Negative impact of preoperative platelet-lymphocyte ratio on outcome after hepatic resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Preoperative level of serum transthyretin as a novel biomarker predicting survival in resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with neoadjuvant therapy

BACKGROUND

Systemic inflammation and altered metabolism are essential hallmarks of cancer. We hypothesized that the rapid turnover protein transthyretin (TTR) (half-life: 2-3 days), compared with the conventional marker albumin (21 days), better reflects the inflammatory/metabolic dynamics of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) after neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) and is a useful prognostic marker.

METHODS

Serum TTR and albumin levels were measured in 104 consecutive post-NAT PDAC patients before curative resection. The associations of preoperative TTR and albumin levels with overall survival (OS) after pancreatectomy were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) TTR and albumin levels were 21.6 (6.4) mg/dL (normal range: ≥22.0 mg/dL) and 3.9 (0.55) g/dL. A low (<22.0 mg/dL) post-NAT TTR level was associated with an advanced tumor stage and higher CEA and CRP levels. Patients with low TTR levels showed significantly worse OS compared with normal levels (3-year OS 39 % vs. 54 %, P = 0.037), although albumin levels did not. We modified prognostic biomarkers of systemic inflammation/metabolism, such as GPS, PNI, and CONUT scores, using the serum TTR instead of albumin level and successfully showed that modified scores were better associated with OS compared with original scores using serum albumin level.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that the TTR level is a promising prognostic biomarker for PDAC patients after NAT.

Prognostic value of the Naples prognostic score in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after hepatectomy

BACKGROUND

The Naples Prognostic Score (NPS), integrating inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers, has been reported to be associated with the prognosis of various malignancies, but there is no report on intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). This study aimed to explore the prognostic value of NPS in patients with ICC.

METHODS

Patients with ICC after hepatectomy were collected, and divided into three groups. The prognosis factors were determined by Cox regression analysis. Predictive efficacy was evaluated by the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

RESULTS

A total of 174 patients were included (Group 1: 33 (19.0%) patients; Group 2: 83 (47.7%) patients; and Group 3: 58 (33.3%) patients). The baseline characteristics showed the higher the NPS, the higher the proportion of patients with cirrhosis and Child-Pugh B, and more advanced tumors. The Kaplan-Meier curves reflect higher NPS were associated with poor survival. Multivariable analysis showed NPS was an independent risk factor of overall survival (NPS group 2 vs. 1: HR = 1.671, 95% CI: 1.022-3.027, p = 0.009; NPS group 3 vs. 1: HR = 2.208, 95% CI: 1.259-4.780, p = 0.007) and recurrence-free survival (NPS group 2 vs. 1: HR = 1.506, 95% CI: 1.184-3.498, p = 0.010; NPS group 3 vs. 1: HR = 2.141, 95% CI: 2.519-4.087, P = 0.001). The time ROC indicated NPS was superior to other models in predicting prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

NPS is a simple and effective tool for predicting the long-term survival of patients with ICC after hepatectomy. Patients with high NPS require close follow-up, and improving NPS may prolong the survival time.

Noninvasive prediction of perineural invasion in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by clinicoradiological features and computed tomography radiomics based on interpretable machine learning: a multicenter cohort study

BACKGROUND

Perineural invasion (PNI) of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a strong independent risk factor for tumour recurrence and long-term patient survival. However, there is a lack of noninvasive tools for accurately predicting the PNI status. The authors develop and validate a combined model incorporating radiomics signature and clinicoradiological features based on machine learning for predicting PNI in ICC, and used the Shapley Additive explanation (SHAP) to visualize the prediction process for clinical application.

METHODS

This retrospective and prospective study included 243 patients with pathologically diagnosed ICC (training, n =136; external validation, n =81; prospective, n =26, respectively) who underwent preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography between January 2012 and May 2023 at three institutions (three tertiary referral centres in Guangdong Province, China). The ElasticNet was applied to select radiomics features and construct signature derived from computed tomography images, and univariate and multivariate analyses by logistic regression were used to identify the significant clinical and radiological variables with PNI. A robust combined model incorporating radiomics signature and clinicoradiological features based on machine learning was developed and the SHAP was used to visualize the prediction process. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to compare prognostic differences between PNI-positive and PNI-negative groups and was conducted to explore the prognostic information of the combined model.

RESULTS

Among 243 patients (mean age, 61.2 years ± 11.0 (SD); 152 men and 91 women), 108 (44.4%) were diagnosed as PNI-positive. The radiomics signature was constructed by seven radiomics features, with areas under the curves of 0.792, 0.748, and 0.729 in the training, external validation, and prospective cohorts, respectively. Three significant clinicoradiological features were selected and combined with radiomics signature to construct a combined model using machine learning. The eXtreme Gradient Boosting exhibited improved accuracy and robustness (areas under the curves of 0.884, 0.831, and 0.831, respectively). Survival analysis showed the construction combined model could be used to stratify relapse-free survival (hazard ratio, 1.933; 95% CI: 1.093-3.418; P =0.021).

CONCLUSIONS

We developed and validated a robust combined model incorporating radiomics signature and clinicoradiological features based on machine learning to accurately identify the PNI statuses of ICC, and visualize the prediction process through SHAP for clinical application.

A hierarchical prognostic model for Co-diabetes pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Background

Co-diabetes pancreatic adenocarcinoma has a poorer prognosis than pancreatic adenocarcinoma without diabetes. This study aimed to develop a reliable prognostic model for patients with co-diabetes pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Method

Overall, 169 patients with co-diabetes pancreatic adenocarcinoma were included in our study. First, the independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with co-diabetes pancreatic adenocarcinoma were determined by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Based on these identified risk factors, we developed a nomogram and evaluated its predictive ability using the concordance index, receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration plot, decision curve, and net reclassification index.

Results

In this study, prealbumin, transferrin, carcinoembryonic antigen, distant metastasis, tumor differentiation neutrophil count, lymphocyte count and fasting blood glucose were confirmed as significant prognostic factors. Based on these predictors, a new nomogram was developed. Compared with the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8 staging system and other models, the nomogram achieved a higher concordance index in the training (0.795) and validation (0.729) queues. The area under the nomogram's curve for predicting patient survival at 0.5, 1, and 1.5 years in the training queue was >0.8. Patients were risk-stratified using the nomogram, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves of subgroups were plotted. The Kaplan-Meier curve also showed better separation than the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8 staging system, indicating that our model has a better risk hierarchical ability.

Conclusions

Compared to the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8 staging system and other predictive models, our model showed better predictive ability for patients with co-diabetes pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Our model will help in patients' risk stratification and improves their prognosis.

Prognostic impact of preoperative skeletal muscle change from diagnosis to surgery in patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma

Background

Loss of skeletal muscle mass is a prognostic factor after surgery for gastrointestinal cancers. The treatment for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHC) is a highly invasive surgery. Biliary drainage and portal vein embolization, which can prolong the preoperative waiting time (PWT), are often required before surgery. Assuming that the skeletal muscle mass can change during PWT, we investigated the clinical effect of skeletal muscle change on surgical outcomes of PHC.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 89 patients who underwent curative surgery for PHC from January 2013 to December 2019. We defined the psoas muscle area (PMA) at the third lumbar vertebra as the skeletal muscle mass. The PMA just before surgery was divided by that at the time of diagnosis, and we defined it as the rate of change of PMA (CPMA). Patients were divided into two groups according to CPMA: wasting (n = 44, below the median CPMA) and no-change (n = 45, above the median CPMA).

Results

The median PWT was 63 d, and CPMA was 96.1%. The median recurrence-free survival and overall survival were significantly shorter in the wasting group than in the no-change group (8.0 vs 33.2 mo, P = 0.001 and 14.2 vs 48.7 mo, P < 0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that histological differentiation, R1 resection, lymph node metastasis, and preoperative skeletal muscle wasting were independent prognostic factors of PHC.

Conclusion

This study suggests that preoperative skeletal muscle wasting in patients with PHC has a negative effect on survival outcomes.

Preoperative CA19-9 and GGT ratio as a prognostic indicator in ampullary carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In recent years, more and more inflammatory indicators have been studied to predict the long-term survival of patients with ampullary carcinoma (AC) after radical resection, but these prognostic indicators are still controversial. Therefore, based on previous inflammation scores, this study established a novel, easily accessible, more feasible and more predictive prognostic marker [Carbohydrate antigen199 to gamma-glutamyltransferase ratio (CA19-9/GGT)] to better assess the prognostic significance in AC patients undergoing radical resection.

METHODS

Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were analyzed by Cox regression model. Correlation between CA19-9/GGT and clinicopathological variables were analyzed by Chi-squared test, Fisher ' s exact test, independent sample t test and Mann-Whitney U test. The performance of prognostic indexes is compared by the consistency index (C-index). The prediction accuracy of nomogram is further confirmed by calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA).

RESULTS

CA19-9/GGT was an independent risk factor affecting OS [P = 0.001, hazard ratio (HR) 2.459, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.450-4.167] and RFS (P = 0.002, HR 2.333, 95% CI 1.371-3.971) in multivariate analysis. The optimal cut-off value of CA19-9/GGT was 0.14. In CA19-9/GGT correlation analysis, high risk group (> 0.14) was significantly associated with poor prognosis. The predictive performance of CA19-9/GGT (OS: C-index = 0.753, RFS: C-index = 0.745) was confirmed to be superior to other prognostic indicators according to the C-index. Compared with the simple AJCC staging system, the Nomogram prediction model (OS: C-index = 0.787, RFS: C-index = 0.795) established by the combination of CA19-9/GGT and AJCC 8th TNM staging system has higher prediction accuracy.

CONCLUSIONS

CA19-9/GGT was an independent prognostic indicator after radical resection of AC. Incorporating CA19-9/GGT into the AJCC TNM staging system optimized the prediction accuracy of the TNM staging system, and further verified the predictive value of CA19-9/GGT.

Osteopenia Is Associated with Shorter Survival in Patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The prognostic importance of osteopenia in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) undergoing hepatectomy is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of osteopenia on survival in patients with ICC.

METHODS

A total of 71 patients who underwent hepatectomy at Jichi Medical University between July 2008 and June 2022 were included in this study. Non-contrast computed tomography scan images at the eleventh thoracic vertebra were used to assess bone mineral density. The cutoff value was calculated using a threshold value of 160 Hounsfield units. Overall survival curves were made using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test was used to evaluate survival. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for overall survival were calculated using Cox's proportional hazard model.

RESULTS

In multivariable analysis, osteopenia (HR 3.66, 95%CI 1.16-14.1, p = 0.0258) and the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (HR 6.26, 95%CI 2.27-15.9, p = 0.0008) were significant independent factors associated with overall survival. There were no significant independent prognostic factors for recurrence-free survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative osteopenia is significantly associated with postoperative survival in patients with ICC undergoing hepatectomy.

Elevated serum neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio is associated with worse long-term survival in patients with HBV-related intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma undergoing resection

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to examine the influence of serum inflammatory marker levels on long-term outcomes after liver resection in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

METHODS

Data from 1189 consecutive ICC patients who underwent liver resection were reviewed. The serum neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) were measured before surgery. Overall survival (OS) and tumour recurrence were analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Independent risk factors for OS and tumour recurrence were analysed using the Cox hazard regression model.

RESULTS

We identified elevated serum NLR (≥ 2.15) as an independent risk factor for both OS and tumour recurrence (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.327, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.105-1.593; HR: 1.274, 95% CI: 1.074-1.510) among the three inflammatory markers assessed. Elevated NLR was associated with higher carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, larger tumour size, multiple tumours, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, and more advanced tumour node metastasis (TNM) stage (III/IV). Subgroup analysis showed that elevated NLR was an independent risk factor for OS and tumour recurrence in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection compared with patients without HBV infection (HR: 1.347, 95% CI: 1.073-1.690; HR: 1.386, 95% CI: 1.112-1.726).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated serum NLR was associated with worse prognosis among ICC patients who underwent liver resection, especially in patients with HBV infection.

Safety and benefits of major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection in older perihilar cholangiocarcinoma patients

PURPOSE

To evaluate the safety and benefits of major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection in older perihilar cholangiocarcinoma patients and to identify possible predictors of surgical mortality.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the data of 102 consecutive patients who underwent major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma in our institution between 2004 and 2021. The patients were included and divided into two groups: older patients ≥ 75 years and non-older patients < 75 years. Patient characteristics, preoperative nutritional and operative risk scores, intraoperative details, postoperative outcomes, and long-term prognosis were compared between the groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the predictors of 90-day mortality after major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection.

RESULTS

Significant differences were identified for some preoperative surgical risk scores, but not for nutritional scores. Older patients had a higher morbidity rate of respiratory complications (p = 0.016), but there were no significant differences in overall (p = 0.735) or disease-specific survival (p = 0.858). A high Dasari's score was identified as an independent predictive factor of 90-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection can be performed for optimally selected older and younger patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, resulting in a good prognosis. However, indications for extended surgery should be recognized. Dasari's preoperative risk score may be a good predictor of 90-day mortality.

The prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is used as biomarker in malignant diseases showing significant association with poor oncological outcomes. The main research question of the present study was whether NLR has also prognostic value in cholangiocarcinoma patients (CCA). A systematic review was carried out to identify studies related to NLR and clinical outcomes in CCA evaluating the literature from 01/2000 to 09/2021. A random-effects model, pooled hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to investigate the statistical association between NLR and overall survival (OS) as well as disease-free survival (DFS). Subgroup analyses, evaluation of sensitivity and risk of bias were further carried out. 32 studies comprising 8572 patients were eligible for this systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled outcomes revealed that high NLR prior to treatment is prognostic for poor OS (HR 1.28, 95% CI 1.18–1.38, p < 0.01) and DFS (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.17–1.66, p < 0.01) with meaningful HR values. Subgroup analysis revealed that this association is not significantly affected by the treatment modality (surgical vs. non-surgical), NLR cut-off values, age and sample size of the included studies. Given the likelihood of NLR to be prognostic for reduced OS and DFS, pre-treatment NLR might serve as a useful biomarker for poor prognosis in patients with CCA and therefore facilitate clinical management.

Prognostic utility of preoperative inflammatory markers in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after hepatic resection: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The prognostic value of preoperative systemic inflammatory markers, including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), remains controversial in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative NLR, PLR, and LMR in patients with ICC who underwent hepatic resection.

METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive search of four electronic databases. Two researchers assessed the quality of the available data using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We selected overall survival (OS) as the primary outcome and recurrence-free survival (RFS) and disease-free survival (DFS) as secondary outcomes. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were merged to evaluate the associations between inflammatory markers and ICC patient prognosis.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies (18 cohorts) with 4123 cases were included in this meta-analysis. The results revealed that a high preoperative NLR was associated with short OS and RFS (HR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07, and HR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.04-1.60, respectively) in patients with ICC. However, the association between PLR or LMR and ICC prognosis was not statistically significant. In addition, the publication bias and sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the results were reliable and stable.

CONCLUSION

Our meta-analysis revealed that preoperative NLR may be a useful prognostic predictor for patients with ICC.

The Value of Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Prognostic Marker in Cholangiocarcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Simple Summary

Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio has shown prognostic value in several malignancies; however, its role in cholangiocarcinoma remains to be determined. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the currently available literature. Overall, our analysis revealed that a high platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio before treatment is associated with an impaired long-term oncological outcome. Further, our results indicate that this assumption was not influenced by the used treatment modality (surgical vs. non-surgical), PLR cut-off values, study population age, or sample size of the included studies. Thus, an elevated pretreatment platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio has valid prognostic value for cholangiocarcinoma patients.

Abstract

The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), an inflammatory parameter, has shown prognostic value in several malignancies. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the impact of pretreatment PLR on the oncological outcome in patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). A systematic literature search has been carried out in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases for pertinent papers published between January 2000 and August 2021. Within a random-effects model, the pooled hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to investigate the relationships among the PLR, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS). Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias were also conducted to further evaluate the relationship. A total of 20 articles comprising 5429 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, the pooled outcomes revealed that a high PLR before treatment is associated with impaired OS (HR = 1.14; 95% CI = 1.06–1.24; p < 0.01) and DFS (HR = 1.57; 95% CI = 1.19–2.07; p < 0.01). Subgroup analysis revealed that this association is not influenced by the treatment modality (surgical vs. non-surgical), PLR cut-off values, or sample size of the included studies. An elevated pretreatment PLR is prognostic for the OS and DFS of CCA patients. More high-quality studies are required to investigate the pathophysiological basis of the observation and the prognostic value of the PLR in clinical management as well as for patient selection.

Body Mass Index Alters the Predictive Value of the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Systemic Inflammation Response Index in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a frequent cancer subtype among head and neck cancers. Exacerbated inflammation and nutritional deficit are common features in this type of cancer and can be used as a prognostic marker. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) on overall survival (OS) of LSCC patients. In this retrospective cohort study, 168 patients were followed for 5 years. Data on clinical factors, patients' life habits, height, weight, and hematological parameters were collected. BMI, NLR, and SIRI were calculated. Pretreatment NLR≥ 2.02 and SIRI≥ 1160.85 were independent prognostic factors for poor OS. Low BMI did not significantly affect the OS. However, the inflammatory parameters had their predictive capacity altered when stratified by the BMI classification. NLR≥ 2.02 + Low BMI or SIRI≥ 1160.85 + Low BMI increased in 8.6 and 3.8 times the risk of death, respectively. In contrast, stratification by normal/high BMI classification eliminated the predictive capacity of NLR and SIRI. Here, we demonstrated the possible ability of BMI to change the prognostic capacity of inflammatory markers NLR and SIRI in patients with LSCC.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/01635581.2021.1952447.

A Novel Nomogram Based on Hepatic and Coagulation Function for Evaluating Outcomes of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma After Curative Hepatectomy: A Multi-Center Study of 653 Patients

Background and Aims

Hepatic and coagulation function are routine laboratory tests prior to curative hepatectomy. The prognostic value of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) to platelet ratio (GPR) and international normalized ratio (INR) in surgically treated patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remains unclear.

Methods

ICC patients received curative hepatectomy in two west China centers were included. Time-dependent ROC curves were conducted to compare established indexes with prognostic value for ICC. GPR-INR score was introduced and evaluated using the Time-dependent AUC curve and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. A novel nomogram based on the GPR-INR score was proposed; Harrell’s C-index, calibration curve and decision curve analysis were used to assess this nomogram.

Results

A total of 653 patients were included. The areas under ROC curves of GPR and INR in OS and RFS were superior to other indexes. Patients with a high GPR-INR score (1,2) presented significantly decreased overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS); GPR-INR sore, along with several clinicopathological indexes were selected into the nomogram, the calibration curve for OS probability showed good coincidence between the nomogram and the actual surveillance. The C-index of the nomogram was 0.708 (derivation set) and 0.746 (validation set), which was more representative than the C-indexes of the GPR-INR score (0.597, 0.678). In decision curve analysis, the net benefits of the nomogram in derivation and validation set were higher than Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging (BCLC) classification and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM 8^th staging system.

Conclusions

The proposed nomogram generated superior discriminative ability to established staging systems; it is profitable to applicate this nomogram in clinical practice.

Lymphocyte-C-reactive protein ratio as a prognostic marker associated with the tumor immune microenvironment in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Changes in immune cell and inflammation-associated protein levels, either independently or in combination, are commonly used as prognostic factors for various cancers. The ratio of lymphocyte count to C-reactive protein concentration (lymphocyte-CRP ratio; LCR) is a recently identified prognostic marker for several cancers. Here, we examined the prognostic value of LCR and its relationship to various aspects of the tumor immune microenvironment in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

METHODS

This was a single-center, retrospective study of patients who underwent surgical resection for ICC between 1998 and 2018. Patients were dichotomized into high- and low-LCR status groups, and the relationships between LCR status, prognosis, and other clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. Tumor-infiltrating CD8+ and FOXP3s+ lymphocytes and tumor expression of CD34 and programmed death-ligand 1 were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of resected tumors.

RESULTS

A total of 78 ICC patients were enrolled and assigned to the high (n = 44)- and low (n = 34)-LCR groups. Compared with the high-LCR group, patients in the low-LCR group had a significantly higher serum CA19-9 level (median 20.6 vs. 77.3 U/mL, P = 0.0017) and larger tumor size (median 3.5 vs. 5.5 cm, P = 0.0018). LCR correlated significantly with tumor microvessel density (r = 0.369, P = 0.0009) and CD8+ T lymphocyte infiltration (r = 0.377, P = 0.0007) but not with FOXP3+ T lymphocyte infiltration or tumor PD-L1 expression. Low-LCR status was significantly associated with worse overall survival by multivariate analysis (P = 0.0348).

CONCLUSIONS

Low-LCR status may reflect a poor anti-tumor immune response and predict worse outcomes in ICC patients.

Preoperative lymphocyte/C-reactive protein ratio and its correlation with CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as a predictor of prognosis after resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

PURPOSE

To clarify whether the preoperative lymphocyte/C-reactive protein (CRP) ratio (LCR) is a prognostic factor for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC), and investigate its mechanism via tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.

METHODS

The subjects of this retrospective study were 42 patients who had undergone hepatectomy for IHCC. We divided the patients into low LCR and high LCR groups (cutoff value: 8780) and analyzed their overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) with respect to LCR and other clinicopathological factors. We also investigated the levels of stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and CD8⁺ TILs in surgical specimens, and the relationship between LCR and TILs.

RESULTS

A low LCR was identified in 21 patients and was significantly correlated with older age, a high CRP-albumin ratio, and advanced disease stage, and was a prognostic factor for OS and DFS. Multivariate analysis revealed that a low LCR was an independent prognostic factor for worse OS (HR 10.40, P = 0.0077). Although the LCR and levels of stromal TILs were not significantly related, LCR and levels of CD8⁺ TILs were significantly related (P = 0.0297).

CONCLUSION

The preoperative LCR may predict the postsurgical prognosis of patients with IHCC and reflect the CD8⁺ TILs.

Combination of albumin-globulin score and skeletal muscle index predicts long-term outcomes of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients after curative resection

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Sarcopenia is characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass and associated with poor postoperative outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative albumin-globulin score (AGS), skeletal muscle index (SMI) as well as their combination in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) treated with surgical resection.

METHODS

A total of 613 newly diagnosed ICC patients from two centers were retrospectively analyzed (460 in discovery cohort and 153 in validation cohort). The plain computed tomography images were used to measure SMI. The effect of AGS, SMI and CAS grade on clinicopathological characteristics and long-term outcomes of patients with ICC were analyzed.

RESULTS

The SMI was significantly greater in males than in females. Patients with decreased AGS, increased SMI were associated with improved overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Stratefied by CAS grade, 68 (14.8%) patients in grade 1 were associated with increased body mass index (BMI) and best postoperative prognosis, whereas 194 (42.1%) patients in grade 3 were linked to worst OS and RFS. The CAS grade showed a promising accuracy in predicting OS and RFS of ICC patients (area under curves [AUCs] were 0.732 and 0.768). Multiple tumors, MVI and elevated CAS grades were identified as independent risk factors for OS and RFS of ICC patients. These results were confirmed by validation cohort.

CONCLUSION

The present study provided compelling evidence that a novel index based on combination of preoperative AGS and SMI was closely related to postoperative long-term outcomes for surgically treated ICC patients. Preoperative evaluation of CAS grade may be useful for risk classification and clinical therapeutic decision-making for ICC patients.

Prognostic Value of Inflammatory and Tumour Markers in Small-Duct Subtype Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma after Curative-Intent Resection

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is characterised by heterogeneity, and it can be subdivided into small-duct and large-duct types. Inflammatory and tumour markers could effectively predict prognosis in many cancers, but no similar studies have been conducted in the histological subtypes of ICC. A total of 102 and 72 patients with ICC undergoing curative-intent resection were retrospectively subclassified into large-duct and small-duct types by chemical staining, respectively. The prognostic value of inflammatory and tumour markers was studied for the first time in histological subtypes of ICC by using a Cox regression model. A novel predictor named prognostic inflammatory index (PII) was proposed and defined as neutrophil × monocyte/lymphocyte count (10⁹/L). Survival analysis showed that PII, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), CA242, and ferritin were all predictors of DFS and OS in patients with ICC (P < 0.040). Subgroup analysis showed that PII, CA19-9, and ferritin were risk predictors of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in small-duct type ICC (P < 0.015). In addition, in small-duct type ICC, NLR and LMR were correlated with OS (P < 0.025), whilst CEA and CA242 were correlated with DFS (P ≤ 0.010). In conclusion, PII is a convenient and efficient inflammatory predictor of DFS and OS in ICCs and their small-duct type. NLR and LMR, rather than platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, were correlated with OS in small-duct type ICC. In addition, ferritin may be a supplement to CA19-9 in stratifying the survival outcome of patients with small-duct type ICC.

Preoperative risk grade predicts the long-term prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a retrospective cohort analysis

Background

Cumulating evidence indicates that the systemic inflammatory response (SIR) plays a crucial role in the prognosis of various cancers. We aimed to generate a preoperative risk grade (PRG) by integrating SIR markers to preoperatively predict the long-term prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

Methods

468 consecutive ICC patients who underwent hepatectomy between 2010 and 2017 were enrolled. The PRG and a nomogram were generated and their predictive accuracy was evaluated.

Results

The PRG consisted of two non-tumor-specific SIR markers platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and albumin (ALB), which were both the independent predictors of overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis showed that the PRG was significantly associated with OS (PRG = 1: hazard ratio (HR) = 3.800, p < 0.001; PRG = 2: HR = 7.585, p < 0.001). The C-index of the PRG for predicting survival was 0.685 (95% CI 0.655 to 0.716), which was statistically higher than that of the following systems: American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition (C-index 0.645), Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan (LCSGJ) (C-index 0.644) and Okabayashi (C-index 0.633) (p < 0.05). Besides, the C-index of the nomogram only consisting of the tumor-specific factors (serum carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, tumor number) could be improved to 0.737 (95% CI 0.062–0.768) from 0.625 (95% CI 0.585–0.665) when the PRG was incorporated (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The PRG integrating two non-tumor-specific SIR markers PLR and ALB was a novel method to preoperative predicting the prognosis of ICC.

Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index Is a Prognostic Predictor in Patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Undergoing Liver Transplantation

Background

It was reported that systemic immune inflammation index (SII) was related to poor prognosis in a variety of cancers. We aimed to investigate the ability of the prognostic predictors of SII in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) undergoing liver transplantation (LT).

Methods

The 28 iCCA patients who underwent LT at our hospital between 2013 and 2018 were reviewed. Kaplan–Meier survival curves and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the prognostic significance of SII. Patients were divided into the high and low SII groups according to the cut-off value.

Results

The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were significantly lower in the high SII group (85.7%, 28.6%, and 21.4%, respectively) than in the low SII group (92.9%, 71.4%, and 57.2%, respectively; P = 0.009). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS rates were, respectively, 57.1%, 32.7%, and 21.8% in the high SII group and 85.7%, 61.1%, and 61.1% in the low SII group (P = 0.021). SII ≥ 447.48 × 10⁹/L (HR 0.273, 95% CI 0.082–0.908; P = 0.034) was an independent prognostic factor for OS.

Conclusions

Our results showed that SII can be used to predict the survival of patients with iCCA who undergo LT.

The prognostic impact of lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein score in patients undergoing surgical resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A comparative study of major representative inflammatory / immunonutritional markers

BACKGROUND

In many malignancies including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), prognostic significance of host-related inflammatory / immunonutritional markers have attracted a lot of attention. However, it is unclear which is the strongest prognostic indicator for iCCA among these markers. The aim of this study was to firstly evaluate the prognostic utility of inflammatory / immunonutritional markers in resected iCCA patients using a multiple comparison in addition to a new marker, lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein (CRP) score.

METHODS

A total of sixty iCCA patients, who underwent surgical resection between October 2004 and April 2019, were enrolled in this study. Their clinical and pathological data were retrospectively assessed using univariate and multivariate analysis to determine prognostic predictors for disease specific survival (DSS). Moreover, these patients, who were divided into high and low groups based on lymphocyte-to-CRP score, were compared these survival outcomes using Kaplan-Meier analysis with a log-rank test.

RESULTS

In multivariate analysis, the significant prognostic factors were preoperative lymphocyte-to-CRP score (p = 0.008), preoperative CRP-to-albumin ratio (CAR; p = 0.017), pathological T category (p = 0.003), and pathological vascular invasion (p < 0.001). Resected iCCA patients with a low lymphocyte-to-CRP score (score 0) had significant better prognosis than patients with a high score (score 1 or 2) (p = 0.016). Notably, the mortality of the high lymphocyte-to-CRP score group did not show statistically difference from the poor mortality of unresected iCCA patients (p = 0.204).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative lymphocyte-to-CRP score was the strongest prognostic indicator in iCCA patients with surgical resection. In these patients, early intervention with nutritional support should be considered prior to operation.

Prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and systemic immune-inflammation index in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to determine the prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

DESIGN AND SETTING

A retrospective analysis of patients with LSCC was conducted in our hospitals. Clinical information, including age, sex, TNM classification and other demographic and clinical data, was acquired and analysed. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated and compared using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 147 patients with LSCC were included.

RESULTS

According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal cut-off points for NLR, PLR and SII were 1.88, 117.36 and 517.64. The analysis revealed NLR, PLR and SII to be independent predictors for OS and PFS (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative NLR, PLR and SII are promising prognostic predictors for patients with LSCC.

High platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio is associated with poor prognosis in patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma receiving gemcitabine plus cisplatin

BACKGROUND

Several systemic inflammatory response (SIR) markers, including platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR), have emerged as prognostic markers in various cancers. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of SIR markers on the survival outcomes of unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHC) patients.

METHODS

Patients with histologically confirmed, unresectable IHC treated with gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP) chemotherapy in a single tertiary hospital from 2012 to 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were determined using unadjusted Kaplan-Meier and adjusted Cox-proportional-hazards analysis. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to compare the performance of the SIR markers in predicting OS.

RESULTS

A total of 137 patients received a median of six cycles (interquartile range [IQR], 3-11) of GP chemotherapy with a median observation time of 9.9 months (range, 1.8-54.7 months). The median PFS and OS of all patients were 7.8 months and 9.9 months, respectively. Among the SIR markers, high PLR (> 148) and high NLR (> 5) were associated with a short PFS (Hazard ratio [HR] 1.828, P = 0.006; HR 1.738, P = 0.030, respectively) and short OS (HR 2.332, P < 0.001; HR 2.273, P < 0.001, respectively). Low LMR (< 3.5) and low AGR (< 1.2) were associated with a short OS (HR 2.423, P < 0.001; HR 1.768, P = 0.002, respectively). In multivariable cox-regression analysis, high PLR (HR 1.766, P = 0.009) and distant lymph node (LN) metastasis (HR 2.085, P = 0.001) were associated with a short PFS. High PLR (HR 1.856, P = 0.002) was an independent predictor of a short OS, along with distant LN metastasis (HR 1.929; P < 0.001), low LMR (HR 1.691; P = 0.041), and low level of serum albumin (< 3.5 g/dL) (HR 1.632; P = 0.043). Time-dependent ROC analysis revealed that the area under the curve of PLR for predicting overall survival was greater than that of NLR, LMR, and AGR at most time points.

CONCLUSIONS

High PLR was an independent prognostic factor of a short PFS and OS in patients with unresectable IHC receiving GP chemotherapy.

High C-reactive protein/albumin ratio associated with reduced survival due to advanced stage of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

C-reactive protein (CRP)- and albumin (Alb)-based scoring systems are available for predicting the prognosis of patients with diverse forms of gastrointestinal cancer, but their utility for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is still unclear. This study aimed to elucidate whether a high CRP/Alb ratio is associated with the surgical outcome of ICC patients. Patients who underwent initial and curative resection for ICC were included in this study, and were divided into the High and Low CRP/Alb groups based on their preoperative CRP and Alb values. The surgical outcomes were compared between the two groups. The median CRP/Alb ratio amongst 88 patients was 0.033 (range, 0.019-3.636); 44 patients with CRP/Alb > 0.033 were allocated to the High CRP/Alb group and 44 patients were allocated to the Low CRP/Alb group. The operative data did not differ between the two groups, while the tumor status was more advanced in the High CRP/Alb group. The median overall survival was 2.4 years (95% CI, 1.4-3.3) and 8.9 years (3.8-NA) in the High and Low CRP/Alb groups, respectively (P < 0.001), and recurrence-free survival was 0.5 years (95% CI, 0.3-0.7) and 7.7 years (1.3-NA), respectively (P < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, the independent factors for overall survival were High CRP/Alb (P = 0.017) and multiple nodules (P = 0.008). Taken together, the survival of ICC patients in the High CRP/Alb group was reduced compared to that of patients in the Low CRP/Alb group due to the advanced stage of the tumor as well as malnutrition.

Assessment of Liver Function for Evaluation of Long-Term Outcomes of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Multi-Institutional Analysis of 620 Patients

Background: Liver function is a routine laboratory test prior to curative liver resection. It remains unclear whether the albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) grade and albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) can predict long-term outcomes of surgically treated patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

Methods: This study investigated the correlation between ALBI grade and AAPR with overall survival (OS) after liver resection and then compared their accuracy to the Child–Pugh score. Harrell's concordance index (C-index) and Akaike information criterion (AIC) were used to compare accuracy of models.

Results: A total of 620 ICC patients were included, 477 in derivation cohort and 143 for validation. 0.348 was identified as the cutoff value for AAPR after calculating the Youden index. In the derivation cohort, elevated ALBI grade was associated with worse prognosis [hazard ratio (HR): 1.751, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.329 to 2.306], and a decreased AAPR value was correlated with shorter OS (HR: 1.969, 95% CI: 1.552 to 2.497). Multivariate analysis suggested that the ALBI grade, AAPR, CA19-9, tumor number, and microvascular invasion were independent prognostic predictors for OS. ALBI grade and AAPR showed more accuracy in evaluating OS for surgically treated ICC patients than the Child–Pugh score (C-index: 0.559, 0.600 vs. 0.528; AIC: 3023.84, 3007.73 vs. 3034.66). Our findings were validated in an independent cohort from another clinical center.

Conclusions: Importantly, the ALBI grade and AAPR showed greater discriminatory power than the Child–Pugh score in assessing long-term outcomes following hepatectomy for ICC. The AAPR was more accurate than the ALBI grade. It was beneficial to consider the ALBI grade and AAPR as useful surrogate markers to identify patients at risk of poor postoperative outcomes.

Prognostic significance of systemic immune-inflammation index in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma undergoing hepatic resection

BACKGROUND

The prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients following surgical resection remains poor. It is necessary to investigate effective biomarkers or prognostic models for ICC patients.

AIM

To investigate the prognostic effect of systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) to predict long-term outcomes in ICC patients with undergoing hepatic resection.

METHODS

Consecutive ICC patients who underwent initial hepatectomy with curative intent from January 2009 to September 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the optimal cut-off values of SII. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression were performed to evaluate the discriminative ability of preoperative SII in predicting overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS).

RESULTS

A total of 530 patients were included and randomly divided into derivation (n = 265) and validation cohort (n = 265). The optimal cut-off value for SII was 450. At a median follow-up of 18 mo (range, 1-115.4 mo), 317 (59.8%) patients died and 381 (71.9%) patients experienced tumor relapse. Low SII level was associated with better OS and RFS (both P < 0.05). Multivariate analyses identified multiple tumors, node invasion and high SII level as independent risk factors for OS, while multiple tumors, node invasion and high SII level were identified as independent risk factors for RFS. Validation cohort confirmed the findings of derivation cohort.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated the feasibility of preoperative SII as a prognostic indicator for ICC. Patients with increased SII level were associated with worse OS and earlier tumor recurrence. Elevated SII level was an independent risk factor for OS and RFS in patients with ICC after hepatectomy. In the future, the SII could help stratifying patients with ICC, thus guiding therapeutic choices, especially in immunotherapy.

Preoperative gamma-glutamyltransferase to lymphocyte ratio predicts long-term outcomes in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients following hepatic resection

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a heterogeneous hepatobiliary cancer with limited treatment options. A number of studies have illuminated the relationship between inflammation-based prognostic scores and outcomes in patients with ICC. However, the use of reliable and personalized prognostic algorithms in ICC after resection is pending.

AIM

To assess the prognostic value of the gamma-glutamyltransferase to lymphocyte ratio (GLR) in ICC patients following curative resection.

METHODS

ICC patients following curative resection (2009-2017) were divided into two cohorts: The derivation cohort and validation cohort. The derivation cohort was used to explore an optimal cut-off value, and the validation cohort was used to further evaluate the score. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were analyzed, and predictors of OS and RFS were determined.

RESULTS

A total of 527 ICC patients were included and randomly divided into the derivation cohort (264 patients) and the validation cohort (263 patients). The two patient cohorts had comparable baseline characteristics. The optimal cut-off value for the GLR was 33.7. Kaplan-Meier curves showed worse OS and RFS in the GLR > 33.7 group compared with GLR ≤ 33.7 group in both cohorts. After univariate and multivariate analysis, the results indicated that GLR was an independent prognostic factor of OS [derivation cohort: hazard ratio (HR) = 1.620, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.066-2.462, P = 0.024; validation cohort: HR = 1.466, 95%CI: 1.033-2.142, P = 0.048] and RFS [derivation cohort: HR = 1.471, 95%CI: 1.029-2.103, P = 0.034; validation cohort: HR = 1.480, 95%CI: 1.057-2.070, P = 0.022].

CONCLUSION

The preoperative GLR is an independent prognostic factor for ICC patients following hepatectomy. A high preoperative GLR is associated with worse OS and RFS.

Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Macrophages in Intrahepatic Cholangiocellular Carcinoma. Impact on Prognosis after Complete Surgery

BACKGROUND

Immune infiltrate impacts prognosis of several tumors. To assess the prognostic impact of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and macrophages in patients undergoing resection for intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (ICC).

METHODS

All consecutive patients undergoing surgery for ICC between 2008 and 2016 were considered. Inclusion criteria were complete resection and follow-up > 12 months. Tissue sections were immunostained for CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, Foxp3+, and CD68+. The number of positive cells was quantified using a computer-aided image analysis system. Different cut-off values were tested as predictors of overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Fifty-three patients were analyzed. ICC were T1 in 28 patients, multifocal in 11, and N+ in 13. After a median follow-up of 42 months, 5-year OS was 52.1%. The following immune infiltrate values were associated with better OS: CD3+ > 0.10% (5-year OS 63.3% vs. 13.6% if ≤ 0.10%, p = 0.001); CD8+ > 0.10% (56.2% vs. 28.6% if ≤ 0.10%, p = 0.051); Foxp3+ absent (59.4% vs. 16.0% if present, p = 0.049). CD4+ and CD68+ infiltrates were not associated with OS. Three-year OS rates in patients with 0, 1, and ≥ 2 negative prognostic factors were 73.6%, 47.3%, and 14.3%, respectively (p < 0.001). CD3+ infiltrate stratified prognosis in T1 tumors (3-year OS 71.7% if CD3+ > 0.10% vs. 14.3% if ≤ 0.10%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are associated with prognosis of ICC patients after complete surgery. CD3+ and CD8+ infiltrate is associated with higher survival and lower recurrence risk, while Foxp3+ infiltrate is associated with worse prognosis. CD3+ infiltrate allows refining prediction of prognosis in early tumors.

Association of inflammatory biomarkers with long-term outcomes after curative surgery for mass-forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

PURPOSE

Inflammatory biomarkers such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are reportedly predictive of the long-term outcomes of several cancers. We evaluated their correlations with the post-surgical long-term outcomes of patients with mass-forming (MF) intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

METHODS

The subjects of this study were 52 patients who underwent hepatic resection for MF-ICC at our hospital. We measured the cutoff values of NLR, LMR and PLR, using receiver operating characteristic curves, and compared the survival rates of patients with high vs. those with low values. We also evaluated a prognostic scoring system based on significant inflammatory biomarkers.

RESULTS

The cutoff values for NLR, LMR, and PLR were 1.93, 4.78, and 98, respectively. The high-NLR and low-LMR groups had significantly worse prognoses than the low-NLR and high-LMR groups. We designed a scoring system using the inflammation score (IS) based on NLR and LMR values, stratifying patients into three groups with scores of 0, 1, or 2. The IS was significantly correlated with overall survival (OS), with 5-year survival rates by the IS score of 100% for 0, 61% for 1, and 32% for 2 (P = 0.011). The IS was found to be an independent predictor of OS in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our IS scoring system may predict long-term outcomes after surgery for MF-ICC.

Comparative performance of inflammation-based prognostic scores in patients operated for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Objective

Prognostic performance of inflammation-based prognostic scores, including the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR), Prognostic Index (PI) and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) has been explored in patients with varied types of cancer, though little data is available in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). This study sought to evaluate the impact of systemic inflammation on the overall survival (OS) of ICC patients, and to identify more optimal prognostic indices.

Patients and methods

The prognostic power of all the scores mentioned above was compared in 123 patients underwent curative surgery for ICC using Kaplan–Meier curves, COX regression models and the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. The results were validated in a cohort of 95 ICC patients.

Results

Multivariate analysis identified LMR as the only independent inflammation-based predictor for OS in the training cohort (P=0.007, HR 2.082, 95% CI 1.218–3.558). More importantly, the combined score of LMR and pTNM designated the inflammation-based pathological stage (IPS) outperformed other established scores in terms of discriminatory ability, monotonicity and homogeneity in the training and validation cohorts.

Conclusion

This study reveals that preoperative LMR is an independent predictor of OS in ICC patients after hepatectomy, and the IPS can be applied as a novel prognostic indicator in these patients.

Risk Factors and Outcomes of Early Relapse After Curative Resection of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Early relapse after hepatectomy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has a tremendous influence on the long-term survival outcomes of ICC patients. The purpose of our study was to investigate risk factors for early tumor relapse and confirm whether early relapse was correlated with ICC patients' long-term survival outcomes. Three hundred and twenty-two consecutive ICC patients undergoing partial hepatectomy at Liver Surgery Department of Zhongshan Hospital (Fudan University, Shanghai, China) between January 2005 and December 2011 were included in this retrospectively study. The definition of early relapse had been described as tumor relapse within 24 months after hepatectomy in ICC patients. We identified a total of 168 ICC patients with early relapse and 23 ICC patients with late relapse after hepatectomy. From the time of relapse, the long-term survival outcomes were worse among patients who had early vs. late relapse (median OS 16.5 vs. 44.7 months, respectively; P < 0.0001). The overall survival of the early relapse group was lower than that of the late relapse group (P < 0.0001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that multiple tumors (hazard ratio [HR], 1.951; 95% CI, 1.382-2.755; P < 0.001), lymphonodus metastasis (HR, 1.517; 95% CI, 1.061-2.168; P = 0.022), and higher serum CA19-9 levels (HR, 1.495; 95% CI, 1.095-2.039; P = 0.011) were independent risk factors of early relapse. Moreover, multiple tumors (HR, 1.641; 95% CI, 1.120-2.406; P = 0.011), lymphonodus metastasis (HR, 2.008; 95% CI, 1.367-2.949; P < 0.001), elevated NLR (HR, 1.921; 95% CI, 1.331-2.774; P < 0.001) and higher serum CA19-9 levels (HR, 1.990; 95% CI, 1.409-2.812; P < 0.001) were independent predictors of overall survival for ICC patients with early relapse. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that multiple tumors, lymphonodus metastasis, and higher serum CA19-9 levels were associated with the increased risks of early relapse and worse prognoses of ICC after curative-intent resection.

Clinical Significance of Prothrombin Time in Cholangiocarcinoma Patients with Surgeries

BACKGROUND

Prothrombin time (PT) can predict survival in several types of malignancies. This study aims to investigate the predictive values of PT levels in patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA).

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the PT from 86 CCA patients who underwent curative resection in our hospital from December 2008 to August 2017. The relationship between PT and survival times was analyzed through univariate and multivariate analyses (Cox proportional hazards model). Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank test were used to assess the effects of PT on overall survival (OS) and tumor recurrence-free survival (RFS).

RESULTS

Increased PT level was an effective predictor for OS (P = 0.021; hazard ratio (HR), 1.799) and RFS (P = 0.016; HR, 1.871) in CCA patients, independent of age, tumor differentiation, and TNM stage. In the low PT level group (PT < 12.3 s), patients showed a higher mean OS (23.03 m vs. 14.38 m, P = 0.0250) and RFS (17.78 m vs. 8.30 m, P = 0.0511) than those with high PT levels (PT ≥ 12.3 s). A highly significant association was observed between high PT level and shortened OS (P = 0.0373) and worse RFS (P = 0.0151).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative increase in PT can serve as a simple but effective predictor of poor survival in CCA patients who undergo curative surgeries.

The postoperative peak number of leukocytes after hepatectomy is a significant prognostic factor for cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a lethal disease. A new predictive factor to identify patients suitable for adjuvant chemotherapy is needed. The relationship between the long-term prognosis and the perioperative immune responses in patients with CCA remains unclear. We therefore investigated the clinical impact of perioperative immune responses on the long-term prognosis in patients receiving hepatectomy for CCA. We investigated 81 patients who underwent hepatectomy between February 2000 and October 2012: 57 intra-hepatic CCA (iCCA) patients and 24 extra-hepatic CCA (eCCA) patients. We checked the postoperative level of C-reactive protein and the numbers of leukocytes. A multivariate analysis of the clinicopathological factors identified 2 significant risk factors for the overall survival: The postoperative maximum number of leukocytes (PNL) among patient factors (P=0.0406) and the TNM-stage among tumor factors (P=0.0059). On evaluating the distribution of each kind of leukocyte with a multivariate analysis, both the postoperative maximum number of neutrophils (PNN) and the postoperative maximum number of eosinophils (PNE) were detected as significant factors among leukocytes (PNN/PNE, P=0.0367/0.0083). In conclusion, the PNL after hepatectomy was significantly associated with the long-term prognosis in patients with CCA. Changes in the numbers of leukocytes after hepatectomy may be a marker on treatment for CCA.

Association of Preoperative Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio with Poor Outcome in Patients with Distal Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Several preoperative systemic inflammatory parameters, such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and Glasgow Prognostic Score, have been reported to be associated with the prognosis of solid tumors. However, there are conflicting survival data regarding these parameters in cholangiocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we performed a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC) who underwent surgical resection to evaluate the prognostic value of a cluster of preoperative hematological inflammatory parameters for survival.

METHOD

Fifty-three patients with DCC who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with curative intent were enrolled. The optimal cutoff values of hematological inflammatory parameters, including the absolute lym-phocyte count, NLR, PLR, and LMR, were determined by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis. -Results: The univariate analysis for overall survival (OS) of conventional factors and hematological inflammatory parameters identified that portal vein invasion and PLR had p values of ≤0.1. The univariate analysis for disease-free survival (DFS) identified that lymph node metastasis, PLR, lymphocyte count, and number of positive lymph nodes (≥3) had p values of ≤0.1. These factors were incorporated into the full model and variables were selected using the backward stepwise method. The multivariate analysis identified portal vein invasion and high PLR as independent prognostic factors for OS (p = 0.033 and 0.039, respectively) and high PLR and number of positive lymph nodes (≥3) as independent prognostic factors for DFS (p = 0.016 and 0.004, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative PLR assessment may be useful for detecting high-risk DCC patients undergoing surgical resection for aggressive adjuvant therapy.

Preoperative Serum Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Prognostic Factor in Cholangiocarcinoma Patients after Radical Resection: A Retrospective Analysis of 119 Patients

Aims

Although prognostic markers are important to establish therapeutic strategies in patients for conducting radical resection of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), there is still a lack of simple, valid, and repeatable markers in clinical settings. We aim to evaluate the prognostic value of the preoperative serum platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in CCA patients who underwent radical resection.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed CCA patients who underwent radical resection surgery in our institution from January 2011 to June 2016. Baseline PLR and other clinical pathological data were measured when patients were diagnosed initially. The prognostic value of PLR in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed with the Cox proportional hazard model and the Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

This study retrospectively analyzed 119 patients who underwent radical resection of CCA. During a median follow-up time of 11.0 months, there were 99.2% recurrences and 42.9% who died, and the median OS and PFS were 9.4 months and 7.4 months, respectively. Multivariate Cox analysis identified that elevated levels of PLR (PLR > 157.25) as a significant factor predicted poorer OS (P = 0.018, HR: 2.160, 95% CI: 1.139-4.096) and PFS (P = 0.005, HR: 1.930, 95% CI: 1.220-3.053). In subgroup analysis, PLR also effectively predicted OS (P = 0.016, HR: 2.515, 95% CI: 1.143-5.532) and PFS (P = 0.042, HR: 1.908, 95% CI: 0.982-3.713) in CCA patients with positive lymphatic metastasis and/or positive surgical margin who required adjuvant therapy.

Conclusions

The preoperative serum PLR is an independent prognostic factor for OS and PFS in CCA patients after radical resection, including patients requiring adjuvant therapy.

Therapeutic outcomes and prognostic factors in unresectable gallbladder cancer treated with gemcitabine plus cisplatin

BACKGROUND

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is likely to be diagnosed at progressive stages and shows a very poor prognosis. Combination therapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin (GEMCIS) has been widely used as first-line palliative chemotherapy for advanced GBC. This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of GEMCIS and identify prognostic factors in patients with unresectable GBC.

METHODS

Patients with GBC who were treated with GEMCIS from January 2008 to June 2017 in a single tertiary hospital were included. All cases of GBC were diagnosed by pathologic findings and extent of the tumour was assessed by imaging tests. Combination chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin 25 mg/m² and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m² intravenously on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks. To determine factors affecting prognosis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, log-rank test and the Cox proportional hazard regression linear model were used. All variables with P < 0.1 in univariable analysis were included in the multivariable model.

RESULTS

A total of 173 patients received a median of 5.3 ± 4.4 cycles of chemotherapy over 3.8 ± 3.9 months. Most of the patients (94.8%) were stage IVB at the time of diagnosis and the most common site of metastasis was the liver (42.8%). Disease control rate was 59.5%: 2 (1.2%) patients with complete response, 26 (15.0%) patients with partial response and 75 (43.4%) patients with stable disease. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival were 8.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.1-10.2) and 5.6 (95% CI 4.5-6.8) months, respectively. Multivariable regression model indicated that metastasis to liver (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.63, 95% CI 1.11-2.40; P = 0.013), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≥3 (HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.09-2.49; P = 0.017), CEA ≥ 5 ng/mL (HR 1.50, 95% CI 1.02-2.19; P = 0.038), and CA19-9 ≥ 500 U/mL (HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.01-2.50; P = 0.043) were significantly associated with OS.

CONCLUSIONS

GEMCIS demonstrated a high disease control rate in patients with unresectable GBC. Factors independently related to OS were metastasis to liver, NLR ≥ 3, CEA ≥ 5 ng/mL and CA19-9 ≥ 500 U/mL.

Systemic inflammation score predicts survival in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma undergoing curative resection

Inflammation has a critical role in the development and progression of cancers. We developed a novel systemic inflammation score (SIS) based on lymphocyte, monocyte, and CA19-9 and explored its prognostic value in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). From January 2005 to December 2011, 322 consecutive ICC patients who underwent curative resection in our center were included in this study, and validated in a retrospective study of 126 patients enrolled from 2012 to 2014. Clinicopathological variables including preoperative serum CA19-9 and LMR were analyzed. The cutoff values of CA19-9 and LMR were determined based on receiver operating characteristics curve analysis in the primary cohort. Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox-regression analyses were calculated for time to recurrence (TTR) and overall survival (OS). In univariate analysis of all patients, all three inflammatory and tumor marker including NLR ≥ 2.49 (P<0.001), LMR ≤ 4.45 (P=0.002), and CA19-9≥89 (P<0.001) were associated with poor prognoses. When omitting SIS in multivariate analysis, preoperative LMR (P =0.006) and serum CA19-9 (P<0.001) were independent predictors of OS. In addition, elevated CA19-9 (P=0.001), multiple tumors (P<0.001), and lymph node metastasis (P<0.001) were significant predictors of worse recurrence free survival. Moreover, high SIS was significantly associated with aggressive tumor behaviours including large tumor size (P<0.001), multiple tumors (P=0.033), lymphonodus node metastasis (P=0.001), and high TNM stage (P<0.0001). Finally, univariate and multivariate analyses revealed the SIS was an independent predictor for TTR (HR=2.077, 95% CI, 1.365-3.162, P=0.001) and OS (HR=3.133 95% CI, 2.058-4.769, P<0.001). These results were further confirmed in the validation cohort. In conclusions, our findings demonstrate that the SIS as a potentially powerful prognostic biomarker in ICC that predicts poor clinical outcomes and is a promising tool for ICC treatment strategy decisions.

Prognostic Significance of Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Cholangiocarcinoma: A Meta-Analysis

Introduction

Pretreatment platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been considered a prognostic factor in various cancers. However, the application of PLR in the assessment of patients with cholangiocarcinoma remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of pretreatment PLR in cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods

A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library to identify studies assessing the prognostic significance of the pretreatment PLR in cholangiocarcinoma. Three databases were searched from inception to August 5, 2018. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcomes were recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects models.

Results

A total of 9 studies including 2395 patients were finally enrolled in the meta-analysis based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. All of the included studies were retrospective observational cohorts. Elevated PLR predicted poor OS (HR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.19-1.62, P < 0.001) and RFS or PFS (HR = 1.55; 95% CI = 1.27-1.88; P < 0.001). Moreover, elevated PLR was highly associated with male sex (male versus female OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.44-0.80, P < 0.001) and R1 resection margin (OR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.24-3.54, P = 0.006).

Conclusion

The present meta-analysis demonstrated that pretreatment PLR might serve as a useful prognostic biomarker in cholangiocarcinoma.

Preoperative albumin-bilirubin grade plus platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio predict the outcomes of patients with BCLC stage A hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection

There is little information regarding the predictive ability of albumin-bilirubin grades (ALBI) plus platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following liver resection. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic power of the ALBI-PLR score in patients with hepatitis B virus-related (HBV-related) HCC within Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage A after liver resection.Around 475 patients were included in this study. Patients with preoperative ALBI grades 1, 2, or 3 were allocated a score of 0, 1, or 2, respectively. Patients with preoperative PLR >150 or ≤150 were allocated a score of 0 or 1, respectively. The ALBI-PLR score was the summary of the ALBI and PLR scores.During the follow-up period, 256 patients experienced recurrence, and 150 patients died. Multivariate analysis revealed tumor size, multiple tumors, positive HBV-DNA load, cirrhosis, and ALBI-PLR score as being independently associated with postoperative recurrence, whereas tumor size, high preoperative α-fetoprotein level, and ALBI-PLR score were independent risk factors for postoperative mortality. HCC patients with high ALBI-PLR score had poor recurrence-free and overall survival.The preoperative ALBI-PLR score is a surrogate marker for predicting HBV-related HCC patient's prognosis after liver resection. A high ALBI-PLR score is associated with a high incidence of postoperative recurrence and mortality.

Preoperative platelet to lymphocyte ratio is a valuable prognostic biomarker in patients with colorectal cancer

Objectives

Recent studies suggest that an elevated preoperative platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) may be considered a poor prognostic biomarker in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of PLR in patients with CRC.

Methods

We enrolled 1314 patients who underwent surgery for CRC between 2005 and 2011. Preoperative PLR level was stratified into quintiles for Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models.

Results

Higher PLR quintiles were significantly associated with poorer overall survival (P = 0.002). Multivariate analysis showed that PLR was an independent risk factor for overall survival (OS) (P = 0.034). Patients in PLR quintile 5 had lower overall survival than in quintile 1 (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.701, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.267–2.282, P < 0.001). Although patients in PLR quintile 5 had significantly lower disease-free survival (DFS) than in quintile 1 (HR = 1.522, 95% CI: 1.114–2.080, P = 0.008), this association was not significant after multivariable adjustment (P = 0.075). In the subgroup analysis, PLR remained an independent factor in terms of advanced tumor stage (III, IV), male sex, carcinoembryonic antigen (≤ 5 ng/ml), age (> 65 years) and body mass index (≤ 25) (P < 0.05 for all measurements). The results remained unchanged when the PLR was analyzed as a dichotomous variable by applying different cut-off values of 150, 185, 220.

Conclusions

Elevated preoperative PLR was independently associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients with CRC. The utility of PLR may help to improve prognostic predictors.

Prognostic Implication of Inflammation-based Prognostic Scores in Patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Treated with First-line Gemcitabine plus Cisplatin

Background We aimed to comprehensively evaluate the prognostic value of inflammation-based prognostic scores, including the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), exclusively in patients with advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). Methods Between May 2010 and April 2015, 305 patients with histologically documented unresectable or metastatic iCCA were treated with first-line gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GemCis). Among these, 257 patients had complete data for inflammation-based prognostic scores and were included. Results Median age was 59 (range: 27-78) years, and 158 patients (61.5%) were males. High mGPS was independently associated with poor progression-free survival (PFS; mGPS ≥1 vs. 0: median, 3.9 vs. 5.5 months; P = 0.001) and overall survival (OS; mGPS ≥1 vs. 0; median, 6.9 vs. 14.1 months; P = 0.002) in the multivariate analysis. Regarding high NLR (> median) and PLR (> median), although a potential association existed with poor PFS or OS in the univariate analysis, these did not remain as significant in the multivariate analyses. Conclusion The current study suggests that mGPS might be the relevant prognostic index that could stratify the survival outcomes of patients with unresectable or metastatic iCCA who received first-line GemCis.

The role of the systemic inflammatory response in predicting outcomes in patients with operable cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Cancer remains a leading causes of death worldwide and an elevated systemic inflammatory response (SIR) is associated with reduced survival in patients with operable cancer. This review aims to examine the evidence for the role of systemic inflammation based prognostic scores in patients with operable cancers. A wide-ranging literature review using targeted medical subject headings for human studies in English was carried out in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CDSR databases until the end of 2016. The SIR has independent prognostic value, across tumour types and geographical locations. In particular neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (n = 158), platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (n = 68), lymphocyte monocyte ratio (LMR) (n = 21) and Glasgow Prognostic Score/ modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS/mGPS) (n = 60) were consistently validated. On meta-analysis there was a significant relationship between elevated NLR and overall survival (OS) (p < 0.00001)/ cancer specific survival (CSS) (p < 0.00001), between elevated LMR and OS (p < 0.00001)/CSS (p < 0.00001), and elevated PLR and OS (p < 0.00001)/CSS (p = 0.005). There was also a significant relationship between elevated GPS/mGPS and OS (p < 0.00001)/CSS (p < 0.00001). These results consolidate the prognostic value of the NLR, PLR, LMR and GPS/mGPS in patients with resectable cancers. This is particularly true for the NLR/GPS/mGPS which should form part of the routine preoperative and postoperative workup.

Albumin to gamma-glutamyltransferase ratio as a prognostic indicator in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after curative resection

The prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remains poor whereas predictive models for survival prediction in ICC patients following curative resection are limited. Herein, we established a novel inflammation-based score derived from preoperative albumin to gamma-glutamyltransferase ratio (AGR) and evaluated its prognostic significance in ICC patients underwent curative resection. Prognostic value of AGR was retrospectively studied in a cohort comprising 206 ICC patients following curative resection. The predictive performance of AGR was compared with other inflammation-based scores and serological tumor markers in terms of concordance index (C-index). Further, prognostic nomograms incorporating AGR into the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging systems were established to achieve a better discriminatory ability. The optimal cut-off value of AGR was 0.6. Multivariate analysis showed that AGR was an independent predictor for overall survival (OS; P = 0.003) and recurrence-free survival (RFS; P = 0.046). The C-index of AGR was superior to other inflammation-based scores and serological tumor markers in OS and RFS prediction. The established nomograms showed improved predictive accuracy compared with the TNM staging systems alone. These results indicate that AGR is an independent prognostic indicator for ICC underwent curative resection. The incorporation of AGR into the existing TNM staging systems achieved improved predictive accuracy.

Changes of platelet times neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio predict BCLC stage A hepatocellular carcinoma survival

Platelet, neutrophil, and lymphocyte ratio (PNLR) has its own unique role in influencing postoperative recurrence for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Surgical stress can change systemic inflammatory response of patients. Thus the aim of this study was to identify the prognostic value of changes of platelet times neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in hepatitis B related HCC within Barcelona clinical liver cancer (BCLC) stage A.Data of patients with HCC within BCLC stage A were reviewed. Pre-, intra- and postoperative variables were retrospectively and statistically analyzed. The postoperative variable was calculated based on the data obtained on the first postoperative month following liver resection.A total of 556 patients were included in present study. During the follow-up period, 257 patients experienced recurrence and 150 patients died. Multivariate analyses suggested multiple tumors (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.409; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.649-3.518; P < .001), microvascular invasion (MVI) (HR = 1.585; 95% CI = 1.219-2.061; P = .001), and increased postoperative PNLR (HR = 1.900; 95% CI = 1.468-2.457; P < .001) independently associated with postoperative recurrence, whereas MVI (HR = 1.834; 95% CI = 1.324-2.542; P < .001), postoperative neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (HR = 1.151; 95% CI = 1.025-1.294; P = .018) and increased postoperative PNLR (HR = 2.433; 95% CI = 1.667-3.550; P < .001) contributed to postoperative mortality. The 5-year recurrence-free survival and overall survival rates of patients with increased postoperative PNLR (N = 285) versus those with decreased postoperative PNLR (N = 271) were 36.8% versus 61.5% and 47.6% versus 76.4% respectively (P < .001).Changes of PNLR was a powerful prognostic indicator of poor outcomes in patients with HCC within BCLC stage A. PNLR should be monitored in our postoperative follow-up.

A critical prognostic analysis of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio for patients undergoing nephroureterectomy due to upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

To determine preoperative serum complete blood count parameters that affects survival of patients who underwent surgery for upper urinary tract urothelial cancer (UUT-UC).

METHODS

Since 1990, 150 patients underwent nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff excision for UUT-UC at Hacettepe University. Patients with a history of muscle-invasive bladder cancer, adjuvant chemotherapy or metastasis at the time of diagnosis were excluded. One hundred and thirteen patients without infective symptoms and with a full set of serum data were evaluated retrospectively. Effects of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and leukocyte count on disease-free survival (DFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were investigated. Threshold values for each parameter to predict PFS were calculated.

RESULTS

The mean age and median follow-up were 63.7 ± 11.1 years and 34 (3-186) months, respectively. Male to female ratio was 86/27. The 5-years PFS (bladder recurrence was excluded) and DFS were 59.6 and 38.4%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, NLR was independent prognostic factor for PFS and DFS (p = 0.006 and p = 0.021, respectively) while LMR was prognostic only for PFS (p = 0.037).

CONCLUSION

For UUT-UC, NLR is a prognostic factor for PFS and DFS, while LMR is a prognostic indicator for PFS in present series.

Prognostic value of systemic inflammation score in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy

Inflammation plays an important role in cancer progression. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic value of the systemic inflammatory biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing curative resection. Data from 271 HCC patients who underwent curative resection in Zhongshan Hospital between 2008 and 2011 were included. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) were significantly associated with overall survival(OS) and time to recurrence(TTR). We created a systemic inflammation score (SIS) basing on preoperative serum GGT and LMR. Low SIS was also significantly associated with increased OS and TTR. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed the LMR, GGT and SIS were independent predictors for OS and TTR. The predictive ability of the SIS, as assessed by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, was 0.682 (95% CI, 0.618-0.746) for OS, which was higher than GGT and LMR. In conclusion, low preoperative LMR and high preoperative GGT were associated with a poor prognosis in HCC patients after hepatectomy. Our results confirmed that the SIS qualifies as a novel prognostic predictor of HCC patients after hepatectomy.

Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Use of NSAIDs During the Perioperative Period as Prognostic Indicators in Patients With NSCLC Undergoing Surgery

BACKGROUND

Hematological biomarkers of inflammation such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocytic rate have been reported as predictors of survival in a variety of cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic value of the perioperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to elucidate the effects of the perioperative use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on tumor recurrence and survival in patients undergoing surgical resection for NSCLC.

METHODS

This retrospective study included data from 1,637 patients who underwent surgical resection for stage I, II, or III NSCLC. Perioperative data and tumor-related variables were included. Univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard ratio (HR) models were used to evaluate the association between perioperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and NSAID use on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Multivariate analysis showed that a preoperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio of at least 180 was associated with reduced rates of RFS (HR = 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.45; P = .019) and OS (HR = 1.33; 95% CI, 1.10-1.62; P = .004). Perioperative use of NSAIDs showed no statistically significant changes in RFS and OS rates (P = .72 and P = .44, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

A higher preoperative inflammatory status is associated with decreased rates of RFS and OS in patients with NSCLC undergoing curative surgery. Perioperative use of NSAIDs was not found to be an independent predictor of survival.

A Novel Biomarker-Based Preoperative Prognostic Grading System for Predicting Survival After Surgery for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Although treatment strategies for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) are shifting towards multidisciplinary approaches, preoperative radiographic methods for identifying patients requiring further therapy are unclear. This study was designed to establish a prognostic grading system using preoperatively available objective biomarkers.

METHODS

A novel preoperative prognostic grading system for predicting survival after surgery for ICC was developed from multivariate analysis of 134 ICC patients who underwent surgery between 1996 and 2015 using preoperatively available biomarkers.

RESULTS

The median overall survival time and 3- and 5 year survival rates were 33.3 months, 48, and 38%, respectively. Of the preoperative biomarkers, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (≥5), and C-reactive protein (≥5 mg/L) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (≥500 IU/mL) levels were independently associated with poor overall survival. Based on the presence of these factors, the preoperative prognostic grades were defined as follows: grade 1, no factor; grade 2, one factor; and grade 3, two or three factors. The median overall survival time and 3- and 5 year survival rates of patients with grade 1 (70.3 months, 66, and 53%, respectively) were higher than those of patients with grade 2 (23.4 months, 37, and 30%, respectively; P = 0.004) and grade 3 (8.8 months, 5% both; 2 vs. 3, P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis revealed that the preoperative prognostic grading system independently predicted survival after adjusting for known prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

A novel biomarker-based preoperative prognostic grading system for ICC significantly stratifies survival after surgery and may identify patients requiring further treatment.