The Prognostic Value of Preoperative Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Resected Patients with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Focus on Therapeutic Options for Surgically Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Based on Novel Biomarkers

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma remains associated with a poor prognosis, even when diagnosed at an early stage. Consequently, it is imperative to carefully consider the available therapeutic options and tailor them based on clinically relevant biomarkers. In our comprehensive review, we specifically concentrated on the identification of novel predictive and prognostic markers that have the potential to be integrated into multiparametric scoring systems. These scoring systems aim to accurately predict the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in surgically resectable pancreatic cancer cases. By identifying robust predictive markers, we can enhance our ability to select patients who are most likely to benefit from neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Furthermore, the identification of prognostic markers can provide valuable insights into the overall disease trajectory and inform treatment decisions. The development of multiparametric scoring systems that incorporate these markers holds great promise for optimizing the selection of patients for neoadjuvant chemotherapy, leading to improved outcomes in resectable pancreatic neoplasia. Continued research efforts are needed to validate and refine these markers and scoring systems, ultimately advancing the field of personalized medicine in pancreatic adenocarcinoma management.

The 'Danse Macabre'-Neutrophils the Interactive Partner Affecting Oral Cancer Outcomes

Over the past few decades, tremendous advances in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer have taken place. However for head and neck cancers, including oral cancer, the overall survival rate is below 50% and they remain the seventh most common malignancy worldwide. These cancers are, commonly, aggressive, genetically complex, and difficult to treat and the delay, which often occurs between early recognition of symptoms and diagnosis, and the start of treatment of these cancers, is associated with poor prognosis. Cancer development and progression occurs in concert with alterations in the surrounding stroma, with the immune system being an essential element in this process. Despite neutrophils having major roles in the pathology of many diseases, they were thought to have little impact on cancer development and progression. Recent studies are now challenging this notion and placing neutrophils as central interactive players with other immune and tumor cells in affecting cancer pathology. This review focuses on how neutrophils and their sub-phenotypes, N1, N2, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, both directly and indirectly affect the anti-tumor and pro-tumor immune responses. Emphasis is placed on what is currently known about the interaction of neutrophils with myeloid innate immune cells (such as dendritic cells and macrophages), innate lymphoid cells, natural killer cells, and fibroblasts to affect the tumor microenvironment and progression of oral cancer. A better understanding of this dialog will allow for improved therapeutics that concurrently target several components of the tumor microenvironment, increasing the possibility of constructive and positive outcomes for oral cancer patients. For this review, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched for manuscripts using keywords and combinations thereof of "oral cancer, OSCC, neutrophils, TANs, MDSC, immune cells, head and neck cancer, and tumor microenvironment" with a focus on publications from 2018 to 2021.

Change in Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio During Neoadjuvant Treatment Does Not Predict Pathological Response and Survival in Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been reported as prognostic in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Data about NLR changes during neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) and its relationship with pathological tumor response and survival are lacking.

METHODS

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients with NAT followed by resection between 2009 and 2015 were identified from a prospective database. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was collected prior to NAT (baseline), on chemotherapy (prior to cycle 3), and prior to surgery. Baseline NLR, and changes in NLR between baseline and on chemotherapy (delta 1) and between baseline and surgery (delta 2) were compared with pathologic response (<90% and ≥90% defined as poor and good), overall (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) using Wilcoxon rank-sum and Cox proportional hazard models.

RESULTS

Of 93 patients, 17% had good pathological response. Median (interquartile range) NLR at baseline, third cycle, and surgery were 2.7 (2.0-3.7), 2.5 (1.9-4.1), and 3.1 (2.1-5.3), respectively. Median change in NLR from baseline to third cycle was .06 (P = .72), and .6 from baseline to surgery (P < .01). Baseline NLR, delta 1, and delta 2 were not associated with pathological response, OS, or DFS.

DISCUSSION

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio increased after NAT, but a significant association between NLR and pathological response, OS, and DFS in resected PDAC patients was not observed.

Distant metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma: Does the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio act as a surrogate of the host immune status?

OBJECTIVES

Distant metastasis (DM) is an important prognostic factor for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of host and tumor factors in development of DM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

After IRB approval, 1369 patients with OSCC undergoing primary surgery were eligible for the study. The primary endpoint was the development of distant metastasis (DM). Patients were pathologically staged according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer, 8th Edition. Pre-operative peripheral blood counts were used to calculate neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR).

RESULTS

Median follow-up was 39 months (range 1-221). DM were identified in 126 patients during follow-up. When analyzed as a time-dependent covariate, neck recurrence (NR) was a significant predictor of DM (HR 16.35, 95% CI: 11.39-23.47, p < 0.001). NLR, margin status, vascular invasion, perineural invasion (PNI), grade, pT, number of metastatic lymph nodes, level IV involvement, and extra nodal-extension (ENE) were also significant. In multivariable analysis, NLR, margins, PNI, number of metastatic lymph nodes, and ENE maintained independent predictive capacity. Patients with NLR ≥ 5.7 were 3 times more likely to develop DM compared to NLR ≤ 2.9 (95% CI: 1.74-5.59, p < 0.001), patients with ≥ 5 metastatic lymph nodes were 2 times more likely to develop DM (95% CI: 1.18-3.60, p = 0.011), and those with ENE were 4 times more likely (95% CI: 2.67-8.20, p < 0.001) when compared to pNx/pN0 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

NLR, number of metastatic lymph nodes, and ENE were the strongest independent predictors of DM in OSCC treated with primary surgery and appropriate adjuvant therapy.

Usefulness of Inflammation-Based Prognostic Scores in Patients with Surgically Treated Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

In this study, we evaluated the prognostic value of inflammation-based prognostic scores in patients undergoing curative surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A retrospective analysis was conducted for 914 patients undergoing curative surgical resection for PDAC between January 2011 and April 2016. Inflammation-based scores of modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, and platelet-lymphocyte ratio were assessed. mGPS was classified as high (1 or 2) or low (0). Median age was 63 (range, 33–88) years; 538 patients (58.9%) were male. A high mGPS was independently associated with poor overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) (median OS: 25.4 months vs. 20.4 months, p = 0.001; median DFS: 11.6 months vs. 9.3 months, p = 0.002), poor OS in patients with TNM stage I PDAC (44 months vs. 24.8 months, p = 0.001), and poor OS and DFS in patients with tumors located at the pancreatic head or uncinate process (OS: 25.4 months vs. 20.4 months; p = 0.007, DFS: 11.4 months vs. 8.87 months; p = 0.005). Preoperative mGPS was a significant prognostic factor for PDAC after curative resection; thus, mGPS can be a useful prognostic predictive factor in patients with TNM stage I PDAC, especially for tumors located at the head and uncinate.

Preoperative serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels predict early recurrence after the resection of early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a serious disease with a poor prognosis. Only a minority of patients undergo surgery due to the advanced stage of the disease, and patients with early-stage disease, who are expected to have a better prognosis, often experience recurrence. Thus, it is important to identify the risk factors for early recurrence and to develop an adequate treatment plan.

AIM

To evaluate the predictive factors associated with the early recurrence of early-stage PDAC.

METHODS

This study enrolled 407 patients with stage I PDAC undergoing upfront surgical resection between January 2000 and April 2016. Early recurrence was defined as a diagnosis of recurrence within 6 mo of surgery. The optimal cutoff values were determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for early recurrence.

RESULTS

Of the 407 patients, 98 patients (24.1%) experienced early disease recurrence: 26 (26.5%) local and 72 (73.5%) distant sites. In total, 253 (62.2%) patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. On ROC curve analysis, the optimal cutoff values for early recurrence were 70 U/mL and 2.85 cm for carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) levels and tumor size, respectively. Of the 181 patients with CA 19-9 level > 70 U/mL, 59 (32.6%) had early recurrence, compared to 39 (17.4%) of 226 patients with CA 19-9 level ≤ 70 U/mL (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that CA 19-9 level > 70 U/mL (P = 0.006), tumor size > 2.85 cm (P = 0.004), poor differentiation (P = 0.008), and non-adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.025) were significant risk factors for early recurrence in early-stage PDAC.

CONCLUSION

Elevated CA 19-9 level (cutoff value > 70 U/mL) can be a reliable predictive factor for early recurrence in early-stage PDAC. As adjuvant chemotherapy can prevent early recurrence, it should be recommended for patients susceptible to early recurrence.

Nomogram for the Prediction of High-Grade Dysplasia and Invasive Carcinoma in Patients With Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms of the Pancreas Based on Variables of Noninvasive Examination

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms and represent the most common identifiable precursor lesions of pancreatic cancer. Clinical decision-making of the risk for malignant disease, including high-grade dysplasia and invasive carcinoma, is challenging. Moreover, discordance on the indication for resection exists between the contemporary guidelines. Furthermore, most of the current nomogram models for predicting malignant disease depend on endoscopic ultrasonography to evaluate the precise size of mural nodules. Thus, this study aimed to propose a model to predict malignant disease using variables from a noninvasive examination. We evaluated patients who underwent resection of pathologically confirmed IPMNs between November 2010 and December 2018 and had preoperative clinical data available for review. Based on binary multivariable logistic regression analysis, we devised a nomogram model to predict malignant IPMNs. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the discrimination power of the model. Of the 333 patients who underwent resection of IPMNs, 198 (59.5%) had benign and 135 (40.5%) had malignant IPMNs. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that cyst size, cyst location, cyst wall enhancement, multicystic lesion, diameter of main pancreatic duct, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9, and carcinoembryonic antigen were significantly associated with malignancy. The nomogram, constructed based on these variables, showed excellent discrimination power with an AUC of 0.859 (95% CI: 0.818–0.900, P < 0.001). In conclusion, we have developed a nomogram consisting of a combination of cross-sectional imaging features and blood markers, variables that can readily be obtained by noninvasive examinations during the surveillance period, which can distinguish benign from malignant IPMNs. Nevertheless, external validation is warranted.

Expressions of IL-8 and CXCL5 in uterine endometrioid carcinomas which have frequent neutrophil infiltration and comparison to colorectal adenocarcinoma

In endometrioid carcinomas (ECs) of the uterine corpus, neutrophil accumulation within the carcinoma cell clusters is a representative microscopic finding. Because this accumulation is active, some sort of transmitter ought to exist between the EC cells and neutrophils. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5) is a cytokine that attracts neutrophils in vivo. In this study, we investigated IL-8, CXCL5 and C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2) (their chemokine receptor) expressions in ECs by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). There are few reports on the relationship between these chemokines and ECs. For comparison, we enrolled samples of colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRAC), it is another representative tumor with neutrophil infiltration. We analyzed 30 ECs and 30 CRACs. We confirmed IL-8 expression (H-score ≥50 points) in 40% of EC and 7% of CRAC samples; CXCL5 expression in 7% of EC and 10% of CRAC samples; CXCR2 expression in 83% of EC and 53% of CRAC samples by immunohistochemistry. We examined each mRNA (IL-8 and CXCL5) expression of 3 representative EC and 3 CRAC samples. Finding IL-8 expression might indicate that this cytokine is important for the process of neutrophil accumulation, particularly within ECs. The participation of CXCL5 regarding neutrophil accumulation within their carcinoma cell clusters might be restrictive compared to IL-8.

Targeting neutrophil extracellular traps with thrombomodulin prevents pancreatic cancer metastasis

Surgery is the only curative treatment option for pancreatic cancer, but patients often develop postoperative recurrence. Surgical invasiveness might be involved in the mechanism of recurrence. The associations among inflammation caused by surgery, neutrophils, and cancer metastasis were investigated. At first, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) were examined in clinical specimens, and NETs were observed around metastatic tumors. To explore how NETs were induced, neutrophils were cultured with pancreatic cancer or in cancer-conditioned medium. Neutrophils formed NETs when they were cultured with pancreatic cancer or even its conditioned medium. The effects of NETs on cancer cells were further investigated in vitro and in vivo. NETs induced the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in cancer cells and thereby promoted their migration and invasion. HMGB1 derived from NETs appeared to potentiate the malignancy of cancer cells. In a mouse model of liver metastasis with inflammation, NETs participated in the metastatic process by enhancing extravasation. Interestingly, thrombomodulin degraded HMGB1 and consequently inhibited the induction of NETs, thereby preventing pancreatic cancer metastasis to the liver. In conclusion, NETs interact reciprocally with pancreatic cancer cells, which play a pivotal role in inflammation-associated metastasis. Targeting NETs with thrombomodulin can be a novel strategy to improve the surgical outcome of pancreatic cancer patients.

Complete blood count-based inflammatory score (CBCS) is a novel prognostic marker for gastric cancer patients after curative resection

Background

We sought to investigate the prognostic value of complete blood count (CBC)-based biomarkers for patients with resectable gastric cancer (GC).

Methods

Patients with GC who underwent primary surgical resection between December 2008 and December 2013 were included. The estimated area under the curve (AUC) and multivariate Cox regression models were used to identify the best CBC-based biomarker. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (t-ROC) curve analysis was used to predict overall survival and compare the prognostic impact.

Results

In the 1810 patients analyzed, the median follow-up period was 51.0 months (range 1–101 months). Based on multivariate analysis, the lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR) and hemoglobin (Hb) level were independent prognostic factors (both P < 0.05). Based on the LMR and Hb level, we established the CBC-based inflammatory score (CBCS). A higher CBCS was associated with older age, female sex, higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, proximal tumor location, larger tumor size, later stage and vascular involvement (all P < 0.05). Univariate analyses showed that a higher CBCS was also associated with worse overall survival (OS), which was consistent in each stage (all P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the CBCS was a significant independent biomarker (P < 0.05). The AUC for the CBCS (0.627) was significantly higher than the AUCs for the LMR (0.573) and Hb level (0.605) (both P < 0.05). Furthermore, the t-ROC curve of the CBCS was superior to that of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) and C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CRP/Alb) throughout the observation period.

Conclusion

The preoperative LMR and Hb level were optimal CBC-based biomarkers for predicting OS in GC patients after curative resection. Based on the LMR and Hb, we developed a novel and easily obtainable prognostic score called the CBCS, which may improve the prediction of clinical outcomes.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios inversely correlate to clinical and pathologic stage in patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Background

Post-surgical pathology (SP) staging correlates with long-term survival. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been shown to predict prognosis and extent of tumor in patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This study aimed to correlate NLR and PLR to radiological clinical staging (CS), carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 tumor marker and SP staging in patients with resectable-PDAC (R-PDAC); and to investigate NLR and PLR as potential markers to guide neoadjuvant therapy.

Methods

Data were collected retrospectively from R-PDAC patients who received upfront surgery from November 2011 to December 2016. NLR and PLR values on the day of diagnosis and surgery were collected. SP, tumor size, location, resected margins (RM), lymphovascular/perineural invasion (LVI/PNI), lymph node involvement, and AJCC/TNM 8th Edition staging were obtained. Associations were assessed using linear, ordinal logistic, and poison regressions or Kruskal Willis Rank Sum Test per the nature of outcome variables, with statistical significance at p-value <0.05.

Results

Fifty-five patients were identified with resectable stage I (61%) and II (38%). They had a mean age of 66 years (48-87 years) and were 47.2% male, 83.6% white, 90.9% non-Hispanic and 89% with ECOG 0-1. NLR/PLR at diagnosis for R0, R1 and R2 were 6.7/241, 4.8/224, and 2.9/147 (P=0.01/0.002), respectively. NLR/PLR for N0 and N1 were 5.1/212 and 2.7/138.3 (P=0.03/0.009) at diagnosis. No other significant association was detected.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that NLR/PLR inversely correlates with RM and lymph node status in patients with R-PDAC, but require prospective evaluation in clinically defined scenarios.