Low Advanced Lung Cancer Inflammation Index Predicts Poor Prognosis in Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients Treated with Definitive Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

The impact of the advanced lung cancer inflammation index on the outcomes of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who receive chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) is reported to be a prognosticator in various cancer patients with chemotherapy. However, the clinical impact of the ALI on treatment strategies in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients remains unclear.

METHODS

A total of 356 patients, who received first-line chemotherapy for mCRC between April 2005 and November 2019 in a single institution, were retrospectively enrolled. The association of pretreatment ALI (calculated as follows: BMI × albumin value/neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio) status with clinicopathological factors and patient survival outcome was analyzed, using subgroup analysis.

RESULTS

The ALI-low cases were significantly associated with female sex, more synchronous metastasis, multiple metastatic sites, less primary tumor resection, less liver resection after chemotherapy, and poor overall survival (OS). A multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis clarified that the ALI-low status was independently associated with poor OS (HR: 1.78, 95% CI 1.27-2.48, P = 0.001), in addition to right side tumor, multiple metastatic sites, and the non-performance of liver resection after chemotherapy. A subgroup analysis revealed that primary tumor resection and the resection of liver metastases after chemotherapy could not improve the prognosis of ALI-low cases in comparison with ALI-high cases, and the type of first-line chemotherapy did not significantly affect the association between the prognosis and the ALI status.

CONCLUSION

ALI comprehensively evaluates the prognostic host status and is a reliable prognosticator for the mCRC patients with chemotherapy. Calculating pretreatment ALI may serve as a cost-effective and easily available tool for constructing treatment strategies.

Advanced lung cancer inflammation index predicts the outcomes of patients with non-metastatic gastric cancer after radical surgical resection

Background

The prognostic value of the advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) has been demonstrated in various tumors. However, the prognostic significance of ALI in non-metastatic gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the prognostic values of ALI in patients with non-metastatic GC who underwent radical surgical resection.

Methods

Patients who underwent radical surgery for non-metastatic GC from January 2008 to September 2020 were enrolled in this study. The preoperative ALI was calculated as follows: body mass index × serum albumin/neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the association between ALI and survival. The potential of ALI was supported by sensitivity testing based on the propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

Results

Low preoperative ALI was significantly correlated with male gender (P=0.037), older age (P=0.004), T3/4 stage (P=0.001), lymph node metastasis (P=0.030), Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) stage classification progression (P=0.004), and vessel invasion (P=0.001). Patients with low ALI showed worse OS (P<0.001) and CSS (P=0.001) compared to those with high ALI. Multivariable analysis showed that ALI was an independent prognostic factor for both OS [hazard ratio (HR) =1.55; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.11-2.16]; P=0.010] and CSS (HR =1.46; 95% CI, 1.01-2.10; P=0.043) in non-metastatic GC patients who underwent radical surgical resection. Further PSM analysis confirmed the prognostic value of ALI in the PSM cohort.

Conclusions

The preoperative ALI is associated with survival outcomes in patients who have undergone radical surgical resection for non-metastatic GC. Low ALI appears to predict a worse prognosis.

Evaluation of the Prognostic Capacity of a Novel Survival Marker in Patients with Sinonasal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC) is a malignant tumor associated with poor survival, and easily obtainable prognostic markers are of high interest. Therefore, we aimed to assess the prognostic value of a novel survival index (SI) combining prognostic values of clinical (T and N classifications and invasion across Ohngren’s line), inflammatory (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio), and nutritional (albumin and body-mass index) markers. All patients with primarily treated SNSCC between 2002 and 2020 (n = 51) were included. Each of the six SI components was stratified into a low- (0) and high-risk (1) categories. Subsequently, the cohort was stratified into low- (SI of 0–2) and high-risk SI groups (SI of 3–6). Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between patients with low- and high-risk SI. The log-rank test was used to test for statistical significance. Overall, the mortality rate was 41.2% (n = 21), and the recurrence rate was 43.1% (n = 22). We observed significantly better OS in patients with low-risk SI (n = 24/51, 47.1%, mean OS: 7.9 years, 95% confidence interval (CI): 6.3–9.6 years) than in high-risk SI (n = 27/51, 52.9%, mean OS: 3.4 years, 95% CI: 2.2–4.5 years; p = 0.013). Moreover, we also showed that patients with low-risk SI had a longer DFS than patients with high-risk SI (mean DFS: 6.4, 95% CI: 4.8–8.0 vs. mean DFS: 2.4 years, 95% CI 1.3–3.5, p = 0.012). The SI combines the prognostic capacity of well-established clinical, radiologic, inflammatory, and nutritional prognosticators and showed prognostic potential in our cohort of SNSCC patients.

The prognostic value of the advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) for patients with neuroblastoma

Objective

The advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) can predict the survival of patients with lung cancer and other malignancies. However, the prognostic significance of ALI in neuroblastoma has not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between ALI and neuroblastoma patient prognosis.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the data of 72 neuroblastoma patients treated between January 2014 and August 2020. ALI calculation: Body mass index (BMI) × serum albumin (ALB)/neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). The optimal cutoff points of prognostic biomarkers were determined by generating receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. According to the cutoff value, the patients were categorized into low or high ALI groups. The chi-square test was used to compare clinical parameters between the two groups. Potential prognostic factors associated with overall survival (OS) were assessed using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses.

Results

The optimal cutoff value of ALI was 49.17. The low ALI group showed more severe clinical characteristics and poorer survival rates. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses suggested that ALI and the International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) stage were independent prognostic factors for neuroblastoma patients.

Conclusions

Low ALI is associated with poor prognosis in neuroblastoma patients. ALI may be an independent prognostic biomarker for neuroblastoma.

Association Between Systemic Inflammation and Malnutrition With Survival in Patients With Cancer Sarcopenia-A Prospective Multicenter Study

Objective

Systemic inflammation and malnutrition are correlated with cancer sarcopenia and have deleterious effects on oncological outcomes. However, the combined effect of inflammation and malnutrition in patients with cancer sarcopenia remains unclear.

Methods

We prospectively collected information on 1,204 patients diagnosed with cancer sarcopenia. the mean (SD) age was 64.5 (11.4%) years, and 705 (58.60%) of the patients were male. The patients were categorized into the high advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) group (≥18.39) and the low ALI group (<18.39) according to the optimal survival cut-off curve. We selected the optimal inflammation marker using the C-index, decision curve analysis (DCA), and a prognostic receiver operating characteristic curve. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed to determine the prognostic value of the optimal inflammation indicator. We also analyzed the association between inflammation and malnutrition in patients with cancer.

Results

The C-index, DCA, and prognostic area under the curve of ALI in patients with cancer sarcopenia were higher or better than those of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). The prognosis for patients in the low ALI group was worse than that of patients in the high ALI group [HR (95%CI) = 1.584 (1.280–1.959), P < 0.001]. When the ALI was divided into quartiles, we observed that decreased ALI scores strongly correlated with decreased overall survival (OS). Patients with both a low ALI and severe malnutrition (vs. patients with high ALI and well-nourished) had a 2.262-fold death risk (P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed a significant interactive association between the ALI and death risk in terms of TNM stage (P for interaction = 0.030).

Conclusions

The inflammation indicator of the ALI was better than those of the NLR, PNI, SII, and PLR in patients with cancer sarcopenia. Inflammation combined with severe malnutrition has a nearly 3-fold death risk in patients with cancer sarcopenia, suggesting that reducing systemic inflammation, strengthening nutritional intervention, and improving skeletal muscle mass are necessary.

The advanced lung cancer inflammation index predicts outcomes of patients with non-small cell lung cancer following video-assisted thoracic surgery

OBJECTIVE

The advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) predicts overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced lung cancer. However, few studies have tested ALI's prognostic effect in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) following video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), especially patients at stage III. This study investigated the relationship between ALI and outcomes of patients with NSCLC following VATS.

METHODS

We retrospectively examined 339 patients with NSCLC who underwent VATS at Hebei General Hospital, China. Preoperative clinical and laboratory parameters were collected and analyzed. Optimal cutoff values of potential prognostic factors, including ALI, were determined. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to determine each factor's prognostic value.

RESULTS

The median OS was 31 months. The optimal cutoff value for ALI was 41.20. Patients with high ALI (≥41.20) displayed increased OS (33.87 vs. 30.24 months), higher survival rates, and milder clinical characteristics. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed a significant correlation between ALI and the prognosis of patients with NSCLC, including those at stage IIIA, who underwent VATS.

CONCLUSIONS

Low ALI correlated with poor outcomes in patients with NSCLC following VATS. Preoperative ALI might be a potential prognostic biomarker for patients with NSCLC following VATS, including patients at stage IIIA.

Association of Systemic Inflammation and Overall Survival in Elderly Patients with Cancer Cachexia - Results from a Multicenter Study

Background

Systemic inflammation and cachexia are associated with adverse clinical outcomes in elderly patients with cancer. The survival outcomes of elderly patients with cancer cachexia (EPCC) with high inflammation and a high risk of mortality are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the impact of high inflammation on the prognosis of EPCC patients with high mortality.

Patients and Methods

This multicenter cohort study included 746 EPCC (age >65 years) with a mean age of 72.00 ± 5.24 years, of whom 489 (65.5%) were male. The cut-off value for the inflammation index was obtained using the optimal survival curve. The different inflammatory indicators were assessed using the concordance index (C-index), decision curve analysis (DCA), and prognostic receiver operating characteristic (ROC). The high mortality risk group of EPCC was defined by the 2011 Fearon Cancer Diagnostic Consensus. EPCC were divided into the high-risk group, which satisfies three diagnostic criteria, and a low-risk group, which satisfies only one or two diagnostic criteria.

Results

The C-index, DCA, and prognostic ROC indicated the superiority of advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) compared with other indicators, including neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR). Whether ALI was used as a continuous or a categorical variable, ALI had a better prognostic value in EPCC compared with other inflammatory indicators. In particular, patients with low ALI (<25.03) had a worse overall survival (OS) than patients with high ALI (≥25.03) (P < 0.001, HR [95% CI] = 2.092 [1.590–2.751]). The combination effect analysis showed that the risk of mortality of the patients in the low-ALI and high-risk groups was 3.095-fold higher than that of patients in the high-ALI and low-risk groups.

Conclusion

The prognostic and discriminative value of the inflammatory indicator ALI was better than that of NLR, PNI, SII, and PLR in EPCC. The high-risk group of EPCC with a low ALI would increase the death risk of OS.