Preoperative Anemia or Low Hemoglobin Predicts Poor Prognosis in Gastric Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis. Dis Markers. 2019;2019:7606128. [PMID: 30719182 PMCID: PMC6334363 DOI: 10.1155/2019/7606128]

Prognostic Role of Hemoglobin Combined With Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index in Patients With Vater Ampulla Carcinoma Undergoing Pancreaticoduodenectomy

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the prognostic importance of the combination of preoperative hemoglobin (Hb) levels and Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) in forecasting postoperative survival outcomes for patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) due to Vater ampulla carcinoma (VPC).

METHODS

The GNRI nutritional screening was conducted for all patients, and patient outcomes, including overall survival (OS), were subsequently monitored. An H- GNRI scoring system was established using the optimal critical values of 125.5 g/L for Hb and 91.72 for GNRI, as determined by X-tile software. According to the H-GNRI score, the patients were categorized into three groups, namely low H-GNRI group (H-GNRI score = 0, n = 47) with Hb < 125.5 g/L and GNRI < 91.72; medium H-GNRI group (H-GNRI score = 1, n = 77) with Hb < 125.5 g/L and GNRI ≥ 91.72, or Hb ≥ 125.5 g/L and GNR < 91.72; and high H-GNRI group (H-GNRI score = 2, n = 51) with Hb ≥ 125.5 g/L and GNRI ≥ 91.72. The Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests were employed to evaluate the OS rate and compare survival disparities among various groups. Additionally, both univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted utilizing the Cox regression model, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Finally, to evaluate the predictive effectiveness of Hb, GNRI, and H-GNRI, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to compare the area under curve (AUC) values.

RESULTS

The OS rate was higher in patients with high Hb levels (≥ 125.5 g/L) compared to those with low Hb levels (< 125.5 g/L). Likewise, patients in the high GNRI group (≥ 91.72) exhibited significantly superior OS compared to those in the low GNRI group (< 91.72). Compared with both the medium and low H-GNRI groups, the high H-GNRI group demonstrated a notably higher OS rate. The T stage (HR = 2.523, 95% CI: 1.694-3.757, p < 0.001), N stage (HR = 2.018, 95% CI: 1.255-3.246, p = 0.004), and the H-GNRI score (H-GNRI score of 2 used as the baseline; H-GNRI score of 0: HR = 2.569, 95% CI: 1.499-4.402, p < 0.001; H-GNRI score of 1: HR = 1.835, 95% CI: 1.118-3.014, p = 0.016), after adjusting for gender, were determined to be independent significant predictors affecting the OS of patients with VPC. The AUC of H-GNRI was 0.677, exceeding that of Hb levels (0.631) and GNRI (0.615).

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of preoperative Hb levels and GNRI demonstrates superior predictive efficacy for VPC patients undergoing PD, compared with either Hb levels or GNRI score alone. Therefore, the H-GNRI score can be utilized to promptly identify high-risk patients, establish comprehensive nutritional pre-rehabilitation plans through interdisciplinary collaboration, and inform decisions regarding additional adjunctive therapies.

Prognostic value of hemoglobin to red blood cell distribution width ratio in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have identified the hemoglobin (Hb) to red blood cell distribution width (RDW) ratio (HRR) is associated with the prognosis of a variety of malignant tumors. However, the relationship between HRR and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) prognosis remains unexplored. This study aims to ascertain the prognostic significance of HRR in PDAC patients.

METHODS

In a retrospective analysis, 128 PDAC patients undergoing initial surgical resection at Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital between January 2016 and September 2021 were included. Based on receiver operating characteristic curve-derived cut-off values, participants were categorized into low and high HRR groups. The correlation between HRR and patient prognosis was subsequently examined.

RESULTS

Significant disparities in age, Hb levels, RDW, tumor locality, surgical intervention, and postoperative chemotherapy were observed between the two groups (P < 0.05). Notably, the low HRR cohort exhibited inferior disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates (P = 0.002 for both). Univariate analysis indicated that male gender, adjacent tissue invasion, TNM stages III/IV, non-O blood types, low HRR, and lack of postoperative chemotherapy were linked to adverse DFS and OS outcomes (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis further delineated low HRR as an independent predictor of poor DFS and OS outcomes (HR: 1.520, 95% CI: 1.028-2.247, P = 0.036; HR: 1.537, 95% CI: 1.034-2.284, P = 0.034, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that a lower HRR is indicative of poorer DFS and OS in PDAC patients, underscoring its potential utility as a prognostic biomarker for this population.

A nomogram predicting distant metastasis risk for gastric cancer patients with preoperative anemia: a multicenter retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Anemia represents a well-established risk factor for patients diagnosed with gastric cancer, and is often associated with an unfavorable prognosis. In this context, the timely prediction of distant metastasis risk in patients with anemic gastric cancer assumes paramount importance.

METHODS

Information of gastric cancer patients complicated with preoperative anemia in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University was collected. The cohort from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University was used as an external validation set. A Nomogram was established based on the risk factors screened by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 848 gastric cancer patients with preoperative anemia were enrolled. Pyloric obstruction, carcinoma antigen 125, T stage, N stage, tumor size, and preoperative weight loss were independent predictors of distant metastasis in gastric cancer patients with anemia (p < 0.05), based on which a nomogram was constructed. The accuracy, reliability and clinical value of the nomogram were evaluated by concordance index, receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve analysis, calibration curve and showed good stability and clinical predictive value.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative anemic gastric cancer patients, complicated with pyloric obstruction, elevated CA125, advanced T and N stage, larger tumor size, and preoperative weight loss, should be paid more attention to distant metastasis.

Hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocytes and platelets (HALP) score as a predictor of survival in patients with glioblastoma (GBM)

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate whether the HALP score was a predictor of survival in patients with Glioblastoma (GBM).

METHODS

A total of 84 Glioblastoma (GBM) patients followed in our clinic were included in the study. HALP scores were calculated using the preoperative hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte and platelet results of the patients. For the HALP score, a cut-off value was found by examining the area below the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Patients were divided into two groups as low and high according to this cut-off value. The relationships among the clinical, dermographic and laboratory parameters of the patients were examined using these two groups.

RESULTS

Median OS, PFS, HALP score, NLR, PLR were 15 months (1.0-78.0), 8 months (1.0-66.0), 37.39 ± 23.84 (min 6.00-max 132.31), 4.14, 145.07 respectively. A statistically significant correlation was found between HALP score and OS, PFS, NLR, PLR, ECOG-PS status using Spearman's rho test (p = 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.026 respectively). For the HALP score, a cut-off value of = 37.39 (AUC = 0.698, 95% CI, p < 0.002) was found using ROC analysis. Median OS was 12 (6.99-17.01) months in the low HALP group and 21 (11.37-30.63) months in the high HALP group (p = 0.117). NLR and PLR were significantly lower in the HALP high group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001 respectively). The ratio of receiving treatment was significantly higher in the high HALP group (p < 0.05). In Multivariate analysis, significant results were found for treatment status and ECOG-PS status (p < 0.001, p = 0.038 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The HALP score measured at the beginning of treatment seems to have predictive importance in the prognosis of GBM patients. A HALP score of > 37.39 was associated with prolonged survival in high-grade brain tumors.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy-induced hemoglobin decline as a prognostic factor in osteosarcoma around the knee joint: a single-center retrospective analysis of 242 patients

PURPOSE

Anemia is relatively common in cancer patients, and is associated with poor survival in patients with various malignancies. However, how anemia would affect prognosis and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in osteosarcoma (OS) is still without substantial evidence.

METHODS

We retrospectively analysed 242 patients with stage II OS around the knee joint in our institute. Changed hemoglobin (Hb) levels (before and after NAC) were recorded to assess the prognostic value in DFS (disease-free survival) and tumor response to NAC. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify prognostic factors related with outcome in OS patients.

RESULTS

The mean Hb level significantly decreased after NAC (134.5 ± 15.3 g/L vs. 117.4 ± 16.3 g/L). The percentage of mild (21%), moderate (4.2%) and severe (0%) anemia patients markedly increased after NAC: 41%, 24% and 4.1% respectively. There was higher percentage of ≥ 5% Hb decline in patients with tumor necrosis rate < 90% (141 out of 161), compared with those with tumor necrosis rate ≥ 90% (59 out of 81). Further univariate and survival analysis demonstrated that Hb decline had a significant role in prediction survival in OS patients. Patients with ≥ 5% Hb decline after NAC had an inferior DFS compared with those with < 5% Hb decline.

CONCLUSION

In osteosarcoma, patients with greater Hb decrease during neoadjuvant treatment were shown to have worse DFS and a poorer response to NAC than those without. Attempts to correct anemia and their effects on outcomes for osteosarcoma patients should be explored in future studies.

Predictive value of positive lymph node ratio in patients with locally advanced gastric remnant cancer

BACKGROUND

Traditional lymph node stage (N stage) has limitations in advanced gastric remnant cancer (GRC) patients; therefore, establishing a new predictive stage is necessary.

AIM

To explore the predictive value of positive lymph node ratio (LNR) according to clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of locally advanced GRC.

METHODS

Seventy-four patients who underwent radical gastrectomy and lymphadenectomy for locally advanced GRC were retrospectively reviewed. The relationship between LNR and clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. The survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression model.

RESULTS

Number of metastatic LNs, tumor diameter, depth of tumor invasion, Borrmann type, serum tumor biomarkers, and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage were correlated with LNR stage and N stage. Univariate analysis revealed that the factors affecting survival included tumor diameter, anemia, serum tumor biomarkers, vascular or neural invasion, combined resection, LNR stage, N stage, and TNM stage (all P < 0.05). The median survival time for those with LNR0, LNR1, LNR2 and LNR3 stage were 61, 31, 23 and 17 mo, respectively, and the differences were significant (P = 0.000). Anemia, tumor biomarkers and LNR stage were independent prognostic factors for survival in multivariable analysis (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The new LNR stage is uniquely based on number of metastatic LNs, with significant prognostic value for locally advanced GRC, and could better differentiate overall survival, compared with N stage.

Evaluation of nutrition components within prehabilitation programs in gastrointestinal cancers: Is prehab worth the hype?

Nutrition impact symptoms and unintended weight loss are prevalent in patients with gastrointestinal cancers, especially during the perioperative period or while prescribed anticancer treatments. Because patients may experience loss of lean body mass and malnutrition, aggressive nutrition intervention prior to surgery should be considered. Cancer prehabilitation is a process spanning the care continuum from diagnosis to the time of surgery encompassing nutrition support, psychological and physical assessment, and targeted interventions. Thirteen studies published between 2013 and 2023 were included in this review and evaluated prehabilitation programs' impact on postoperative outcomes in patients with gastrointestinal cancers. Literature continues to emerge supporting the integration of nutrition into a prehabilitation program because of its potential to contribute to improved clinical outcomes, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness, but considerable variation exists with respect to the specific recommendations provided by current prehabilitation programs.

Laherradurin Inhibits Tumor Growth in an Azoxymethane/Dextran Sulfate Sodium Colorectal Cancer Model In Vivo

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common neoplasia in the world. Its mortality rate is high due to the lack of specific and effective treatments, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy, among other factors. The natural products in cancer are a primary source of bioactive molecules. In this research, we evaluated the antitumor activity of an acetogenin (ACG), laherradurin (LH), isolated from the Mexican medicinal plant Annona macroprophyllata Donn.Sm. in a CRC murine model. The CRC was induced by azoxymethane-dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS) in Balb/c mice and treated for 21 days with LH or cisplatin. This study shows for the first time the antitumor activity of LH in an AOM/DSS CRC model. The acetogenin diminished the number and size of tumors compared with cisplatin; the histologic studies revealed a recovery of the colon tissue, and the blood toxicity data pointed to less damage in animals treated with LH. The TUNEL assay indicated cell death by apoptosis, and the in vitro studies exhibited that LH inhibited cell migration in HCT116 cells. Our study provides strong evidence of a possible anticancer agent for CRC.

Prognostic value of preoperative white blood cell to hemoglobin ratio and fibrinogen to albumin ratio in patients with colorectal cancer

The prognostic value of preoperative white blood cell to hemoglobin ratio (WHR) and fibrinogen to albumin ratio (FAR) in colorectal cancer (CRC) is unknown. The purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation between preoperative WHR and FAR and the prognosis of CRC patients. The retrospective study analyzed the medical records of 207 patients with colorectal cancer who were admitted to Linyi People's Hospital between June 1, 2017 and June 1, 2021. The receiver operator curve was used to determine the cutoff value of 4.604 for WHR and 0.086 for FAR, and the patients were divided into high and low groups for comparative analysis of clinical data. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess independent risk factors for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in univariate and multifactorial analyses. Kaplan-Meier methods were used for survival analysis and logrank tests were used to assess survival differences. Multifactorial Cox analysis showed that tumor pathological stage (HR = 6.224, 95% CI:3.063-12.647, P < .001), and WHR (HR = 3.681, 95% CI:1.768-7.401, P < .001) were the independent risk factors for DFS in CRC patients. Tumor pathological stage (HR = 4.080, 95% CI:1.992-8.360, P < .001), and WHR (HR = 3.397, 95% CI:1.662-6.940, P = .001) were independent risk factors for OS. High levels of WHR and high levels of FAR were associated with lower DFS (P < .001) and OS (P < .001).CRC patients with both higher WHR and FAR had significantly lower DFS (P < .001) and OS (P < .001). DFS and OS may be shorter in CRC patients with high WHR and high FAR, perhaps associated with poor prognosis in CRC patients, and WHR and FAR may be potential CRC prognostic markers.

A retrospective cohort study of the impact of peripheral blood gamma- delta T cells to prognosis of nonmetastatic renal cell cancer after curative resection

AIM

Gamma-delta-T cells (γδT) have potential antitumor roles and have recently been applied in adoptive immunotherapy. In the present study, we focused on the proportion of γδT cells in the peripheral blood just before surgery for renal cell cancer (RCC) and investigated whether their proportion affected recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) retrospectively.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 137 patients with localized, non-metastatic RCC who received surgery at our institutes were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into 2 groups: normal and low γδT cell groups based on the proportion of peripheral blood γδT cells. Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed to access the association of the proportion of peripheral blood γδT cells to RFS and OS. Cox regression were also constructed to access the risks to prognosis. Uni- and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to access associations between risk factors and, RFS and OS.

RESULTS

Among 137 patients, 40 had a proportion of γδT cells in peripheral blood of less than 1%, which was below the normal range. The remaining 97 patients had these cells in peripheral blood at 1% or higher. In the groups with low γδT cells, 13 patients had recurrences, and 9 patients dies during the observation period. In the groups with normal γδT cells, 16 patients had recurrences, and 8 patients died. The normal γδT cell group demonstrated significantly better prognosis in terms of RFS and OS. Multivariate analysis revealed that a low hemoglobin level, a low proportion of γδT cells, and a high pathological T stage (pT) were statistically independent risk factors for RFS. Age, albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), % γδT cells, and pT were statistically significant factors affecting OS and only pT was an independent risk factor by multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

A low proportion of γδT cells was identified as one of the risk factors for RFS. Our findings will provide clues to develop strategies for early intervention in preventing recurrence even after complete resection of RCC and, such as adoptive immunotherapy using autologous γδT cells in patients with a low proportion of γδT cells.

CD45- erythroid progenitor cells promote lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer by inducing a hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal state in lymphatic endothelial cells

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Specific mechanisms of lymph node (LN) metastasis in early-stage gastric cancer (GC) have not been elucidated. The role of anemia, a vital clinical feature of GC, in LN metastasis is also unclear. Since the number of erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs) is increased in chronic anemia, we investigated its association with LN metastasis in GC.

METHODS

Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence analyses were performed to sort and study EPCs from the circulation and tumors of patients with stage I-III GC. The effect of these EPCs on the activation of T and B cells and on the functions of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) was determined, and their ability to promote LN metastasis was evaluated using a footpad-popliteal LN metastasis model based on two human adenocarcinoma GC cell lines in nude mice. The prognostic value of EPCs was also analyzed.

RESULTS

The proportion of CD45- EPCs was higher in the mononuclear cells in the circulation, tumors, and LNs of GC patients with LN metastasis (N+) than in those of GC patients without LN metastasis (N0). In N+ patients, CD45- EPCs were more abundant in metastatic LNs than in non-metastatic LNs. Lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 immunoreactivity in tumors revealed that CD45- EPCs were positively associated with nodal stages and lymph vessel density. Furthermore, CD45- EPCs increased LEC proliferation and migration through their S100A8/A9 heterodimer-induced hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) state; however, they did not influence the invasion and tubulogenesis of LECs or T and B cell proliferation. CD45- EPCs promoted LN metastasis in vivo; the S100A8/A9 heterodimer mimicked this phenomenon. Finally, CD45- EPCs predicted the overall and disease-free survival of stage I-III GC patients after radical resection.

CONCLUSIONS

The CD45- EPCs accumulated in GC tissues and metastatic LNs and promoted LN metastasis via the S100A8/9-induced hybrid E/M state of LECs, which was the specific mechanism of LN metastasis in the early stages of GC.

Association between Pre-Treatment Biological Indicators and Compliance to Neoadjuvant/Perioperative Chemotherapy in Operable Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Perioperative treatment is currently the gold standard approach in Europe for locally advanced gastric cancer (GC). Unfortunately, the phenomenon of patients dropping out of treatment has been frequently observed. The primary aims of this study were to verify if routine blood parameters, inflammatory response markers, sarcopenia, and the depletion of adipose tissues were associated with compliance to neoadjuvant/perioperative chemotherapy.

METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN

Blood samples were considered before the first and second cycles of chemotherapy. Sarcopenia and adipose indices were calculated with a CT scan before starting chemotherapy and before surgery. Odds ratios (OR) from univariable and multivariable models were calculated with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

RESULTS

A total of 84 patients with locally advanced GC were identified between September 2010 and January 2021. Forty-four patients (52.4%) did not complete the treatment according to the number of cycles planned/performed. Eight patients (9.5%) decided to suspend chemotherapy, seven patients (8.3%) discontinued because of clinical decisions, fourteen patients (16.7%) discontinued because of toxicity and fifteen patients (17.9%) discontinued for miscellaneous causes. Seventy-nine (94%) out of eighty-four patients underwent gastrectomy, with four patients having surgical complications, which led to a suspension of treatment. Sarcopenia was present in 38 patients (50.7%) before chemotherapy began, while it was present in 47 patients (60%) at the CT scan before the gastrectomy. At the univariable analysis, patients with basal platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) ≥ 152 (p = 0.017) and a second value of PLR ≥ 131 (p = 0.007) were more frequently associated with an interruption of chemotherapy. Patients with increased PLR (p = 0.034) compared to the cut-off were associated with an interruption of chemotherapy, while patients with increased monocytes between the first and second cycles were associated with a lower risk of treatment interruption (p = 0.006); patients who underwent 5-fluorouracil plus cisplatin or oxaliplatin had a higher risk of interruption (p = 0.016) compared to patients who underwent a 5-fluorouracil plus leucovorin, oxaliplatin and docetaxel (FLOT) regimen. The multivariable analysis showed a higher risk of interruption for patients who had higher values of PLR compared to the identified cut-off both at pretreatment and second-cycle evaluation (OR: 5.03; 95% CI: 1.34-18.89; p = 0.017) as well as for patients who had a lower PLR than the identified cut-off at pretreatment evaluation and had a higher PLR value than the cut-off at the second cycle (OR: 4.64; 95% CI: 1.02-21.02; p = 0.047). Becker regression was neither affected by a decrease of sarcopenia ≥ 5% (p = 0.867) nor by incomplete compliance with chemotherapy (p = 0.281).

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in PLR values which tend to increase more than the cut-off seem to be an immediate indicator of incomplete compliance with neoadjuvant/perioperative treatment. Fat loss and sarcopenia do not appear to be related to compliance. More information is needed to reduce the causes of interruption.

Prolonged hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy duration with 90 minutes cisplatin might increase overall survival in gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastases

BACKGROUND

Advanced gastric cancer with synchronous peritoneal metastases (GC-PM) is associated with a poor prognosis. Although cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) is a promising approach, only a limited number of Western studies exist.

AIM

To investigate the clinicopathological outcomes of patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC for GC-PM.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of patients with GC-PM was conducted. All patients were seen at the Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Hospital Barmherzige Brüder, Regensburg, Germany between January 2011 and July 2021 and underwent CRS-HIPEC. Preoperative laboratory results, the use of neoadjuvant trastuzumab, and the details of CRS-HIPEC, including peritoneal carcinomatosis index, completeness of cytoreduction, and surgical procedures were recorded. Disease-specific (DSS), and overall survival (OS) of patients were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 73 patients were included in the study. Patients treated with neoadjuvant trastuzumab (n = 5) showed longer DSS (P = 0.0482). Higher white blood cell counts (DSS: P = 0.0433) and carcinoembryonic antigen levels (OS and DSS: P < 0.01), and lower hemoglobin (OS and DSS: P < 0.05) and serum total protein (OS: P = 0.0368) levels were associated with shorter survival. Longer HIPEC duration was associated with more advantageous median survival times [60-min (n = 59): 12.86 mo; 90-min (n = 14): 27.30 mo], but without statistical difference. To obtain additional data from this observation, further separation of the study population was performed. First, propensity score-matched patient pairs (n = 14 in each group) were created. Statistically different DSS was found between patient pairs (hazard ratio = 0.2843; 95% confidence interval: 0.1119-0.7222; P = 0.0082). Second, those patients who were treated with trastuzumab and/or had human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positivity (median survival: 12.68 mo vs 24.02 mo), or had to undergo the procedure before 2016 (median survival: 12.68 mo vs 27.30 mo; P = 0.0493) were removed from the original study population.

CONCLUSION

Based on our experience, CRS-HIPEC is a safe and secure method to improve the survival of advanced GC-PM patients. Prolonged HIPEC duration may serve as a good therapy for these patients.

Harnessing interventions during the immediate perioperative period to improve the long-term survival of patients following radical gastrectomy

Although the incidence and mortality of gastric cancer (GC) have been decreasing steadily worldwide, especially in East Asia, the disease burden of this malignancy is still very heavy. Except for tremendous progress in the management of GC by multidisciplinary treatment, surgical excision of the primary tumor is still the cornerstone intervention in the curative-intent treatment of GC. During the relatively short perioperative period, patients undergoing radical gastrectomy will suffer from at least part of the following perioperative events: Surgery, anesthesia, pain, intraoperative blood loss, allogeneic blood transfusion, postoperative complications, and their related anxiety, depression and stress response, which have been shown to affect long-term outcomes. Therefore, in recent years, studies have been carried out to find and test interventions during the perioperative period to improve the long-term survival of patients following radical gastrectomy, which will be the aim of this review.

Risk factors for blood transfusion and its prognostic implications in curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer (GC) is still a prevalent neoplasm around the world and its main treatment modality is surgical resection. The need for perioperative blood transfusions is frequent, and there is a long-lasting debate regarding its impact on survival.

AIM

To evaluate the factors related to the risk of receiving red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and its influence on surgical and survival outcomes of patients with GC.

METHODS

Patients who underwent curative resection for primary gastric adenocarcinoma at our Institute between 2009 and 2021 were retrospectively evaluated. Clinicopathological and surgical characteristics data were collected. The patients were divided into transfusion and non-transfusion groups for analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 718 patients were included, and 189 (26.3%) patients received perioperative RBC transfusion (23 intraoperatively, 133 postoperatively, and 33 in both periods). Patients in the RBC transfusions group were older (P < 0.001), and had more comorbidities (P = 0.014), American Society of Anesthesiologists classification III/IV (P < 0.001), and lower preoperative hemoglobin (P < 0.001) and albumin levels (P < 0.001). Larger tumors (P < 0.001) and advanced tumor node metastasis stage (P < 0.001) were also associated with the RBC transfusion group. The rates of postoperative complications (POC) and 30-d and 90-d mortality were significantly higher in the RBC transfusion group than in the non-transfusion group. Lower hemoglobin and albumin levels, total gastrectomy, open surgery, and the occurrence of POC were factors associated with the RBC transfusion. Survival analysis demonstrated that the RBC transfusions group had worse disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with patients who did not receive transfusion (P < 0.001 for both). In multivariate analysis, RBC transfusion, major POC, pT3/T4 category, pN+, D1 lymphadenectomy, and total gastrectomy were independent risk factors related to worse DFS and OS.

CONCLUSION

Perioperative RBC transfusion is associated with worse clinical conditions and more advanced tumors. Further, it is an independent factor related to worse survival in the curative intent gastrectomy setting.

The Predictive Value of a New Inflammatory-Nutritional Score for Quality of Life after Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer

We explored the predictive value of various inflammatory-nutritional indicators for postoperative quality of life (QoL) in gastric cancer (GC) patients undergoing laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) and developed a novel inflammatory-nutritional score (INS). In this study, 156 GC patients who underwent LDG were included. We used multiple linear regression to analyze the correlation between postoperative QoL and inflammatory-nutritional indicators. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was performed to construct INS. Hemoglobin was positively correlated with physical functioning (β =8.5; p = 0.003) and cognitive functioning (β = 3.5; p = 0.038) 3 mo, after surgery. Prognostic nutritional index (PNI) was positively associated with global health status (β =5.8; p = 0.043). Albumin-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) was negatively correlated with emotional functioning 12 mo, after surgery (β = -5.7; p = 0.024). Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Lymphocyte- monocyte ratio (LMR), AAPR, hemoglobin and PNI were selected using LASSO regression analysis to construct INS. The C-index values of the model in the training group and the validation group were 0.806 (95% CI, 0.719-0.893) and 0.758 (95% CI: 0.591-0.925), respectively. INS had particular predictive value for postoperative QoL in patients undergoing LDG and provided a reference for risk stratification and clinical practice.

Development and validation of a novel nomogram for predicting overall survival in gastric cancer based on inflammatory markers

BACKGROUND

Nearly 66% of occurrences of gastric cancer (GC), which has the second-highest death rate of all cancers, arise in developing countries. In several cancers, the predictive significance of inflammatory markers has been established.

AIM

To identify clinical characteristics and develop a specific nomogram to determine overall survival for GC patients.

METHODS

Nine hundred and four GC patients treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University between January 2010 and January 2013 were recruited. Prognostic risk variables were screened for Cox analysis. The C index, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve, and decision curve analysis were used to evaluate the nomogram.

RESULTS

Tumor node metastasis stage, carcinoembryonic antigen, systemic immune-inflammation index, and age were identified as independent predictive variables by multivariate analysis. Systemic immune-inflammation index value was superior to that of other inflammatory indicators. The ROC indicated the nomogram had a higher area under the curve than other factors, and its C-index for assessing the validation and training groups of GC patients was extremely reliable.

CONCLUSION

We created a novel nomogram to forecast the prognosis of GC patients following curative gastrectomy based on blood markers and other characteristics. Both surgeons and patients can benefit significantly from this new scoring system.

Is Adjuvant Therapy a Better Option for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients Treated With Esophagectomy? A Prognosis Prediction Model Based on Multicenter Real-World Data

OBJECTIVE

To construct a prediction model for more precise evaluation of prognosis which will allow personalized treatment recommendations for adjuvant therapy in patients following resection of ESCC.

BACKGROUND

Marked heterogeneity of patient prognosis and limited evidence regarding survival benefit of various adjuvant therapy regimens pose challenges in the clinical treatment of ESCC.

METHODS

Based on comprehensive clinical data obtained from 4129 consecutive patients with resected ESCC in a high-risk region in China, we identified predictors for overall survival through a 2-phase selection based on Cox proportional hazard regression and minimization of Akaike information criterion. The model was internally validated using bootstrapping and externally validated in 1815 patients from a non-high-risk region in China.

RESULTS

The final model incorporates 9 variables: age, sex, primary site, T stage, N stage, number of lymph nodes harvested, tumor size, adjuvant treatment, and hemoglobin level. A significant interaction was also observed between N stage and adjuvant treatment. N1+ stage patients were likely to benefit from addition of adjuvant therapy as opposed to surgery alone, but adjuvant therapy did not improve overall survival for N0 stage patients. The C -index of the model was 0.729 in the training cohort, 0.723 after bootstrapping, and 0.695 in the external validation cohort. This model outperformed the seventh edition American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system in prognostic prediction and risk stratification.

CONCLUSIONS

The prediction model constructed in this study may facilitate precise prediction of survival and inform decision-making about adjuvant therapy according to N stage.

Hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet (HALP) score and cancer prognosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 13,110 patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

We sought to explore the prognostic role of the hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet (HALP) score on survival outcomes in patients with solid tumors by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science were searched for relevant articles through 02 Nov 2022. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were extracted and pooled to assess the association of the HALP score with survival outcomes in solid tumors using Stata 15.0. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcomes were cancer-specific survival (CSS) and progression/disease/recurrence-free survival (PFS/DFS/RFS).

RESULTS

A total of 28 studies (31 cohorts) comprising 13,038 patients were enrolled. A low HALP score was associated with decreased OS (HR, 1.61; 95 % CI, 1.44-1.81; P < 0.001), CSS (HR, 1.80; 95 % CI: 1.54-2.09; P < 0.001) and PFS/DFS/RFS (HR, 1.61; 95 % CI: 1.45-1.80; P < 0.001). The prognostic value of HALP on OS was observed across various tumor types and tumor stages. meta-regression found that tumor stage was the major source of the heterogeneity for OS.

CONCLUSION

A low pretreatment HALP score is a reliable and negative prognostic biomarker for survival outcomes in patients with cancer.

A novel prognostic model to predict OS and DFS of stage II/III gastric adenocarcinoma patients in China

Background

The prognosis of advanced gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) after radical gastrectomy varies greatly. We aimed to build and validate a novel individualized nomogram based on inflammation index and tumor markers for patients with stage II/III GAC.

Methods

A total of 755 individuals with stage II/III GAC who had undergone radical gastrectomy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between 2012 and 2017 were included in this retrospective study. The patients were randomly divided into a training cohort (n ​= ​503) and a validation cohort (n ​= ​252). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine independent prognostic factors of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). A nomogram was developed based on these independent factors. The concordance index (C-index) and calibration curves were used to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the nomogram.

Results

Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that older age, poor differentiation, advanced stage, elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lower hemoglobin, and high carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels were significantly associated with lower OS and DFS and were independent prognostic factors in stage II/III GAC. The nomogram developed based on these factors in the training cohort showed excellent calibration and discrimination (OS: C-index ​= ​0.739, 95% CI ​= ​0.706-0.772; DFS: C-index ​= ​0.735, 95% CI ​= ​0.702-0.769). In the internal validation cohort, the nomogram was also well-calibrated for the prediction of OS and DFS; it was superior to the 8th edition UICC/AJCC TNM staging system (for OS: C-index ​= ​0.746 vs. 0.679, respectively; for DFS: C-index ​= ​0.736 vs. 0.675, respectively; P ​< ​0.001).

Conclusion

The nomogram model could reliably predict OS and DFS in stage II/III gastric cancer patients with radical gastrectomy. It may help physicians make better treatment decisions.

The Impact of Perioperative Events on Cancer Recurrence and Metastasis in Patients after Radical Gastrectomy: A Review

Radical gastrectomy is a mainstay therapy for patients with locally resectable gastric cancer (GC). GC patients who are candidates for radical gastrectomy will experience at least part of the following perioperative events: surgery, anesthesia, pain, intraoperative blood loss, allogeneic blood transfusion, postoperative complications, and their related anxiety, depression and stress response. Considerable clinical studies have shown that these perioperative events can promote recurrence and decrease the long-term survival of GC patients. The mechanisms include activation of neural signaling and the inflammatory response, suppression of antimetastatic immunity, increased release of cancer cells into circulation, and delayed adjuvant therapy, which are involved in every step of the invasion-metastasis cascade. Having appreciated these perioperative events and their influence on the risk of GC recurrence, we can now use this knowledge to find strategies that might substantially prevent the deleterious recurrence-promoting effects of perioperative events, potentially increasing cancer-free survival in GC patients.

Clinical value and application of a novel nomogram containing inflammatory, nutritional and clinical markers in predicting overall survival of stage II/III gastric cancer patients after radical resection: a bi-centered retrospective study of 2,443 patients

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to identify nutritional, inflammatory and clinical indicators associated with stage II/III gastric cancer in patients, and construct a nomogram model for accurate prediction of prognosis of patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively recruited stage II/III gastric cancer (GC) patients who underwent radical gastrectomy at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, from 2012 to 2019. The patients were randomly divided into training and internal validation sets, and then the Maximum log-rank statistic method was used to determine the optimal cut-off value. Next, we performed univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses to identify independent risk factors associated with overall survival (OS). These were subsequently used to develop a nomogram model. We validated this model in patients with stage II/III gastric cancer (from 2010 to 2019) at Guangxi Medical University Affiliated Tumor Hospital.

RESULTS

A total of 2,443 patients met our inclusion criteria and were therefore included in our study. Patients from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center were randomly divided into training (n=1725) and internal validation (n=430) sets, while those from Guangxi Medical University Affiliated Tumor Hospital were used as the external validation set (n=288). Results from univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that age (adjusted HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.05-1.44; P=0.012), TNM stage (adjusted HR, 3.62; 95% CI, 2.79-4.68; P<0.001), CEA (adjusted HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.14-1.71; P<0.001), CA199 (adjusted HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.21-1.79; P<0.001), and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI, adjusted HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67-0.98; P=0.026) were independent prognostic factors for OS in the training set. The established nomogram model, with a C-index of 0.67, had 3- and 5-year Area under Curve (AUC) values of 0.719 and 0.714, respectively. Notably, the model effectively distinguished patients' OS in both the internal (P<0.001) and external (P<0.001) datasets.

CONCLUSIONS

PNI is an independent prognostic factor for stage II/III GC patients after radical resection. The established novel nomogram model, based on nutritional, inflammatory and clinical indicators, can accurately and efficiently predict prognosis of stage II/III GC patients.

Prognostic significance of the preoperative hemoglobin to albumin ratio for the short-term survival of gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Hemoglobin and albumin are associated with the prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) patients. However, the prognostic value of the hemoglobin to albumin ratio (HAR) for the short-term survival of GC patients with D2 radical resection has not been studied.

AIM

To investigate the significance of the HAR in evaluating the short-term survival of GC patients after D2 radical resection and to construct a nomogram to predict the prognosis in GC patients after surgery, thus providing a reference for the development of postoperative individualized treatment and follow-up plans.

METHODS

Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis was used for prognostic analysis. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationships between HAR and the clinicopathological characteristics of the GC patients. A prognostic nomogram model for the short-term survival of GC patients was constructed by R software.

RESULTS

HAR was an independent risk factor for the short-term survival of GC patients. GC patients with a low HAR had a poor prognosis (P < 0.001). Low HAR was markedly related to high stage [odds ratio (OR) = 0.45 for II vs I; OR = 0.48 for III vs I], T classification (OR = 0.52 for T4 vs T1) and large tumor size (OR = 0.51 for ≥ 4 cm vs < 4 cm) (all P < 0.05). The nomogram model was based on HAR, age, CA19-9, CA125 and stage, and the C-index was 0.820.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative low HAR was associated with short-term survival in GC patients. The prognostic nomogram model can accurately predict the short-term survival of GC patients with D2 radical resection.

The Need for Oral Hygiene Care and Periodontal Status among Hospitalized Gastric Cancer Patients

Poor oral hygiene leads to the accumulation of dental plaque, thus contributing to the initiation of periodontal disease (PD). Local infections can lead to systemic inflammatory responses, which are essential mediators for the evolution of systemic conditions or cancer tumorigenesis. Often, patients hospitalized with life-threatening and incapacitating disorders such as gastric cancer (GC) might lose interest in keeping their mouth healthy. This study evaluates oral hygiene, periodontal status, and the need for oral care and medical personnel to assist in achieving it in patients hospitalized with GC. This study was carried out on 25 patients with a diagnosis of GC, divided into two groups (GP-14 patients from the Gastroenterology Department, and SP-11 patients from the 1st Department of Surgery). Patients were examined on the day of admission (T0), the day of the medical procedure of endoscopy or surgery (T1), and the day of discharge (T2), recording the number of absent teeth, dental plaque (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depths (PPD), frequency of toothbrushing, and if the oral hygiene had been self-performed or assisted. Data were subjected to statistical analysis. Our results showed that, in both the GP and the SP group, there were strong and statistically significant correlations between PI and BOP measured on the last day of hospitalization and the period of hospitalization after the medical procedure. Longer hospital stays and the presence of surgery were risk factors for changing toothbrushing frequency. Results also highlight the need for a dentist to diagnose and eventually treat periodontal disease before and after hospitalization, and for a trained nurse who should help take care of the patient's oral hygiene during hospitalization.

Dilemma in selection of treatment for preoperative anemia in patients with gastric cancer

One of the common comorbidities of patients with gastric cancer waiting for gastrectomy is anemia, which negatively affects the postoperative outcomes and prognosis. Therefore, preoperative anemia often needs to be corrected. The most commonly used strategy to treat preoperative anemia in gastric cancer is transfusion. Currently, a large amount of evidence shows that transfusion can increase the incidence of postoperative complications and affect the long-term survival of patients. Therefore, there is a dilemma in choosing the treatment for preoperative anemia in patients with gastric cancer. Surgeons need to fully understand the duality of therapy strategies for preoperative anemia in gastric cancer patients. In this study, we review the studies on preoperative anemia and its treatment in patients with gastric cancer, aiming to help clinicians manage patients undergoing gastrectomy for cancer better.

A Simple Preoperative Blood Count to Stratify Prognosis in Isocitrate Dehydrogenase-Wildtype Glioblastoma Patients Treated with Radiotherapy plus Concomitant and Adjuvant Temozolomide

PURPOSE

The survival times of glioblastoma (GB) patients after the standard therapy including safe maximal resection followed by radiotherapy plus concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide are heterogeneous. In order to define a simple, reliable method for predicting whether patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wildtype GB treated with the standard therapy will be short- or long-term survivors, we analyzed the correlation of preoperative blood counts and their combined forms with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in these patients.

METHODS

Eighty-five patients with primary IDH-wildtype GB treated with the standard therapy between 2012 and 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to investigate the survival function of preoperative hematological parameters.

RESULTS

Preoperative high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR, >2.42), high platelet count (>236 × 10⁹/L), and low red blood cell (RBC) count (≤4.59 × 10¹²/L) were independent prognostic factors for poorer OS (p = 0.030, p = 0.030, and p = 0.004, respectively). Moreover, a high NLR was an independent prognostic factor for shorter PFS (p = 0.010). We also found that, like NLR, preoperative high derived NLR (dNLR, >1.89) was of poor prognostic value for both PFS (p = 0.002) and OS (p = 0.033). A significant correlation was observed between NLR and dNLR (r = 0.88, p < 0.001), which had a similar prognostic power for OS (NLR: AUC = 0.58; 95% CI: [0.48; 0.68]; dNLR: AUC = 0.62; 95% CI: [0.51; 0.72]). Two scores, one based on preoperative platelet and RBC counts plus NLR and the other on preoperative platelet and RBC counts plus dNLR, were found to be independent prognostic factors for PFS (p = 0.006 and p = 0.002, respectively) and OS (p < 0.001 for both scores).

CONCLUSION

Cheap, routinely ordered, preoperative assessments of blood markers, such as NLR, dNLR, RBC, and platelet counts, can predict the survival outcomes of patients with IDH-wildtype GB treated with the standard therapy.

Anemia is a Prognostic Factor for Overall Survival Rate in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

Purpose

Anemia has been associated with poor prognosis in patients with cancer across several cancer types. It has been identified as a prognostic factor in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have undergone surgery or chemoradiotherapy. However, there are only a few reports that have evaluated the prognostic significance of anemia in patients with NSCLC undergoing stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).

Patients and Methods

A total of 77 patients were enrolled in this study. The pretreatment hemoglobin (Hb) levels, within 2 weeks before SBRT, were available for all patients. The median age of the participants (56 men, 21 women) was 80 (range, 50–90) years. The median Hb level was 12.8 (range, 7.8–18.3) g/dL. The median follow-up period was 24 (range, 1–87) months.

Results

Local recurrence was observed in 8 (10.4%) cases during the follow-up period. The 1- and 2-year local control (LC) rates were 94.8% and 86.4%, respectively. Seventeen (22.1%) patients died during the follow-up period. The 1- and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates were 93.1% and 85.2%, respectively. Univariate analysis identified anemia and body mass index as significant prognostic factors for predicting OS. On multivariate analysis, anemia was confirmed to be the only significant factor (p = 0.02469).

Conclusion

Our data suggest that anemia is a prognostic factor for predicting the OS rate in patients with early-stage NSCLC treated with SBRT.

Prognostic value of pretreatment anemia in patients with soft tissue sarcoma: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Anemia is one of the most common manifestations in patients with cancer. Recently, multiple studies have shown a positive correlation between pretreatment anemia and tumor prognosis. Yet, the relationship between pretreatment anemia and the prognosis of soft tissue sarcomas (STS) is unclear.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed and EMBASE databases to identify relevant studies. Eligible studies were included according to the inclusion criteria to assess the relationship between pretreatment anemia and the prognosis of patients with STS. Prognostic significance was determined by studying hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

A total of 12 studies are included. If there is significant heterogeneity, a random-effects model is used. Pooled data indicated that pretreatment anemia is related to poor overall survival (HR = 2.13; 95%CI = 1.52-2.98), disease-specific survival (HR = 1.53; 95%CI = 1.20-1.96), and disease-free survival (HR = 1.55; 95%CI = 1.10-2.17). The results of the subgroup analysis also support this conclusion.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that pretreatment anemia may be a prognostic biomarker for STS.

Systemic Inflammation Response Index is an Independent Prognostic Indicator for Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma Undergoing Laparoscopic Nephrectomy: A Multi-Institutional Cohort Study

Background

We conducted a multicenter clinical study to examine the prognostic value of the systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients.

Methods

We collected patients who underwent nephrectomy from 2014 to 2019 at three centers (343 in the training group and 100 in the validation group). SIRI was created based on hemoglobin and lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR). Kaplan–Meier curves and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze the effect of LMR, hemoglobin and SIRI on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) effects.

Results

In both the training and validation groups, SIRI was a better predictor of OS and CSS than LMR and hemoglobin. A total of 192 (56.0%) patients were included in grade 1, 108 (31.5%) in grade 2, and 43 (12.5%) in grade 3 based on SIRI in the training group. Higher SIRI was associated with worse prognosis. Multivariate cox regression analysis showed that SIRI was an independent prognostic risk factor for OS (grade 3 vs grade 1: HR=4.93; 95% CI 2.21–11.00, p < 0.001) and CSS (grade 3 vs grade 1: HR=6.29; 95% CI 2.28–17.39, p < 0.001) in patients with RCC. In addition, SIRI-based prognostic nomograms were able to better predict OS and CSS in RCC patients.

Conclusion

SIRI is an independent prognostic factor for patients undergoing laparoscopic nephrectomy for RCC, and a prognostic nomogram covering SIRI can better predict survival of RCC patients.

Blood alkaline phosphatase predicts prognosis of patients with advanced HER2-negative gastric cancer receiving immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint blockade is effective against many cancer types, but few patients achieve a complete response (OR). Therefore, effective prognostic biomarkers are needed for metastatic gastric cancer (GC) patients after immune treatment. The present study assessed the value of hematological parameters as markers of the effectiveness of immune checkpoint blockade among metastatic GC patients.

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients with metastatic GC who underwent multiline chemotherapy including at least two courses of immunotherapy between September 2018 and December 2020. Patient and tumor characteristics were tested for prognostic significance by analysis of variance or chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier and Cox analyses were performed to identify factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

Sixty-one GC patients (mean age 55.61±11.97 years, range 23-80 years, 24 females, and 37 males) were included, and 27, 9 and 25 cases had organ only, peritoneum only, and simultaneous organ and peritoneum metastasis, respectively. Gastrectomy was performed in 24 cases, and there was no operative treatment in the other 37 cases, while all patients received two or more lines of chemotherapy. After immune treatment, 13 patients achieved a partial response (PR), 16 stable disease (SD), and 32 progressive disease (PD). The median PFS was 4.93±3.47 months. An alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level >225 U/L, a lactate dehydrogenase level (LDH) >299 U/L, and a body mass index (BMI) >24 kg/m2 were associated with a short PFS (P=0.01, P=0.008, and P=0.039, respectively). A Cox multivariate proportional hazard model indicated that higher ALP level was a significant prognostic indicator for adverse PFS.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data show an ALP cutoff of 225 U/L offered good prognostic sensitivity for HER2-negative metastatic GC. ALP measurement represents a convenient, cost-effective, and relatively sensitive screening tool, and prospective studies involving its evaluation in addition to other biomarkers in metastatic GC patients are indicated.

A Novel Insight Into Fecal Occult Blood Test for the Management of Gastric Cancer: Complication, Survival, and Chemotherapy Benefit After R0 Resection

Background

Previous studies have shown that the all-cause mortality and non-colorectal cancer mortality of patients with fecal occult blood test (FOBT) positivity are significantly increased, implying that FOBT results may have more prognostic value.

Methods

Retrospective analysis was performed for gastric cancer (GC) patients who underwent R0 gastrectomy from July 2007 to July 2014 at our hospital. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to reduce confounding bias and a computerized technique for the nearest available score matching without replacement was applied. The cumulative survival rate was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and a log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards regression and logistic regression was used to determine the independent prognostic factors associated with survival and postoperative complications, respectively. The expression level of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) were evaluated by immunohistochemical (IHC).

Results

A total of 3,003 patients were included and 246 patients (8.2%) were in preoperative FOBT positive status. There was no significant difference in demographic data between preoperative FOBT positive and negative group after a 1:4 PSM. The overall postoperative complications, major complications, and anastomotic leakage were significantly higher in the preoperative FOBT-positive group than in the preoperative FOBT-negative group. Moreover, preoperative FOBT-positivity was an independent risk factor for 5-year overall survival (OS) (HR: 1.32, p = 0.005). For stage II/III patients, the postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (PAC) benefit was found in preoperative FOBT-negative group (5-year OS: 49.9 vs. 36.8%, p = 0.001), whereas the PAC benefit was lost in preoperative FOBT-positive groups (5-year OS: 40.8 vs. 37.7% p = 0.896). Finally, IHC found that preoperative FOBT-positivity in patients was significantly associated with higher TAMs infiltration and higher expression of IL-6 and TNF-α in tumor tissues than in the preoperative FOBT-negative group.

Conclusion

As a simple and low-cost method, preoperative FOBT results can predict both complications and survival after R0 gastrectomy for GC. More importantly, stage II/III GC patients with FOBT-positive seem not benefit from PAC alone. Further exploration is warranted.

Prevalence of anemia among Saudi patients with solid cancers at diagnosis in King Faisal Hospital, Taif Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of anemia among patients newly diagnosed with solid malignancies at King Faisal Hospital in Taif Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A descriptive, cross-sectional, hospital-based study was conducted from December 2017 to March 2020. A total of 320 patients newly diagnosed with solid malignancy were examined to assess anemia prevalence.

RESULTS

Of 320 patients with solid cancers, 245 (76.6%) were female and 75 (23.4%) were male. The median (interquartile range) age of 57 (45 ─ 66) years, range between 16 and 108 years. The types of cancer included were breast (29.1%), female genital tract (20.0%), colorectal (25.3%), head and neck (10.3%), urinary bladder (4.7%), prostate (5.0%), lung (2.5%), liver (2.2%) and lymphoma (0.9%). The prevalence of anemia at diagnosis of cancer was 44.1% across all cancer types. A higher anemia prevalence was noted in colorectal (n = 46/81, 56.8%) (p = 0.047).

CONCLUSION

Patients with colorectal or female genital tract cancers had a higher anemia prevalence (56.8% and 43.8%, respectively) than did patients with other cancers.

Preoperative maximal voluntary ventilation, hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocytes and platelets predict postoperative survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Preoperative pulmonary function plays an important role in selecting surgical candidates and assessing postoperative complications. Reduced pulmonary function is associated with poor survival in several cancers, but the prognostic value of preoperative pulmonary function in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is unclear. Nutritional and systemic inflammation parameters are vital to cancer survival, and the combination of these parameters improves the prognostic value. The hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocytes and platelets (HALP) score is a novel prognostic indicator to reflect the nutritional and inflammation status, but the clinical effects of the HALP score combined with maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), an important parameter of pulmonary function, have not been well studied in ESCC.

AIM

To investigate the prognostic value of MVV and HALP score for assessing postoperative survival of ESCC patients.

METHODS

Data from 834 ESCC patients who underwent radical esophagectomy with R0 resection were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative MVV and HALP data were retrieved from medical archives. The HALP score was calculated by the formula: Hemoglobin (g/L) × albumin (g/L) × lymphocytes (/L)/platelets (/L). The optimal cut-off values of MVV and HALP score were calculated by the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test was used to draw the survival curves for the variables tested. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyze the independent prognostic factors for overall survival.

RESULTS

MVV was significantly associated with gender (P < 0.001), age at diagnosis (P < 0.001), smoking history (P < 0.001), drinking history (P < 0.001), tumor length (P = 0.013), tumor location (P = 0.037) and treatment type (P = 0.001). The HALP score was notably associated with gender (P < 0.001), age at diagnosis (P = 0.035), tumor length (P < 0.001) and invasion depth (P = 0.001). Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that low MVV and low HALP score were associated with worse overall survival (all P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that low MVV and the HALP score were both independent risk factors for overall survival (all P < 0.001). The combination of MVV and HALP score improved the prediction performance for overall survival than tumor-node-metastasis. Also, low combination of MVV and HALP score was an independent risk factor for poor overall survival (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

MVV, HALP score and their combination are simple and promising clinical markers to predict overall survival of ESCC patients.

Preoperative anemia predicts poor prognosis in patients with endometrial cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

To systematically and meta-analytically pool the existing evidence regarding the prognostic impact of preoperative anemia (hemoglobin level <12 mg/dl) in patients with endometrial cancer.

METHODS

Four (PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science) databases were searched from inception to 20-August-2020. We assessed the risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We estimated the pooled prevalence of preoperative anemia in the included studies. We pooled odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) with their 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs) to evaluate the correlation between preoperative anemia and its impact on clinicopathologic parameters and survival outcomes. Analyses were performed under random- or fixed-effects meta-analysis models depending on data heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Seven studies met the inclusion criteria comprising 1495 patients with endometrial cancer. Nearly all studies had low risk of bias. The pooled prevalence of preoperative anemia was 26.5 % (95 % CI: 18.6%-36.2%). Preoperative anemia significantly correlated with advanced FIGO stage III-IV (OR = 5.14, 95 % CI [3.36, 7.86], p < 0.00001), ≥50 % myometrial invasion (OR = 1.95, 95 % CI [1.36, 2.78], p = 0.0003), lymph node metastasis (OR = 4.46, 95 % CI [2.39, 8.30], p < 0.00001), non-endometrioid histology (OR = 3.25, 95 % CI [1.89, 5.60], p < 0.0001), adnexal involvement (OR = 5.88, 95 % CI [3.05, 10.23], p < 0.001), cervical involvement (OR = 2.91, 95 % CI [1.65, 5.11], p = 0.0002), positive peritoneal cytology (OR = 3.24, 95 % CI [1.41, 7.44], p = 0.006), preoperative thrombocytosis (OR = 6.66, 95 % CI [3.05, 14.52], p < 0.00001) and lymphovascular space invasion (OR = 3.50, 95 % CI [1.82, 6.74], p = 0.0002). High tumor grade II-III was increased in patients with preoperative anemia, yet this effect was not statistically significant (OR = 2.12, 95 % CI [0.97, 4.66], p = 0.06). Consistently, the five-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were significantly lower in patients with preoperative anemia when compared to those without preoperative anemia. Pooled HR showed that preoperative anemia was significantly associated with reduced DFS at univariate (HR = 3.22, 95 % CI [1.28, 8.11], p = 0.01) and multivariate (HR = 1.02, 95 % CI [1.00, 1.05], p = 0.03) analyses.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative anemia predicts poor clinicopathologic and survival outcomes in patients with endometrial cancer.

Impact of low serum hemoglobin on development of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE)

OBJECTIVES

To assess the association between low hemoglobin (Hb) level and development of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on 284 patients undergoing 503 consecutive sessions of TACE. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to reduce the influence of the difference in variables in normal and low hemoglobin groups. Risk factors of CIN were assessed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The relation between Hb level and CIN development was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

CIN developed in 5.6% patients after TACE. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension, Hb and serum creatinine (Scr) were independent risk factors for the development of post-TACE CIN. Grouped by normal or low Hb, the incidence of CIN was 14.6% (16/110) in the low Hb group and 3.4% (4/116) in the normal Hb group after PSM. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that Hb, lymphocyte count, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were independent risk factors for the development of post-TACE CIN. The optimal cut-off point at which the Hb concentration resulted in a high probability of developing CIN was 105.5 g/L in males.

CONCLUSIONS

Low Hb is an independent risk factor for post-TACE CIN. Therefore, HCC patients with low Hb levels should be closely monitored before and during TACE.

Prealbumin-to-Globulin Ratio Can Predict the Chemotherapy Outcomes and Prognosis of Patients with Gastric Cancer Receiving First-Line Chemotherapy

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Inflammation and the nutritional status of patients with GC are important factors affecting the therapeutic effect and prognosis. Inflammatory and nutrition-related markers have been shown to be prognostic factors for patients with GC. However, few studies have investigated the relationship of the prealbumin-to-globulin ratio (PGR) with the prognosis of GC patients. The objective of the present study was to examine whether pretreatment PGR is related to the prognosis and chemotherapy outcomes of in-patients with advanced GC undergoing first-line chemotherapy. We retrospectively reviewed the data of 281 patients with unresectable GC from January 2013 to January 2018. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis determined the cut-off values for the PGR. The relationship between the PGR and chemotherapy effectiveness was evaluated using the chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier's method was used to plot progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) curves, using multivariable Cox regression analysis to identify promising predictors of mortality. The cut-off value for the PGR was 7.21. The high-PGR (≥7.21) group had a higher disease control rate than that of the low-PGR group (93.66% vs. 78.42%, p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier's analysis showed significantly higher median PFS (189 vs. 125 days, p < 0.001) and OS (350 vs. 288 days, p < 0.001) in the high-PGR group. The multivariate analyses revealed that a high PGR is an independent protective factor in patients with advanced GC, both in terms of PFS (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.672; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.527-0.857; p < 0.001) and OS (HR: 0.675; 95% CI: 0.530-0.861; p = 0.002). In conclusion, the prechemotherapy PGR can accurately predict the chemotherapy outcome, PFS, and OS of patients with advanced GC. Therefore, medical practitioners can utilize the PGR as a novel dependable prognostic tool to weigh the prognosis of patients with GC.

Prognostic value of baseline hemoglobin-to-red blood cell distribution width ratio in small cell lung cancer: A retrospective analysis

Background

This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of baseline hemoglobin‐to‐red blood cell distribution width ratio (HRR) in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with newly diagnosed SCLC who had received first‐line chemotherapy at the Department of Pulmonary Oncology of the PLA 307 Hospital between January 2008 and October 2018. The optimal cutoff value of the continuous variables was determined using the X‐tile software. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using Cox proportional hazard models. The Kaplan‐Meier method was used for survival analysis, with differences tested using the log‐rank test.

Results

A total of 146 patients were included. The cutoff value for HRR was determined as 0.985. Statistically significant differences were observed in sex, smoking history, stage, radiotherapy combination, neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio, platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio, hemoglobin, and red blood cell distribution width between the high and low HRR groups. The median overall survival (OS) was nine and 17.5 months in the low and high HRR groups, respectively (P < 0.001). The median progression‐free survival (PFS) was five and 8.5 months, respectively (P < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed low HRR to be an independent predictor of a poor prognosis for OS (hazard ratio = 3.782; 95% confidence interval, 2.151–6.652; P < 0.001) and PFS (hazard ratio = 2.112; 95% confidence interval, 1.195–3.733; P = 0.01) in SCLC.

Conclusion

Low HRR was associated with poorer OS and PFS in patients with SCLC and can be a potentially valuable prognostic factor for these patients.

Key points

The prognostic value of the baseline hemoglobin‐to‐red blood cell distribution width ratio was evaluated in patients with small cell lung cancer.

In this population, this ratio was an independent predictor of overall survival and progression‐free survival. This ratio, an inexpensive and routine parameter, can be used as a prognostic factor in small cell lung cancer.

The ratio of hemoglobin to red cell distribution width predicts survival in patients with gastric cancer treated by neoadjuvant FLOT: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Hemoglobin (HB) and red cell distribution width (RDW) are known to be prognostic in many cancer types. The HB-RDW ratio (HRR) is a new biomarker that has been shown to be predictive in some cancer types. However, the prognostic significance of HRR in patients with gastric cancer (GC) is unknown.

AIMS

In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the prognostic importance of HRR in GC patients treated with neoadjuvant fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, docetaxel (FLOT).

METHODS

Eighty-five GC patients who were treated with neoadjuvant FLOT in our center were included in the study, retrospectively. Associations between clinical and histopathological parameters with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared by the log-rank test. The optimal cutoff values were determined by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and HRR were grouped based on a cutoff points 3.05, 802, and 0.89, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess their prognostic values for DFS and OS.

RESULTS

Low NLR, low SII, and high HRR were found to be associated with longer DFS/OS. In univariate analysis, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, grade, stage, response to neoadjuvant treatment, NLR, SII, and HRR were found to be significantly associated with DFS and OS. But in multivariate analysis, only HRR was demonstrated as an independent prognostic factor for DFS/OS (p 0.001, p 0.037, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

HRR is a new biomarker that can predict DFS and OS in GC patients treated with neoadjuvant FLOT.