Prognostic Score System Using Preoperative Inflammatory, Nutritional and Tumor Markers to Predict Prognosis for Gastric Cancer: A Two-Center Cohort Study

Laparoscopic versus open gastrectomy for nonmetastatic T4a gastric cancer: a meta-analysis of reconstructed individual participant data from propensity score-matched studies

BACKGROUND

​The applicability of laparoscopy to nonmetastatic T4a patients with gastric cancer remains unclear due to the lack of high-quality evidence. The purpose of this study was to compare the survival rates of laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) versus open gastrectomy (OG) for these patients through a meta-analysis of reconstructed individual participant data from propensity score-matched studies.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane library and CNKI were examined for relevant studies without language restrictions through July 25, 2023. Individual participant data on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were extracted from the published Kaplan-Meier survival curves. One-stage and two-stage meta-analyses were performed. In addition, data regarding surgical outcomes and recurrence patterns were also collected, which were meta-analyzed using traditional aggregated data.

RESULTS

Six studies comprising 1860 patients were included for analysis. In the one-stage meta-analyses, the results demonstrated that LG was associated with a significantly better DFS (Random-effects model: P = 0.027; Restricted mean survival time [RMST] up to 5 years: P = 0.033) and a comparable OS (Random-effects model: P = 0.135; RMST up to 5 years: P = 0.053) than OG for T4a gastric cancer patients. Two-stage meta-analyses resulted in similar results, with a 13% reduced hazard of cancer-related death (P = 0.04) and 10% reduced hazard of overall mortality (P = 0.11) in the LG group. For secondary outcomes, the pooled results showed an association of LG with less estimated blood loss, faster postoperative recovery and more retrieved lymph nodes.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic surgery for patients with nonmetastatic T4a disease is associated with a potential survival benefit and improved surgical outcomes.

Prognostic value of the advanced lung cancer inflammation index in patients with gastric cancer after radical gastrectomy: a propensity-score matching cohort study and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Insufficient evidence existed about the prognostic role of the advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) for gastric cancer patients who underwent curative resection. The aim of this study was to identify the predictive ability of ALI for survival after curative gastrectomy.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 328 gastric cancer patients who received curative gastrectomy from the database of Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, and investigated the prognostic role of the preoperative ALI compared with clinicopathological variables and other serum biomarkers, such as preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and Lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR). To minimize intergroup differences, propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was employed. Additionally, we performed a meta-analysis of four cohort studies published up to October 2023 following the PRISMA guidelines.

RESULTS

In the overall cohort, patients in the low ALI group had a significantly worse overall survival compared to those in the high ALI group (P < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis identified that ALI maintained its prognostic significance across different subgroups. In addition, ROC analysis showed that ALI had a higher AUC value for 3-year overall survival compared to NLR, PLR, and LMR (0.576 vs. 0.573 vs. 0.557 vs. 0.557). Multivariate analysis indicated that ALI, other than other serum biomarkers, was an independent risk factor for decreased overall survival in GC patients following curative surgery (HR = 1.449; 95%CI: 1.028-2.045; P = 0.034). Consistently, PSM analysis supported all of these findings. The meta-analysis including 4 studies evaluating 2542 patients, confirmed the association between the low ALI and poor survival outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The preoperative ALI was an independent prognostic factor for survival in gastric cancer patients who underwent curative gastrectomy.

Attitudes and health behaviors of middle-aged and older adults with elevated tumor markers in China

Objectives

To understand the attitudes and health behaviors of middle-aged and older adults in China after receiving elevated results of tumor markers (TMs) test in the annual health examinations (AHEs) and explore the influencing factors.

Methods

A three-section online questionnaire survey was conducted from March 1 to April 30, 2020 in Hangzhou, China, to people who were aged 45 and older and had at least one elevated result of TMs test. Clinical information was collected from the online survey and medical records. Descriptive statistics were carried out followed by regression analyses.

Results

Of 380 participants, 76.1% were unwilling to quit the TMs test in AHEs, whereas 75.3% would take the doctor's advice and quit unnecessary TMs test; 67.4% felt stressed about their TMs. Among participants with elevated TMs, 76.8% changed lifestyle to keep healthy, 74.2% sought health information, 58.9% requested a TMs retest, and 50.3% did further tests to confirm a diagnosis. Family history of cancer was associated with lifestyle changing; education level, area of residence and health insurance were associated with health information seeking; comorbidity were associated with retests and sequential confirming tests.

Conclusion

The application of the TMs test in AHEs among Chinese people may lead to positive and negative behavioral consequences and psychological distress. Doctors have a significant impact on patients' health behaviors. Accurate indications and adequate communication with patients before and after the TMs test are in great need.

Nomogram for Predicting Postoperative Pulmonary Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Inflammatory Markers

BACKGROUND

Uncertainty surrounds the usefulness of inflammatory markers in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients for predicting postoperative pulmonary metastasis (PM). The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive value of inflammatory markers as well as to create a new nomogram model for predicting PM.

METHODS

Cox regression was utilized to identify independent prognostic variables and to create a nomogram that predicted PM for comparison with a validation cohort and other prediction systems. We retrospectively analyzed a total of 1109 cases with HCC were included.

RESULTS

The systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) were independent risk factors for PM, with a concordance index of .78 (95% CI: .74-.81) for the nomogram. The areas under the curve of the nomograms for PM predicted at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were .82 (95% CI: .77-.87), .82 (95% CI: .78-.87) and .81 (95% CI: .75-.86), respectively, which were better than those of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer and China liver cancer stage. Decision curve analyses demonstrated a broader range of nomogram threshold probabilities.

CONCLUSION

A nomogram based on SIRI and APRI can accurately predict postoperative PM in HCC.

Prognostic significance of the Gustave Roussy immune (GRIm) score in cancer patients: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The prognostic value of the Gustave Roussy immune (GRIm) score in cancer patients has been widely reported but remains inconsistent. The aim of this study is to systematically investigate the relationship between the GRIm score and survival outcomes in cancer patients.

METHODS

Relevant literature was identified using electronic databases including Web of Science, PubMed, and Embase from the inception to March 2023. The primary endpoints were long-term oncological outcomes. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were conducted during the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies (20 cohorts) including 4997 cancer patients were enrolled. The combined results revealed that patients in the high GRIm group had a deteriorated overall survival (HR = 2.07 95%CI: 1.73-2.48; p < 0.0001; I2 = 62%) and progression-free survival (HR = 1.42; 95%CI: 1.22-1.66; p < 0.0001; I2 = 36%). The prognostic values of GRIm on overall survival and progression-free survival were observed across various tumour types and tumour stages. Sensitivity analysis supported the stability and reliability of the above results.

CONCLUSION

Our evidence suggested that the GRIm score could be a valuable prognostic marker in cancer patients, which can be used by clinicians to stratify patients and formulate individualized treatment plans.

Prognostic significance of the pretreatment pan-immune-inflammation value in cancer patients: an updated meta-analysis of 30 studies

Background

The pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) has been reported as a promising prognostic biomarker in multiple cancers but still remains inconclusive. The objective of this study is to systematically investigate the association of the pretreatment PIV with survival outcomes in cancer patients, based on available literature.

Methods

Online databases including PubMed, Embase and the Web of Science were thoroughly searched for studies evaluating the prognostic role of the pretreatment PIV in cancers from the inception to June 2023. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were always assessed using a random-effects model. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 12.0.

Results

Thirty studies were finally included after comprehensively study searching. In total, 8,799 cancer patients were enrolled in this meta-analysis. The pooled results demonstrated that patients in the high PIV group had a significantly poorer overall survival (HR = 2.07; 95%CI: 1.77-2.41; I2 = 73.0%) and progression-free survival (HR = 1.83; 95%CI: 1.37-2.45; I2 = 98.2%) than patients in the low PIV group. The prognostic significance of the PIV score on overall survival and progression-free survival was observed across various geographical regions, tumor stages and treatment strategies. Sensitivity analyses supported the stability of the above combined results.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis demonstrated that the pretreatment PIV could be a non-invasive and efficacious prognostic biomarker for cancer patients.

Prognostic significance of the systemic inflammation response index in gastrointestinal malignancy patients: a pooled analysis of 10,091 participants

Background: We performed a meta-analysis to investigate the association of the systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) with long-term survival outcomes in patients with gastrointestinal malignancy. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science and Embase were searched for relevant studies evaluating the prognostic significance of the SIRI in gastrointestinal malignancies until May 2023. Results: 30 studies with 10,091 patients were included. The pooled results identified that patients in the high SIRI group had a worse overall survival and disease-free survival, which was observed across various tumor types, tumor stages and primary treatments. Conclusion: An elevated SIRI is negatively associated with worse survival outcomes of gastrointestinal malignancy patients and can be used as a risk stratification index for gastrointestinal malignancies.

A novel immunohistochemical score predicts the postoperative prognosis of gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Immunohistochemistry indicators are increasingly being used to predict the survival prognosis of cancer patients after surgery. This study aimed to combine some markers to establish an immunohistochemical score (MSI-P53-Ki-67[MPK]) and stratify postoperative patients with gastric cancer according to the score.

METHODS

We used 245 patients who underwent surgery at one center as the training cohort and 111 patients from another center as the validation cohort. All patients were treated between January 2012 and June 2018. The training cohort was screened for prognostic factors, and MPK scores were established using univariate and multifactorial COX risk proportional models. Patients were prognostically stratified according to the MPK score after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were compared among low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups using the Kaplan-Meier method, and survival curves were plotted. Finally, the MPK score was validated using the validation cohort.

RESULTS

In the training group, there were statistically significant differences in OS and RFS in the low, medium, and high-risk groups (P < 0.001). Thirty patients were in the high-risk group (12.2%). The median survival times of the three groups were 64.0, 44.0, and 23.0, respectively, and median times to recurrence were 54.0, 35.0, and 16.0 months, respectively. In the validation group, the prognosis in the three risk groups remained significantly different (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The novel MPK score could effectively predict the postoperative OS and RFS of gastric cancer patients, risk-stratify postoperative patients, and identify postoperative high-risk patients for refined management.

Comparisons of perioperative and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic versus open gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer after neoadjuvant therapy: an updated pooled analysis of eighteen studies

BACKGROUND

Outcomes of laparoscopic surgery in advanced gastric cancer patients who received neoadjuvant therapy represent a controversial issue. We performed an updated meta-analysis to evaluate the perioperative and long-term survival outcomes of laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) versus conventional open gastrectomy (OG) in this subset of patients.

METHODS

Electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were comprehensively searched up to May 2023. The short-term and long-term outcomes of LG versus OG in advanced gastric cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy were evaluated. Effect sizes with 95% confidence intervals were always assessed using random-effects model. The prospective protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022359126).

RESULTS

Eighteen studies (2 randomized controlled trials and 16 cohort studies) involving 2096 patients were included. In total, 933 patients were treated with LG and 1163 patients were treated with OG. In perioperative outcomes, LG was associated with less estimated blood loss (MD = - 65.15; P < 0.0001), faster time to flatus (MD = - 0.56; P < 0.0001) and liquid intake (MD = - 0.42; P = 0.02), reduced hospital stay (MD = - 2.26; P < 0.0001), lower overall complication rate (OR = 0.70; P = 0.002) and lower minor complication rate (OR = 0.69; P = 0.006), while longer operative time (MD = 25.98; P < 0.0001). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of proximal margin, distal margin, R1/R2 resection rate, retrieved lymph nodes, time to remove gastric tube and drainage tube, major complications and other specific complications. In survival outcomes, LG and OG were not significantly different in overall survival, disease-free survival and recurrence-free survival.

CONCLUSION

LG can be a safe and feasible technique for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy. However, more high-quality randomized controlled trials are still needed to further validate the results of our study.

Clinical significance of the advanced lung cancer inflammation index in gastrointestinal cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) has been identified as a scientific and clinical priority in multiple malignancies. The aim of this study is to investigate the value of the ALI before treatment in evaluating postoperative complications (POCs) and survival outcomes in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer.

Methods

Electronic databases including PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were comprehensively reviewed up to June 2022. The endpoints were POCs and survival outcomes. Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were also performed.

Results

Eleven studies including 4417 participants were included. A significant heterogeneity in the ALI cut-off value among studies was observed. Patients in the low ALI group showed increased incidence of POCs (OR=2.02; 95%CI:1.60-2.57; P<0.001; I² = 0%). In addition, a low ALI was also significantly associated with worse overall survival (HR=1.96; 95%CI: 1.58-2.43; P<0.001; I² = 64%), which remained consistent in all subgroups based on country, sample size, tumor site, tumor stage, selection method and Newcastle Ottawa Scale score. Moreover, patients in the low ALI group had an obviously decreased disease-free survival compared to these in the high ALI group (HR=1.47; 95%CI: 1.28-1.68; P<0.001; I² = 0%).

Conclusion

Based on existing evidence, the ALI could act as a valuable predictor of POCs and long-term outcomes in patients with GI cancer. However, the heterogeneity in the ALI cut-off value among studies should be considered when interpreting these findings.

Prophylactic drainage versus non-drainage following gastric cancer surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies

BACKGROUND

The role of prophylactic drainage (PD) in gastrectomy for gastric cancer (GC) is not well-established. The purpose of this study is to compare the perioperative outcomes between the PD and non-drainage (ND) in GC patients undergoing gastrectomy.

METHODS

A systematic review of electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure was performed up to December 2022. All eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies were included and meta-analyzed separately. The registration number of this protocol is PROSPERO CRD42022371102.

RESULTS

Overall, 7 RCTs (783 patients) and 14 observational studies (4359 patients) were ultimately included. Data from RCTs indicated that patients in the ND group had a lower total complications rate (OR = 0.68; 95%CI:0.47-0.98; P = 0.04; I² = 0%), earlier time to soft diet (MD =  - 0.27; 95%CI: - 0.55 to 0.00; P = 0.05; I² = 0%) and shorter length of hospital stay (MD =  - 0.98; 95%CI: - 1.71 to - 0.26; P = 0.007; I² = 40%). While other outcomes including anastomotic leakage, duodenal stump leakage, pancreatic leakage, intra-abdominal abscess, surgical-site infection, pulmonary infection, need for additional drainage, reoperation rate, readmission rate, and mortality were not significantly different between the two groups. Meta-analyses on observational studies showed good agreement with the pooled results from RCTs, with higher statistical power.

CONCLUSION

The present meta-analysis suggests that routine use of PD may not be necessary and even harmful in GC patients following gastrectomy. However, well-designed RCTs with risk-stratified randomization are still needed to validate the results of our study.

Value of the Preoperative D-Dimer to Albumin Ratio for Survival and Recurrence Patterns in Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

D-dimer (DDI) and albumin are prognostic markers for numerous cancers; however, the predictive value of the preoperative DDI-to-albumin ratio (DAR) on the survival and recurrence patterns of gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic value of the DAR in GC.

METHODS

Our study included 1766 patients with GC, divided into training and testing cohorts at a ratio of 7:3. Patients were classified into either a high-DAR group (> 0.0145) or low-DAR group (≤ 0.0145) according to the cut-off value of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The relationship between the DAR and recurrence pattern was analyzed in stage II/III patients.

RESULTS

Eight preoperative hematological factors were included and 17 composite inflammatory markers were constructed. ROC and random forest analyses indicated that among 17 markers, DAR was the best predictor for overall survival (OS) in GC (p < 0.01). High DAR was significantly associated with poor OS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.89, p < 0.001) and recurrence-free survival (RFS; HR 1.85, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed no differences in OS and RFS between the high- and low-DAR groups in stage I or pT1/2 or pN0/1 patients; however, in stage II/III or pT3/4 or pN2/3 patients, the high-DAR group had shorter OS and RFS rates than the low-DAR group (p < 0.001). Similar results were found in the testing cohort. According to the multivariate analysis based on the training cohort, five indices, including DAR, cT stage, cN stage, age and body mass index (BMI), were incorporated to establish a nomogram model to predict the long-term prognosis of GC. The model showed comparable forecast performance in predicting OS (C-index: 0.773 vs. 0.786) and RFS (C-index: 0.788 vs. 0.795) compared with pTNM. Recurrence pattern analysis in stage II/III patients showed that the high-DAR group had a higher incidence of peritoneal implantation and early recurrence (ER) than the low-DAR group, and the post-recurrence survival in the high-DAR group was significantly shorter than that in the low-DAR group (p = 0.016).

CONCLUSION

The preoperative DAR is a new biomarker for the long-term survival prediction of GC. In advanced GC, a preoperative DAR > 0.0145 aids the timely detection of ER and peritoneal recurrence after surgery, thus guiding individual follow-up strategies.

Prognostic significance of inflammatory and nutritional markers in perioperative period for patients with advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

It has been reported that inflammatory and nutritional markers are related to prognosis in numerous malignancies. The present study analyzed the significance of these markers' alterations during neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the long-term outcomes in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of 437 advanced gastric cancer patients who underwent a neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) regimen followed by surgical treatment. Inflammatory and nutritional markers measured from the blood samples collected from the patients before the first neoadjuvant chemotherapy and after the last neoadjuvant chemotherapy were used for analysis. Statistical analysis, including Mann-Whitney U or chi-square tests, the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox multivariate analysis, were performed to analyze the predictive value of these markers for overall survival outcomes (OS).

RESULTS

Most biomarkers, including lymphocyte, leucocyte, neutrophil, monocyte, platelet, LMR, PLR, SII, CRP, CAR, hemoglobulin and albumin levels, changed during NACT (P <  0.05). After separately grouping the patients based on the normal range of hematologic indexes and the change rate (α) of systemic inflammatory and nutritional markers by the cutoff value derived from X-tile (P <  0.05), we found that differentiation, TRG, pre-NACT BMI, pre-NACT platelet counts, post-NACT lymphocyte counts, the change in lymphocyte counts, change in platelet counts and LMR(α), PLR(α), SII(α), and CAR(α) were associated with OS. Multivariate analysis revealed that PLR (α) > - 19% was correlated with a 3.193-fold (95% CI: 2.194-4.649) higher risk of death (P <  0.001) than others.

CONCLUSION

NACT could significantly change several inflammatory and nutritional markers in the perioperative period; the platelet counts before NACT, and the change in lymphocytes during NACT truly correlated with long-term outcomes among patients with advanced gastric cancer. The systemic inflammatory marker PLR may be a reliable marker for the prediction of prognosis.

Clinical significance of the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score in gastric cancer patients: A meta-analysis of 9,764 participants

Background

The clinical value of the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score has been widely reported in multiple malignancies. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the CONUT score and clinical outcomes in patients with gastric cancer.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search of electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science was performed up to December 2022. The primary endpoints were survival outcomes and postoperative complications. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed during the pooled analysis.

Results

Nineteen studies including 9,764 patients were included. The pooled results indicated that patients in the high CONUT group had a worse overall survival (HR = 1.70 95%CI: 1.54-1.87; P < 0.0001; I ² = 33%) and recurrence-free survival (HR = 1.57; 95%CI: 1.36-1.82; P < 0.0001; I ² = 30%), and a higher risk of complications (OR = 1.96; 95%CI: 1.50-2.57; P < 0.0001; I ² = 69%). In addition, a high CONUT score was significantly associated with larger tumor size, higher percentage of microvascular invasion, later TNM stage and fewer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, but not with tumor differentiation.

Conclusion

Based on existing evidence, the CONUT score could act as a valuable biomarker to predict clinical outcomes in patients with gastric cancer. Clinicians could use this useful indicator to stratify patients and formulate individual treatment plans.

Prognostic value of pan-immune-inflammation value in colorectal cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) has been reported as a novel prognostic biomarker in multiple malignancies. The aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic value of the PIV in patients with colorectal cancer.

Methods

We comprehensively searched electronic databases including PubMed, Embase and Web of Science up to August 2022. The endpoints were survival outcomes. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for survival data were collected for analysis.

Results

Six studies including 1879 participants were included. A significant heterogeneity in the PIV cut-off value among studies was observed. The combined results indicated that patients in the high baseline PIV group had a worse overall survival (HR=2.09; 95%CI: 1.67-2.61; P<0.0001; I^{2 =} 7%) and progression-free survival (HR=1.82; 95%CI: 1.49-2.22; P<0.0001; I^{2 =} 15%). In addition, early PIV increase after treatment initiation was significantly associated with decreased overall survival (HR=1.79; 95%CI: 1.13-2.93; P=0.01; I^{2 =} 26%), and a trend toward poor progression-free survival (HR=2.00; 95%CI: 0.90-4.41; P=0.09; I^{2 =} 70%).

Conclusion

Based on existing evidence, the PIV could act as a valuable prognostic index in patients with colorectal cancer. However, the heterogeneity in the PIV cut-off value among studies should be considered when interpreting these findings.

Prognostic prediction by a novel integrative inflammatory and nutritional score based on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to establish and validate a novel predictive model named integrative inflammatory and nutritional score (IINS) for prognostic prediction in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively recruited 494 pathologically confirmed ESCC patients with surgery and randomized them into training (n = 346) or validation group (n = 148). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox proportional hazards (PH) regression analysis was initially used to construct a novel predictive model of IINS. The clinical features and prognostic factors with hazard ratio (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) grouped by IINS were analyzed. Nomogram was also established to verify the prognostic value of IINS.

RESULTS

According to the LASSO Cox PH regression analysis, a novel score of IINS was initially constructed based on 10 inflammatory and nutritional indicators with the optimal cut-off level of 2.35. The areas under the curve (AUCs) of IINS regarding prognostic ability in 1-year, 3-years, and 5-years prediction were 0.814 (95% CI: 0.769-0.854), 0.748 (95% CI: 0.698-0.793), and 0.792 (95% CI: 0.745-0.833) in the training cohort and 0.802 (95% CI: 0.733-0.866), 0.702 (95% CI: 0.621-0.774), and 0.748 (95% CI: 0.670-0.816) in the validation cohort, respectively. IINS had the largest AUCs in the two cohorts compared with other prognostic indicators, indicating a higher predictive ability. A better 5-years cancer-specific survival (CSS) was found in patients with IINS ≤ 2.35 compared with those with IINS > 2.35 in both training cohort (54.3% vs. 11.1%, P < 0.001) and validation cohort (53.7% vs. 18.2%, P < 0.001). The IINS was then confirmed as a useful independent factor (training cohort: HR: 3.000, 95% CI: 2.254-3.992, P < 0.001; validation cohort: HR: 2.609, 95% CI: 1.693-4.020, P < 0.001). Finally, an IINS-based predictive nomogram model was established and validated the CSS prediction (training set: C-index = 0.71 and validation set: C-index = 0.69, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative IINS is an independent predictor of CSS in ESCC. The nomogram based on IINS may be used as a potential risk stratification to predict individual CSS and guide treatment in ESCC with radical resection.

Detection of asymptomatic recurrence following curative surgery improves survival in patients with gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

To date, there is no evidence that intensive follow-up provides survival benefit in gastric cancer patients undergoing curative gastrectomy. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of detection of asymptomatic recurrence using intensive surveillance strategy in long-term survival after curative gastric cancer surgery.

Methods

A systematic review of electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Clinical Trials Registry and Google Scholar was performed up to April 2022. The primary outcomes were survival outcomes: overall survival, recurrence-free survival and post-recurrence survival. The secondary endpoints were clinicopathological features, recurrence patterns and treatment after recurrence. The registration number of this protocol is PROSPERO CRD42022327370.

Results

A total of 11 studies including 1898 participants were included. In the pooled analysis, the detection of asymptomatic recurrence was significantly associated with an improved overall survival compared to patients showing symptoms of recurrence (HR=0.67; 95%CI: 0.57-0.79; P<0.001), which was primarily driven by the prolongation of post-recurrence survival (HR=0.51; 95%CI: 0.42-0.61; P<0.001), since there was no significant difference observed in recurrence-free survival (HR=1.12; 95%CI: 0.81-1.55; P=0.48) between the two groups. Meanwhile, male sex and advanced T stage were more frequently observed in the symptomatic recurrence group. Furthermore, patients in the symptomatic recurrence group had a higher proportion of peritoneal relapse but lower proportion of distant lymph node metastasis. Additionally, patients in the symptomatic recurrence group were less likely to receive surgery treatment and post-recurrence chemotherapy.

Conclusion

The detection of asymptomatic recurrence using intensive follow-up was associated with an appreciable improvement in overall survival. However, more robust data from high-quality studies are still required to verify this issue.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=327370, identifier CRD42022327370.

A novel nomogram based on the prognostic nutritional index for predicting postoperative outcomes in patients with stage I-III gastric cancer undergoing robotic radical gastrectomy

BACKGROUND

The inflammation and nutrition status are crucial factors influencing the outcome of patients with gastric cancer. This study aims to investigate the prognostic value of the preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in patients with stage I-III gastric cancer undergoing robotic radical gastrectomy combined with Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS), and further to create a clinical prognosis prediction model.

STUDY

525 patients with stage I-III gastric cancer who underwent ERAS combined with RRG from July 2010 to June 2018 were included in this work, and were divided randomly into training and validating groups in a 7-to-3 ratio. The association between PNI and overall survival (OS) was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test. Independent risk factors impacting postoperative survival were analyzed with the Cox proportional hazards regression model. A nomogram for predicting OS was constructed based on multivariate analysis, and its predictive performance was evaluated using Harrell's concordance index (C-index), calibration plots, ROC curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), and time-dependent ROC curve analysis.

RESULTS

Survival analyses revealed the presence of a significant correlation between low preoperative PNI and shortened postoperative survival (P = 0.001). According to multivariate analysis, postoperative complications (P < 0.001), pTNM stage (II: P = 0.007; III: P < 0.001), PNI (P = 0.048) and lymph node ratio (LNR) (P = 0.003) were independent prognostic factors in patients undergoing ERAS combined with RRG. The nomogram constructed based on PNI, pTNM stage, complications, and LNR was superior to the pTNM stage model in terms of predictive performance. The C-indexes of the nomogram model were respectively 0.765 and 0.754 in the training and testing set, while AUC values for 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS were 0.68, 0.71, and 0.74 in the training set and 0.60, 0.67, and 0.72 in the validation set.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative PNI is an independent prognostic factor for patients with stage I-III gastric cancer undergoing ERAS combined with robotic radical gastrectomy. Based on PNI, we constructed a nomogram for predicting postoperative outcomes of gastric cancer patients, which might be utilized clinically.