NLR increase and poorer DFS. These findings suggest that perioperative blood transfusion and infectious complications may have a synergic effect creating a pro-inflammatory activation that favors tumor recurrence.

The prognostic value of systemic immune-inflammation index in surgical esophageal cancer patients: An updated meta-analysis

Purpose

To identify the prognostic role of systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in esophageal cancer patients receiving operation.

Methods

The PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, WanFang and CNKI electronic databases were searched up to February 17, 2022 for relevant studies. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined to assess the association between SII and prognosis in surgical esophageal cancer patients. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS) and secondary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). All statistical analyses were conducted by STATA 15.0 software.

Results

A total of nine retrospective studies involving 3,565 participates were included. The pooled results indicated that high SII was significantly related with poor OS (HR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.23–2.02, P < 0.001). However, subgroup analysis based on pathological type demonstrated that high SII was an independent predictor for poor OS only in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients (HR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.34–2.21, P < 0.001). Besides, SII was also significantly associated with poor PFS (HR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.61–2.35, P < 0.001) and CSS (HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.04–1.99, P = 0.027) in ESCC patients.

Conclusion

The SII could serve as an independent prognostic factor in surgical ESCC patients and higher SII was related with worse survival. However, more prospective high-quality studies are still needed to verify above findings.

Prognostic Impact from the Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass During Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Older Patients with Esophageal Cancer

BACKGROUND

In older adults, skeletal muscle mass is an important factor for health and prognosis. The loss of SMM during neoadjuvant therapy affects the prognosis of patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. However, information is limited regarding this possibility in older patients. This study aimed to establish the prognostic impact of SMM loss during neoadjuvant chemotherapy on older patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer.

METHODS

This was a single-center retrospective cohort study. Patients age 65 years or older had undergone R0 curative esophagectomy after NAC. The skeletal muscle mass index before and after NAC was calculated from computed tomography images. The percentage change in the SMI during NAC (SMI%) was calculated from the SMI before and after NAC.

RESULTS

The study analyzed 150 patients with a mean age of 71.1 ± 3.7 years. The mean value of the SMI was 42.7 ± 7.2 cm²/m² before NAC, and the SMI% was - 6.4% ± 5.9%. The cutoff of SMI% for overall survival was defined by the log-rank test as - 12%. The Cox proportional hazard model showed that major loss of the SMI (≥ 12%) significantly influenced OS (hazard ratio, 2.490; 95% confidence interval, 1.121-5.529; p = 0.025) independently of age, sex, pathologic T and N factors, or treatment regimen.

CONCLUSIONS

Major SMI loss has an impact on OS after R0 curative esophagectomy for older patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer.

Prognostic Impact of Postoperative Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass in Patients Aged 70 Years or Older with Esophageal Cancer

BACKGROUND

The number of patients with esophageal cancer aged ≥ 70 years with a poor prognosis is increasing. In general patients with esophageal cancer, postoperative loss of skeletal muscle mass (SMM) is a prognostic factor. This study was designed to investigate the prognostic impact of postoperative loss of SMM in patients aged ≥ 70 years with esophageal cancer.

METHODS

This study was a single-center, retrospective cohort study. Patients with esophageal cancer who underwent R0 esophagectomy between 2016 and 2020 were included. The percentage postoperative loss of skeletal muscle mass index (SMI%) was calculated using computed tomography images before and at 4 ± 2 months after surgery.

RESULTS

The number of subjects in the ≥ 70-year and < 70-year age groups was 166 and 218, respectively. The median SMI% was 5% in all patients; thus, 5% was defined as the cutoff point to define major loss of SMI. Major loss of SMI impacted 3-year overall survival (OS) in the ≥ 70-year age group, independent of age, sex, clinical stage, pathological T and N factors, Charlson comorbidity index, and length of hospital stay (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 4.400; 95% confidence interval: 1.202-16.105; P = 0.025). The adjusted HR of major loss of SMI in the ≥ 70-year age group was higher than in the < 70-year age group (adjusted HR: 4.400 vs. 2.388, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative loss of SMI in patients with esophageal cancer aged ≥ 70 years more strongly impacted 3-year OS than in patients aged < 70 years.

Prolonged neutrophilia is associated with worse outcomes after Esophagectomy

Neutrophilia is a potential biomarker for postoperative complications and oncologic outcomes. There is a paucity of data regarding neutrophilia in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma. Our Institutional Database was queried for esophageal adenocarcinoma patients who underwent esophagectomy from 2006 to 2019. Complete blood counts (CBC), demographic characteristics, perioperative and oncologic outcomes were evaluated. Two groups were created based on the presence of prolonged neutrophilia (PN, >7,000 absolute neutrophils 90 days after surgery). Univariate, multivariable, and survival analysis were performed (P-value < 0.05). We identified 686 patients with complete CBC data: 565 in the no prolonged neutrophilia (NPN) and 121 in the PN groups (17.6%). The mean age was 54 versus 48 years in the NPN and PN groups (P = 0.01). There was no difference in height, weight, gender, race, tumor size, histology, pTNM, PS, ASA, salvage procedure, neoadjuvant treatment and comorbidities. On multivariable analysis, the PN group had increased transfusions (19.8% vs. 11.9%; P = 0.02), aspiration (13.2% vs. 2.5%; P = 0.002), pulmonary embolus (3.3% vs. 0.4%; P = 0.02), cardiac arrest (5% vs. 0.4%; P = 0.02) and hematologic complications (23.1% vs. 12.6%; P = 0.01). After controlling for any postoperative complication, PN had increased distant recurrence (24% vs. 12.7%; hazard ration [HR]: 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42-3.9; P = 0.001) and decreased OS (33.8% vs. 49.7%, HR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.19-2.81; P = 0.006); median follow up 77 months (46-109). PN was predictive of distant recurrence and decreased overall survival. Further work investigating these neutrophil populations represents a potential area for biomarker research, immunomodulation, and may guide postoperative surveillance strategies.

Prognostic and Clinicopathologic Significance of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Esophageal Cancer: An Update Meta-Analysis

Background: Esophageal cancer is one of the most common cancers with significant morbidity and mortality. It is important to predict the prognosis of patients. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively assess the prognostic and clinicopathologic significance of NLR in patients with esophageal cancer. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and CNKI. This meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as the effect estimation to evaluate the prognostic role of NLR. Odds ratio (OR) was used to evaluate the relation between NLR and clinicopathologic characteristics. Results: A total of 8431 patients from 32 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that elevated NLR might predict poor prognosis: The factors considered included overall survival (OS) (HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.40-1.75; P < .001), cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.09-1.49; P < .001), progression-free survival (PFS) (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.29-1.72; P < .001), and disease-free survival (DFS) (HR,1.58; 95% CI, 1.27-1.97; P < .001). High NLR was also associated with tumor differentiation, tumor length, tumor invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, and clinical stage. No significant association was observed between NLR and metastasis stage (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 0.98-2.98; P = .058). Conclusions: The results of this meta-analysis suggest that elevated NLR value might predict poor prognosis (OS, CSS, PFS, and DFS), according to abnormal clinicopathologic parameters.

Impact of synbiotics treatment on bacteremia induced during neoadjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer: A randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND & AIMS

To elucidate the impact of synbiotics on bacterial translocation and subsequent bacteremia during neoadjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer.

METHODS

Patients requiring neoadjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer were randomized to receive synbiotics (synbiotics group) or no synbiotics (control group) during chemotherapy. Blood and fecal samples were taken before and after every chemotherapy cycle, and 1 day before surgery. Mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were harvested at laparotomy (MLN-1) and after resection of the tumor (MLN-2). Bacteria in each sample were detected. Fecal microbiota and organic acid concentrations were also determined. The primary endpoint was the detection of bacteria in the blood samples, as well as the incidence of side effects during chemotherapy. The secondary endpoint was the detection rate of bacteria in the MLN samples collected during surgery.

RESULTS

The study recruited a total of 42 patients (22 in the control group, 20 in the synbiotics group). Bacteria were detected in 16 of 101 blood samples in the control group, whereas those were detected only 2 of 100 blood samples in the synbiotics group (p < 0.001) during neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Additionally, bacteria were detected in 12 of 34 MLN samples in the control group, whereas no bacteria were detected in 38 MLN samples in the synbiotics group (p < 0.001). Suppression of bacterial translocation was at least partly associated with an increased fecal acetic acid concentration as well as a lowered fecal pH by synbiotics. The incidence rate of grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity during chemotherapy was lower in the synbiotics group compared to the control group (8/22 vs. 1/20, p = 0.022).

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer may induce bacterial translocation and subsequent bacteremia, which can be prevented by synbiotics administration.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The University Hospital Medical Information Network (http://www.umin.ac.jp; registration number ID 000007651).

Leveling Up the Controversial Role of Neutrophils in Cancer: When the Complexity Becomes Entangled

Neutrophils are the most abundant immune cell in the circulation of human and act as gatekeepers to discard foreign elements that have entered the body. They are essential in initiating immune responses for eliminating invaders, such as microorganisms and alien particles, as well as to act as immune surveyors of cancer cells, especially during the initial stages of carcinogenesis and for eliminating single metastatic cells in the circulation and in the premetastatic organs. Since neutrophils can secrete a whole range of factors stored in their many granules as well as produce reactive oxygen and nitrogen species upon stimulation, neutrophils may directly or indirectly affect carcinogenesis in both the positive and negative directions. An intricate crosstalk between tumor cells, neutrophils, other immune cells and stromal cells in the microenvironment modulates neutrophil function resulting in both anti- and pro-tumor activities. Both the anti-tumor and pro-tumor activities require chemoattraction towards the tumor cells, neutrophil activation and ROS production. Divergence is seen in other neutrophil properties, including differential secretory repertoire and membrane receptor display. Many of the direct effects of neutrophils on tumor growth and metastases are dependent on tight neutrophil–tumor cell interactions. Among them, the neutrophil Mac-1 interaction with tumor ICAM-1 and the neutrophil L-selectin interaction with tumor-cell sialomucins were found to be involved in the neutrophil-mediated capturing of circulating tumor cells resulting in increased metastatic seeding. On the other hand, the anti-tumor function of neutrophils was found to rely on the interaction between tumor-surface-expressed receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and Cathepsin G expressed on the neutrophil surface. Intriguingly, these two molecules are also involved in the promotion of tumor growth and metastases. RAGE is upregulated during early inflammation-induced carcinogenesis and was found to be important for sustaining tumor growth and homing at metastatic sites. Cathepsin G was found to be essential for neutrophil-supported lung colonization of cancer cells. These data level up the complexity of the dual role of neutrophils in cancer.

Impact of Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant Therapies on Platelet-related Prognostic Markers in Patients With Esophageal Cancer

BACKGROUND/AIM

In recent years, platelet-related markers were recognized as useful prognostic factors in various malignancies. We investigated the relationship between platelet-related prognostic markers and anti-platelet or anti-coagulant therapies for survival outcomes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Preoperative platelet-related prognostic markers were evaluated from peripheral blood testing and statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the prognostic value of these markers and reveal the effects of antiplatelets and/or anticoagulants regarding their prognostic relevance.

RESULTS

In all 176 patients, preoperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) was not found to be a predictor of overall survival (OS). However, in patients without antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapies, PLR was significantly associated with a poor OS (p=0.03). Although platelet large cell ratio (P-LCR) was not associated with the prognosis in patients with antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant therapies, higher P-LCR was associated with a poor prognosis in patients without antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapies (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Researching detailed antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies could reinforce the prognostic value of platelet-related prognostic markers in ESCC.

Pretreatment biomarkers as prognostic predictors of survival in patients with Pancreatic Cancer treated with Gemcitabine-based Therapy and 5-Fluorouracil: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio vs Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio

Although elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been reported to be inverse prognostic predictors of survival in patients with pancreatic cancer (PC), the comparison of their prognostic roles in patients with PC undergoing gemcitabine-based chemotherapy and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) remains unclear. This study was designed and performed to determine the predictive roles of NLR and PLR in patients diagnosed with PC who underwent one of these two regimens. We retrospectively enrolled 95 patients diagnosed with PC undergoing supportive care, gemcitabine-based chemotherapy or 5-FU therapy from January 2015 to October 2018. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were done to identify clinicopathological predictors of time to treatment failure (TTF) and overall survival (OS), including pretreatment NLR and PLR. The statistical data showed that pretreatment NLR was significantly associated with metastasis. Among all analyzed variables, pretreatment NLR was an independent prognostic predictor of both TTF and OS of patients with PC, with NLR>4.0 predicting worse survival. PLR, however, didn't independently predict TTF or OS. There were no significant difference in the OS of patients undergoing gemcitabine-based regimens and 5-FU regimens when divided into two subgroups: NLR ≤4.0 and >4.0. In conclusion, pretreatment NLR is a promising independent outcome predictor for patients with PC, while NLR might not be a suitable factor in the selection of regimens for patients with PC.

C-Reactive Protein to Prealbumin Ratio (CPR): A Novel Inflammatory-Nutritional Prognostic Factor for Predicting Cancer-Specific Survival (CSS) and Overall Survival (OS) in Patients with Resectable Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background

The inflammation and nutrition play an important role in prognosis. A novel index combined with inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers, named C-reactive protein (CRP) to prealbumin (PALB) ratio (CPR), was initially reported to predict the prognosis in resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Patients and Methods

A retrospective study was conducted including 346 resectable ESCC patients. The X-tile program was used to confirm the optimal cut-off value. The Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox regression analyses were performed to analyze the cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS).

Results

The optimum cut-off point was 0.03 for CPR. Patients with a high level of CPR (> 0.03) were associated with poor CSS (12.0% vs. 43.0%, P<0.001) and OS (11.2% vs. 40.7%, P<0.001). Multivariate analyses revealed that CPR was an independent predictor in resectable ESCC patients (CSS, P=0.008; OS, P=0.007).

Conclusion

This study, to the best of our knowledge, is the first to investigate prognostic role of CPR in patients with ESCC. Our retrospective observations indicate that CPR, with the optimal cut-off value of 0.03, is a useful potential predictor in resectable ESCC patients.

A novel inflammation-based prognostic index for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio/prealbumin ratio

NLR/Alb (neutrophil lymphocyte ratio/albumin ratio), is a prognostic index for esophageal cancer has been confirmed. Prealbumin (PA) is more sensitive to malnutrition than albumin. A new prognostic index, named neutrophil lymphocyte ratio/prealbumin ratio (NLR/PA), for predicting the survival time in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) was proposed.A retrospective study of 315 cases with ESCC was enrolled. The optimal cut-off values were evaluated by ROC curve (the receiver operating characteristics curve). Pearson correlation analyses were used to calculate the correlations among NLR, Alb, NLR/Alb and NLR/PA. The overall survival (OS) was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate the prognostic factors.The optimal cut-off value was 0.01 for NLR/PA according to ROC curve. According to multivariate analyses, TNM stage, NLR, NLR/Alb, NLR/PA were prognostic factors for OS. The AUC area (the area under the receiver operating characteristics curves) of the NLR/PA was higher than the areas of NLR and NLR/Alb for all the patients. The index of NLR/ PA had a higher AUC area than that of the index of NLR or NLR/Alb for patients in stage I-II. But in stage III-IVA, the index of NLR had a higher AUC area than that of the index of NLR/PA or NLR/Alb.The index of NLR/PA is superior to the index of NLR as a prognostic indicator for patients with early stage (stage I-II) ESCC.

Value of the preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic factor for long-term survival in postoperative esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the relationship between the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and clinicopathological features and prognosis in patients with postoperative esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODS

The preoperative NLR was evaluated in 419 patients who underwent esophagectomy for ESCC. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to verify the accuracy of the NLR for predicting survival. Correlation between the NLR and clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed using the χ2 test. Prognostic influence was calculated by using the Kaplan-Meier method and the difference was assessed by log-rank test. Multivariate Cox regression models were applied to evaluate the independent prognostic value.

RESULTS

The cutoff value of the NLR was 2.998, the area under the curve was 0.735, and the sensitivity and specificity were 69.3% and 69.3%, respectively. Tumor length (P = 0.0317), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0352), pathological tumor node metastasis (pTNM) stage (P = 0.0271), and postoperative radiotherapy (P = 0.0385) were significantly different between the groups. Multivariate analysis showed that pTNM stage (P = 0.0098), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.001), and NLR (P = 0.0022) were independent prognostic factors for survival. Moreover, when patients were stratified by TNM stage, the adverse effects of preoperative NLR on cancer-specific survival were greater in patients with stage II and III ESCC and in patients with lymph node metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

The preoperative NLR is significantly correlated with long-term prognosis in postoperative patients with ESCC, particularly in patients with lymph node metastasis and stage II and III ESCC.

The clinical use of pretreatment NLR, PLR, and LMR in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: evidence from a meta-analysis

Background and purpose

The relationship between neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) and the prognostic and clinicopathological significance in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has been reported by many studies. However, inconsistent results have been presented. The current study aimed to investigate the prognostic and clinicopathological role of NLR, PLR, and LMR in patients with ESCC by meta-analysis.

Methods

Eligible studies were identified in databases and the relationship between NLR/PLR/LMR and the prognosis or clinicopathological features in patients with ESCC was evaluated. OR or HR with 95% CI was calculated to estimate the risk or hazard association.

Result

Twenty-six studies including 8,586 ESCC patients were included for the analysis. We found that high NLR, PLR and low LMR were associated with poor overall survival/cancer-specific survival and event-free survival and malignant phenotypes such as deeper depth of invasion (T), positive lymph node metastasis (N), and advanced TNM stage.

Conclusion

NLR, PLR, and LMR might serve as prognostic markers in patients with ESCC.

Prognostic role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in head and neck cancer: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Neutrophils play substantial roles in cancer progression. Previous reports demonstrated the prognostic impact of the pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in various types of solid cancers. The purpose of this study was to quantify the prognostic impact of NLR on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

METHODS

We systematically searched electronic databases, identified articles regarding NLR and HNSCC mortality, and extracted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Pooled HRs for overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were estimated using random effect models.

RESULTS

Nineteen studies enrolling 3770 patients were included in the analyses. Overall, NLR greater than the cutoff value was associated with poorer OS and DSS (HR 1.69; 95% CI 1.47-1.93; P < .001 and HR 1.88; 95% CI 1.20-2.95; P = .006, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Elevated NLR predicts worse outcomes in patients with HNSCC.

Combination of CRP and NLR: a better predictor of postoperative survival in patients with gastric cancer

Objectives

C-reactive protein (CRP) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were independent predictive factors for gastric cancer (GC). Our study was designed to prove the prognostic value of the combination of CRP and NLR (COC-NLR) in GC patients.

Materials and methods

A total of 1,058 GC patients who underwent D2 resection from Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center between 2003 and 2013 were included. They were divided into three groups (low: NLR ≤2.5, CRP ≤6.1; medium: NLR >2.5, CRP ≤4.5; high: NLR >2.5, CRP >4.5 or NLR ≤2.5, CRP >6.1) by the random forest method. Survival analysis stratified by COC-NLR groups was performed.

Results

The mean survival time for each group was: for the low group 75.44 months (95% CI: 72.48–78.40), the medium group 56.50 months (95% CI: 50.68–62.31), and the high group 38.65 months (95% CI: 34.51–42.97). The low group showed obviously better overall survival (OS) than other two groups (p<0.001). Survival analysis showed that COC-NLR had statistical significance in both univariate and multivariate analyses (p<0.01).

Conclusion

This study showed that COC-NLR could work as an independent prognostic factor in GC and provide more accurate prediction than single NLR or CRP.

Prognostic value of preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in Crohn's disease

Background

The Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio has recently gained increased attention as a prognostic marker for malignant disease and short term outcomes. There is little data available in patients with Crohn’s disease, thus the present study was conducted to correlate preoperative Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio values with disease phenotype and postoperative course.

Methods

We comprised 373 patients, who underwent intestinal resection for symptomatic Crohn’s disease at an academic tertiary referral centre between 2000 and 2014. Preoperative Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio values were calculated and analyzed in regard to disease phenotype and 30-day morbidity rate. All relevant data were obtained from the institutional database and individual chart review.

Results

Male patients had significantly higher preoperative Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio values compared to female patients (5 vs. 4; p = 0.0075). A higher Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio was also found in patients with an acute indication for surgery (6.15 vs. 4.3; p = 0.0374), presenting with abscesses (5.36 vs. 4.28; p = 0.0254), inflammatory masses (5.23 vs. 4.08; p = 0.0294) or malignancy in the resected specimen (9.06 vs. 4.35, p = 0.0231). Surprisingly, patients developing postsurgical complications showed significantly lower Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio values (3.77 vs. 4.67; p = 0.0461).

Conclusions

Elevated preoperative Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio in symptomatic Crohn’s disease is not predictive for complications. However, Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio showed a significant correlation with specific disease phenotypes. Most strikingly, Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio was highly elevated in patients with a colorectal cancer in the resected specimen, which needs to be addressed in future studies.

Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio as Prognostic Indicator for Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with overall survival (OS) of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients.

Method

Records of patients with diagnosed ESCC were reviewed. Leukocyte counts and patients' characteristics were extracted from their clinical records to calculate NLR. Correlation between NLR and baseline characteristics with overall survival (OS) was then analyzed using Cox regression. The patients were then separated into higher and lower NLR groups according to median NLR. OS was further compared between the 2 groups.

Results

A total of 1281 patients were included in the study. Cox regression analysis showed a significant correlation of NLR with OS of ESCC patients. The median pretreatment NLR was identified as 2.86. Higher NLR was associated with worse prognosis in terms of OS.

Conclusions

Pretreatment NLR is independently associated with OS of ESCC patients. Therefore, NLR may be used as a predictive indicator for pretreatment evaluation and adjustment of treatment regimen.

A novel inflammation-based prognostic index for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: neutrophil lymphocyte ratio/albumin ratio

Background

We initially proposed a novel inflammation-based prognostic index, named neutrophil lymphocyte ratio/albumin ratio (NLR/Alb), for predicting the postoperative survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Materials and methods

A retrospective study of 329 cases with resectable ESCC was included. The optimal cut-off values were evaluated by X-tile program. The 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) was calculated by Kaplan–Meier method. Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate the prognostic factors.

Results

The optimal cut-off value was 0.1 for NLR/Alb according to the X-tile program. There was a significantly better 5-year CSS in patients with NLR/Alb ≤ 0.1 than patients with NLR/Alb > 0.1 (39.1% vs. 11.0%, P < 0.001). According to multivariate analyses, NLR/Alb (P = 0.001) was an independent prognostic factor.

Conclusions

The NLR/Alb is a novel and usefull predictive factor in patients with ESCC.

Red blood cell distribution width as a predictor of survival in nasal-type, extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma

We retrospectively enrolled 191 nasal-type, extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) patients newly diagnosed from 2008 to 2016 at the Sichuan Cancer Hospital, in order to evaluate the relationship between disease outcomes, demographic and clinical factors, and red blood cell distribution width (RDW). C-index, fisher's exact test, univariate analysis, and cox regression analysis were applied. The median age of patients was 44 years and 134 (70%) were men. The cutoff of RDW was 46.2 fL determined by Cutoff Finder. Patients with RDW≤46.2 fL had significantly better progression-free survival (PFS) (3-year PFS, 80.4% vs. 63.1%; P=0.01) and overall survival (OS) (3-year OS, 83.2% vs. 65.5%; P=0.004) than those with RDW>46.2 fL. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that elevated RDW is an independent adverse predictor of OS (P=0.021, HR=2.04). RDW is an independent predictor of survival outcomes in ENKTL, which we found to be superior to both the prognostic index of natural killer lymphoma (PINK) and the Korean Prognostic Index (KPI) in discriminating patients with different outcomes in low-risk and high-risk groups (all P < 0.05). The new models combining RDW with the International Prognostic Index (IPI), KPI, and PINK showed more powerful prognostic value than corresponding original models. RDW represents an easily available and inexpensive marker for risk stratification in patients with ENKTL treated with radiotherapy-based treatment. Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm the prognostic value of RDW in ENKTL.

Leukocytosis and neutrophilia predict outcome in locally advanced esophageal cancer treated with definitive chemoradiation

Purpose

To investigate the prognostic value of leukocyte and neutrophil count as biomarkers in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) undergoing exclusive chemoradiation.

Results

A total of 126 patients were identified. Respectively, 33% and 35% displayed baseline leukocytosis and neutrophilia. Estimated 3-year OS and PFS from chemoradiation completion were 31% and 25%, respectively. In univariate analysis, both leukocytosis and neutrophilia were associated with worse OS, PFS, and LRC (p < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, leukocytosis remained an independent risk factor associated with poorer OS, PFS and LRC (p < 0.05), independently from tumor stage and length, with higher prognostic value for OS compared with patients’ performance status (PS).

Materials and Methods

Bi-institutional clinical records from consecutive non-operable patients treated between 2003 and 2015 with definitive chemoradiation for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma were reviewed. Leukocytosis and neutrophilia were defined as a leukocyte or neutrophil count over 10 G/L and 7 G/L, respectively. These parameters were studied for their potential correlation with overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), locoregional control (LRC) and distant metastases control (DMC).

Conclusions

Leukocytosis and neutrophilia were independent prognostic factors of poor OS, PFS, and LRC in this bi-institutional series of locally advanced esophageal SCC treated with definitive chemoradiation. Although prospective confirmation is warranted, it is suggested that the leukocyte and neutrophil count parameters might be clinically relevant biomarkers to be considered for further clinical investigations.

Prognostic value of the pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in cervical cancer: a meta-analysis and systematic review

The prognostic value of pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in cervical cancer remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis based on the data from 13 studies with 3729 patients to evaluate the association between the pretreatment NLR and the clinical outcomes of overall survival and progression-free survival in patients with cervical cancer. The relationship between NLR and clinicopathological parameters was also assessed. Hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as the effect size estimate. Our analysis indicated that elevated pretreatment NLR was a poor prognostic marker for patients with cervical cancer because it predicted unfavorable overall survival (HR = 1.375, 95% CI: 1.200–1.576) and progression-free survival (HR = 1.646, 95% CI: 1.313–2.065). Increased NLR is also significantly associated with the larger tumor size (OR = 1.780, 95% CI: 1.090–2.908), advanced clinical stage (OR = 2.443, 95% CI: 1.730–3.451), and positive lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.380, 95% CI: 1.775–3.190). By these results, high pretreatment NLR predicted a shorter survival period for patients with cervical cancer, and it could be served as a novel index of prognostic evaluation in patients with cervical cancer.

Prognostic significance of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in ovarian cancer: evidence from 4,910 patients

Increasing evidence indicates that elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are related with poor prognosis in various types of tumors. However, the prognostic role of NLR in patients with ovarian cancer (OC) remains controversial. Thus, the current meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prognostic role of NLR in patients with OC. A total of 16 studies with 4,910 patients were included. By pooling hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs from each study. The results demonstrated that elevated pretreatment NLR was significantly related to poor OS (HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.27-1.77) and PFS (HR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.28-1.84) in patients with OC. Subgroup analyses was divided by ethnicity, sample size, histologic types, cut-off value of NLR, analysis method and NOS score, but the results did not showed any significant change the main results. This meta-analysis revealed that elevated pretreatment NLR might be a predicative factor of poor prognosis in OC patients.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Is a Potential Prognostic Biomarker in Patients with Ovarian Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Background and Aims

Plenty of studies were conducted to explore the prognostic significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in ovarian cancer with contradictory results. This study aims to summarize the prognostic significance of NLR in patients with ovarian cancer.

Methods

A literature search in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase was conducted. The endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results

Eleven studies involving a total of 2,892 patients were identified. The results indicated that patients with high NLR had shorter PFS compared to patients with low NLR in ovarian cancer (HR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.15–2.08, p = 0.004, and I² = 61%). Similarly, high NLR was related to shorter OS (HR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.03–2.23, p = 0.04, and I² = 85%). Moreover, high NLR was significantly associated with shorter PFS when the NLR cut-off was less than 3.3 (p = 0.03) or when treatment is operation (p = 0.002). In addition, high NLR was distinctly related to worse OS in Asian people (p = 0.04) or operation (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

High NLR was associated with shorter PFS and shorter OS in ovarian cancer. NLR is potentially a promising prognostic biomarker in patients with ovarian cancer.

Prognostic role of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A meta-analysis

Background

Inflammatory markers are used to predict prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Previous reports of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and NPC mortality are inconsistent. This study aimed to quantify the prognostic impact of NLR on NPC.

Methods

The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcomes were disease-specific survival (DSS), progression-free survival (PFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). We systematically searched electronic databases, identified articles reporting an association between NLR and NPC prognosis. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted, and pooled HRs for each outcome were estimated using random effect models.

Results

Nine studies enrolling 5397 patients were included in the analyses. NLR greater than the cutoff value was associated with poor overall survival (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.27–1.78), disease-specific survival (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.22–1.71), progression-free survival (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.22–1.90), and distant metastasis-free survival (HR 1.83, 95% CI 1.14–2.95).

Conclusions

Elevated NLR predicts worse OS, DSS, PFS and DMFS in patients with NPC.

Prognostic and clinicopathologic significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: evidence from a meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Evidence from an increasing number of studies has demonstrated that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a prognostic factor for various cancers. However, it is unclear whether NLR predicts prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the prognostic and clinicopathologic significance of NLR in patients with ESCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Selected studies were identified by searches in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases and filtered using our prepared criteria. The hazard ratio (HR) and odds ratio were chosen as effect measures to assess the prognostic role of NLR and its clinicopathologic significance in ESCC. In total, nine studies containing 2,513 patients were enrolled.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that elevated NLR was associated with worse overall survival in ESCC patients (pooled HR =1.314; 95% confidence interval, 1.164-1.484; P<0.001). Elevated NLR was also associated with unfavorable characteristics regarding depth of tumor invasion, tumor size, clinical stage, and differentiation degree.

CONCLUSION

The results of our meta-analysis suggest that a high NLR value might represent a poor prognosis and worse clinicopathologic characteristics for patients with ESCC.

Incorporation of NLR into NIH stratification system increases predictive accuracy for surgically resected gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Previous studies have reported that preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios were prognostic for various types of cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive utilities of preoperative peripheral blood counts in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). We enrolled 510 consecutive, previously untreated patients who underwent surgery for primary, localized GISTs. The relationship between recurrence-free survival and outcome variables was assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses, while the clinicopathologic relevance of NLR was determined using the Chi-square test. A preoperative NLR ≥2 was associated with poor prognosis in patients undergoing surgeries for primary, localized GISTs. It was an independent predictor only in patients classified as National Institutes of Health high risk but not in the entire population. Preoperative NLR is a feasible and reproducible peripheral biomarker that helps identify patients for intensive adjuvant therapy and frequent surveillance.

Prognostic Role of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy

Background

Increasing evidence suggests that cancer-associated inflammation is associated with poorer outcomes. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), considered as a systemic inflammation marker, is thought to predict prognoses in colorectal cancer. In this study, we explored the association between the NLR and prognoses following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Material/Methods

From February 2002 to December 2012, a group of 202 patients diagnosed with LARC and receiving neoadjuvant CRT followed by radical surgery was included in our retrospective study. The associations between the pre-CRT NLR and clinicopathological characteristics, as well as the predictive value of pre-CRT NLR against survival outcomes, were analyzed.

Results

The average NLR was 2.7±1.5 (median 2.4, range 0.6–12.8). There were 63 (31.2%) patients with NLR ≥3.0, and 139 (68.8%) patients with NLR <3.0. Correlation analyses showed that no clinicopathological characteristics except age were associated with NLR. We did not find an association between NLR and survival outcomes. In multivariate Cox model analyses, the R1/R2 resection, lymph node ratio ≥0.1, and perineural/lymphovascular invasion were independently associated with worse disease-free survival and overall survival.

Conclusions

In our cohort, the NLR did not correlate with survival outcomes in LARC patients undergoing neoadjuvant CRT. The prognostic value of NLR should be validated in large-scale prospective studies.

Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is a useful prognostic indicator for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus

The aim of the study was to determine the prognostic role of systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).A total of 298 ESCC patients were enrolled in the current retrospective study. The SII was calculated by the formula: neutrophil × platelet/lymphocyte. The optimal cut-off value was calculated by the Cutoff Finder. Univariate and multivariate analyses were evaluated for cancer-specific survival (CSS). Additional, we also established a nomogram model to predict the prognosis for patients with ESCC.The optimal cut-off value was 410 × 10/L for SII. Patients with SII ≤ 410 (×10/L) had a significantly better 5-year CSS than patients with SII > 410 (×10/L) (51.9% vs 24.0%, P < 0.001). Multivariate analyses revealed that SII was a significant independent predictive indicator (P = 0.027). A nomogram could be more accuracy for CSS for patients with ESCC (c-index: 0.68).The SII is a useful independent prognostic indicator for patients with resectable ESCC.

The Preoperative Neutrophil-To-Lymphocyte Ratio Is a Novel Immune Parameter for the Prognosis of Esophageal Basaloid Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background

The pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an independent predictor of prognosis in various malignancies, but its predictive capacity in basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (BSCCE) remains unclear. We aim to determine the value of the inflammation-related factors, including the NLR, neutrophil-to-monocyte ratio (NMR), and albumin levels, in predicting BSCCE prognosis.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the records of 121 patients with pathologically diagnosed BSCCE that underwent a curative esophagectomy from January 2007 to December 2014. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS).

Results

The preoperative NLR was correlated with the tumor length and NMR. In OS univariate analyses, a high NLR (>1.77), high NMR (>12.31), and low albumin (≤40.0 g/L) level were significantly associated with a poorer survival in BSCCE. The median OS was significantly greater in low NLR (≤1.77) than in the high NLR (>1.77) patients (51.0 vs. 31.0 months; P = 0.008). In multivariate analyses, only the NLR was an independent prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio (HR), 2.030; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.262–3.264; P = 0.003). A high NLR was also an independent predictor of a poorer RFS in BSCCE (HR, 2.222; 95% CI, 1.407–3.508; P = 0.001); the median RFS for low (≤1.77) and high (> 1.77) NLR patients was 44.0 months and 14.0 months, respectively. NLR remained a strong prognostic indicator for OS in stage I/II patients and a preoperative NLR>1.77 was predictive of a poor RFS in both stage I/II and stage III patients.

Conclusions

We show that the preoperative NLR, a convenient and cost-effective biomarker, may serve as a prognostic indicator for BSCCE patients following curative surgery.

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.

The ratio of hemoglobin to red cell distribution width as a novel prognostic parameter in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective study from southern China

BACKGROUND

We propose a novel prognostic parameter for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)-hemoglobin/red cell distribution width (HB/RDW) ratio. Its clinical prognostic value and relationship with other clinicopathological characteristics were investigated in ESCC patients.

RESULTS

The optimal cut-off value was 0.989 for the HB/RDW ratio. The HB/RDW ratio (P= 0.035), tumor depth (P = 0.020) and lymph node status (P<0.001) were identified to be an independent prognostic factors of OS by multivariate analysis, which was validated by bootstrap resampling. Patients with a low HB/RDW ratio had a 1.416 times greater risk of dying during follow-up compared with those with a high HB/RDW (95% CI = 1.024-1.958, P = 0.035).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 362 patients who underwent curative treatment at a single institution between January 2007 and December 2008. The chi-square test was used to evaluate relationships between the HB/RDW ratio and other clinicopathological variables; the Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the 5-year overall survival (OS); and the Cox proportional hazards models were used for univariate and multivariate analyses of variables related to OS.

CONCLUSION

A significant association was found between the HB/RDW ratio and clinical characteristics and survival outcomes in ESCC patients. Based on these findings, we believe that the HB/RDW ratio is a novel and promising prognostic parameter for ESCC patients.

The Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Marker of Lymph Node Status in Patients with Rectal Cancer

AIM

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a prognostic marker of rectal cancers.

METHODS

We undertook a retrospective review of patients with rectal cancer. Pre-treatment NLR was assessed for association and predictive values against clinicopathological staging and post-treatment outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 140/180 cases were included in the final analysis [male:female 2:1; mean age 68 years (interquartile range 58-75)]. The pre-operative mean NLR was 5.4 ± 6.8. There was a strong positive correlation between NLR and C-reactive protein (Spearman's rho 64.3%, p < 0.001). A high NLR was associated with a positive nodal status on MRI (5.2 vs. 3.8, p = 0.03) and histopathological (4.8 vs. 3.8, p = 0.02) assessment. The NLR showed an average value for predicting MRI and pathological nodal status on receiver operating characteristic analysis [area under the curve = 0.72 (95% CI = 0.54-0.91), p = 0.031 and area under the curve = 0.64 (95% CI = 0.52-0.077), p = 0.021, respectively]. On multivariate analysis, the total lymph node retrieved at operation was the best predictor of pathological nodal involvement; NLR did not show any predictive value. Patients with an NLR >4 showed reduced recurrence-free (60 vs. 86 months, p = 0.52) and overall survival (57 vs. 84 months, p = 0.40) without statistical significance.

CONCLUSION

Raised pre-treatment NLR may indicate nodal involvement in patients with rectal cancer.

The Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio on Admission and Short-Term Outcomes in Orthogeriatric Patients

AIM

To investigate the association of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) at admission with presence of fracture, comorbid conditions, and its prognostic value for short-term outcomes in orthogeriatric patients.

METHODS

On 415 consecutive patients (mean age 78.8 ±8.7[SD] years, 281 women, 255 with a non-vertebral bone fracture, including 167 with a hip fracture, HF) admitted to the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Canberra hospital (2010 - 2011) data on clinical and laboratory characteristics were collected prospectively. The validation dataset included 294 consecutive patients (mean age 82.1 ± 8.0 years, 72.1% women) with HF.

RESULTS

Multivariate regression revealed four variables, presence of HF, hypoalbuminaemia (<33g/L), anaemia (<120g/L) and hyperparathyroidism (PTH>6.8 pmol/L), as independent determinants of admission NLR≥5.1. There was a dose-graded relationship between presence of fracture, especially HF, postoperative complications and levels of NLR categorized as tertiles. Compared to patients with NLR<5.1(first tertile), patients with NLR 5.1-8.5 (second tertile) had a 1.8-, 3.1-, 2.6-, and 2.5-fold higher risk for presence of any fracture, HF, developing postoperative myocardial injury (troponin I rise) and a high inflammatory response/infection (CRP>100mg/L after the 3rd postoperative day), respectively, while in subjects with NLR>8.5 (third tertile) these risks were 2.6-, 4.9-, 5.9- and 4.5-times higher, respectively; subjects with NLR>8.5 had a 9.7 times higher chance of dying in the hospital compared to patients with NLR 5.1-8.5; the NLR retained its significance on multivariate analyses. The NLR ≥5.1 predicted postoperative myocardial injury with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.626, CRP>100mg/L with AUC of 0.631 and the NLR >8.5 predicted in-hospital mortality with an AUC of 0.793, showing moderately high sensitivity (86.7%, 80% and 90%, respectively) and negative predictive value (92.9%, 71.2%, 99.6%, respectively), but low specificity. Admission NLR was superior to other, except hypoalbuminaemia, prognostic markers; combined use of both NLR≥5.1 and albumin<33g/L only moderately increased the accuracy of prediction. The validation study confirmed the prognostic value of the admission NLR.

CONCLUSIONS

In orthogeriatric patients, high NLR on admission is an independent indicator of fracture presence, a significant risk factor and moderate predictor of postoperative myocardial injury, high inflammatory response/infection and in-hospital death.

Elevated Preoperative Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio Is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Treated with Liver Transplantation: A Meta-Analysis

This study aims to investigate the prognostic value of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with liver transplantation (LT) through meta-analysis. Relevant articles were sought in PubMed, Embase, and Wangfang databases up to July 2015. A total of 1687 patients from 10 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Meta-analysis results showed that elevated NLR was significantly associated with poorer overall survival (OS) (HR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.91-3.83) and poorer disease-free survival (DFS) (HR = 3.61, 95% CI: 2.23-5.84) in HCC patients treated with LT. Moreover, subgroup analysis showed the significant association between elevated preoperative NLR and poor prognosis was not altered by cutoff values of NLR or types of LT. Therefore, elevated preoperative NLR is associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients treated with LT. Preoperative NLR should be used to predict the prognosis of HCC after LT in our clinical work.

The correlation between the metabolic tumor volume and hematological parameters in patients with esophageal cancer

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation of the serum neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and mean platelet volume (MPV), with the standardized uptake value (SUVmax), and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) in F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patient with esophageal squamous cell cancer at baseline.

METHODS

PET/CTs were performed in 52 patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer, making up the patient group. An additional 52 patients who underwent endoscopy due to dyspepsia with normal esophagus (as a control group) were included in the study to compare the hematological parameters between the patient groups.

RESULTS

The median age was 60.0 ± 12.8 years (range 39-84 years) for the patients with esophageal cancer, and 56.9 ± 12.3 years for the control group. Statistical differences were found in terms of the neutrophils, lymphocytes, NLR, PLT, PLR, and MPV between the patients with esophageal cancer and the control group. In the correlation analysis, only the NLR was correlated with the MTV for all of the patients (p = 0.013, r = 0.344). The SUVmax was not correlated with these hematological parameters.

CONCLUSION

At baseline neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is associated with the metabolic tumor volume, which was assessed using the PET/CT in patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer. The SUVmax values were not related to these parameters.

Prognostic significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis

Published data on the prognostic significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to more accurately assess its prognostic value. The analysis was performed based on the data from 14 studies with 3,656 patients to estimate the correlation between NLR and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in NSCLC. Hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to estimate the effect. We also conducted subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis. The results demonstrated that elevated pretreatment NLR predicted poorer OS (HR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.39-2.09) and PFS (HR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.27-2.09) in patients with NSCLC. Subgroup analysis indicated that cut-off value of 5 showed consistently prognostic value. There was no significant heterogeneity or publication bias for OS and PFS for included studies. This meta-analysis revealed that elevated pretreatment NLR might be a predicative factor of poor prognosis for NSCLC patients.