The clinical significance of preoperative serum fibrinogen levels and platelet counts in patients with gallbladder carcinoma

Prognostic nomogram based on coagulation for individualized prediction after radical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following radical resection remains suboptimal. This study aimed to create a nomogram integrating clinicopathological parameters and coagulation indices to predict the recurrence-free survival (RFS) of these individuals.

METHODS

A total of 863 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after radical resection were included (504 patients in the training cohort, 216 patients in the internal verification cohort and 142 patients in the external verification cohort). Cox regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors in the training cohort, and it was used to construct a prognostic nomogram. Calibration curves, decision curve analysis (DCA), the C index and the time-dependent area under the curve (td-AUC) were used to evaluate the performance of the nomogram, and the internal and external validation cohorts were used for verification. We also calculated total risk points to divide patients into high-, medium- and low-risk groups. The Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to analyze RFS, and differences were compared using the log-rank test.

RESULTS

Age, tumor size, tumor differentiation, microvascular invasion, INR and FIB for RFS were integrated into the nomogram. The calibration curves revealed a strong correlation between the predicted and actual results, and the nomogram's C-index and DCA demonstrated superior predictive performance compared with TNM, BCLC, CNLC, and CLIP. Additionally, the td-AUC revealed that the nomogram effectively predicted recurrence-free survival (RFS) at 1, 3, and 5 years. Moreover, significant differences in RFS were observed between the high-, medium-, and low-risk groups (P < 0.0001) after the effective cutoff values of the risk points were identified using the nomogram.

CONCLUSIONS

A nomogram model that is based on coagulation indices has high predictive efficacy for the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients and significant clinical application value.

Prognostic value of preoperative fibrinogen to albumin ratio in predicting postoperative outcomes in patients with gallbladder cancer

BACKGROUND

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is known for its poor prognosis and challenging management. The preoperative fibrinogen to albumin ratio (FAR) has been proposed as a potential prognostic marker for predicting postoperative outcomes in GBC patients, but its efficacy and prognostic value remain underexplored.

AIM

To evaluate the prognostic value of preoperative FAR in GBC outcomes.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included 66 patients who underwent curative surgery for GBC at our institution from January 2018 to January 2022. Preoperative FAR values were obtained within one week prior to surgery. Patients were followed through outpatient visits or telephone interviews, with overall survival (OS) as the primary endpoint. Statistical analyses, including receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival estimates, were performed using SPSS software (version 27.0).

RESULTS

The cohort consisted of 36 male and 30 female patients, with a mean age of 61.81 ± 8.58 years. The optimal FAR cut-off value was determined to be 0.088, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.7899, sensitivity of 68.96%, and specificity of 80.01%. Patients with FAR ≤ 0.088 showed significantly better survival rates (1-year: 60.5%, 2-year: 52.6%, 3-year: 25.9%) and a median OS of 25.6 months (95% confidence interval: 18.8-30.5 months), compared to those with FAR > 0.088 who had a median OS of 10.8 months (95% confidence interval: 6.3-12.9 months).

CONCLUSION

Lower preoperative FAR is associated with longer OS in GBC patients, confirming its potential as a valuable prognostic indicator for improving outcome predictions and guiding patient management strategies in gallbladder cancer.

Novel multifactor predictive model for postoperative survival in gallbladder cancer: a multi-center study

BACKGROUND

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a highly aggressive malignancy, with limited survival profiles after curative surgeries. This study aimed to develop a practical model for predicting the postoperative overall survival (OS) in GBC patients.

METHODS

Patients from three hospitals were included. Two centers (N = 102 and 100) were adopted for model development and internal validation, and the third center (N = 85) was used for external testing. Univariate and stepwise multivariate Cox regression were used for feature selection. A nomogram for 1-, 3-, and 5-year postoperative survival rates was constructed accordingly. Performance assessment included Harrell's concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves. Kaplan-Meier curves were utilized to evaluate the risk stratification results of the nomogram. Decision curves were used to reflect the net benefit.

RESULTS

Eight factors, TNM stage, age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (aCCI), body mass index (BMI), R0 resection, blood platelet count, and serum levels of albumin, CA125, CA199 were incorporated in the nomogram. The time-dependent C-index consistently exceeded 0.70 from 6 months to 5 years, and time-dependent ROC revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of over 75% for 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival. The calibration curves, Kaplan-Meier curves and decision curves also indicated good prognostic performance and clinical benefit, surpassing traditional indicators TNM staging and CA199 levels. The reliability of results was further proved in the independent external testing set.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel nomogram exhibited good prognostic efficacy and robust generalizability in GBC patients, which might be a promising tool for aiding clinical decision-making.

Prognostic factors for resected cases with gallbladder carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Current meta-analysis was performed to systematically evaluate the potential prognostic factors for overall survival among resected cases with gallbladder carcinoma.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were systematically retrieved and hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval were directly extracted from the original study or roughly estimated via Tierney's method. Standard Parmar modifications were used to determine pooled HRs.

RESULTS

A total of 36 studies with 11 502 cases were identified. Pooled results of univariate analyses indicated that advanced age (HR=1.02, P =0.00020), concurrent gallstone disease (HR=1.22, P =0.00200), elevated preoperative CA199 level (HR=1.93, P <0.00001), advanced T stage (HR=3.09, P <0.00001), lymph node metastasis (HR=2.78, P <0.00001), peri-neural invasion (HR=2.20, P <0.00001), lymph-vascular invasion (HR=2.37, P <0.00001), vascular invasion (HR=2.28, P <0.00001), poorly differentiated tumor (HR=3.22, P <0.00001), hepatic side tumor (HR=1.85, P <0.00001), proximal tumor (neck/cystic duct) (HR=1.78, P <0.00001), combined bile duct resection (HR=1.45, P <0.00001), and positive surgical margin (HR=2.90, P <0.00001) were well-established prognostic factors. Pathological subtypes ( P =0.53000) and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P =0.70000) were not prognostic factors. Pooled results of multivariate analyses indicated that age, gallstone disease, preoperative CA199, T stage, lymph node metastasis, peri-neural invasion, lymph-vascular invasion, tumor differentiation status, tumor location (peritoneal side vs hepatic side), surgical margin, combined bile duct resection, and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSION

Various prognostic factors have been identified beyond the 8th AJCC staging system. By incorporating these factors into a prognostic model, a more individualized prognostication and treatment regime would be developed. Upcoming multinational studies are required for the further refine and validation.

Fibrinogen and tumors

Elevated plasma fibrinogen (Fg) levels consistently correlate with an unfavorable prognosis in various tumor patient cohorts. Within the tumor microenvironment, aberrant deposition and expression of Fg have been consistently observed, interacting with multiple cellular receptors and thereby accentuating its role as a regulator of inflammatory processes. Specifically, Fg serves to stimulate and recruit immune cells and pro-inflammatory cytokines, thereby contributing to the promotion of tumor progression. Additionally, Fg and its fragments exhibit dichotomous effects on tumor angiogenesis. Notably, Fg also facilitates tumor migration through both platelet-dependent and platelet-independent mechanisms. Recent studies have illuminated several tumor-related signaling pathways influenced by Fg. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the intricate involvement of Fg in tumor biology, elucidating its multifaceted role and the underlying mechanisms.

A Nomogram Based on Hematological Parameters and Clinicopathological Characteristics for Predicting Local-Regional Recurrence After Breast-Conserving Therapy

Objectives

The aim of this study was to identify the factors for local-regional recurrence (LRR) after breast-conserving therapy (BCT). We established a practical nomogram to predict the likelihood of LRR after BCT based on hematological parameters and clinicopathological features.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed on 2,085 consecutive breast cancer patients who received BCT in Shandong Cancer Hospital from 2006 to 2016, including 1,460 patients in the training cohort and 625 patients in the validation cohort. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed based on hematological parameters (fibrinogen, platelets, mean platelet volume, neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes) and clinicopathological characteristics to identify the independent factors for LRR. Subsequently, a nomogram for predicting LRR was established by logistic regression analysis. The nomogram was validated in 625 patients in the validation cohort.

Results

During the median follow-up period of 66 months, 44 (3.01%) patients in the training cohort and 19 (3.04%) patients in the validation cohort suffered from LRR. Multivariate analysis showed six independent factors related to LRR, including molecular subtype, pathological N stage, re-resection, radiotherapy or not, platelet count*MPV*fibrinogen (PMF), and neutrophil count/lymphocyte count ratio (NLR). Six variables were entered into logistic regression to establish the nomogram for predicting LRR. The nomogram of LRR showed excellent discrimination and prediction accuracy. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.89 (p < 0.001, 95% CI = 0.83, 0.95) in the training cohort and 0.88 (p < 0.001, 95% CI = 0.8, 0.96) in the validation cohort. Calibration curves for the prediction model in the training and validation cohorts both demonstrated satisfactory consistency between the nomogram-predicted and actual LRR.

Conclusion

The combination of hematological parameters and clinicopathological characteristics can predict LRR after BCT. The predictive nomogram based on preoperative and postoperative indicators of BCT might serve as a practical tool for individualized prognostication. More prospective studies should be performed to verify the model.

A Novel Clinically Prognostic Stratification Based on Prognostic Nutritional Index Status and Histological Grade in Patients With Gallbladder Cancer After Radical Surgery

Purpose

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract, with a 5-year survival rate of 5%. The prognostic models to predict the prognosis of patients with GBC remain controversial. Therefore, to construct a prognosis prediction of GBC, a retrospective cohort study was carried out to investigate the prognostic nutritional index and histological grade in the long-term outcome of patients with GBC after radical surgery (RS).

Methods

A retrospective study of a total of 198 patients with GBC who underwent surgical treatment were enrolled. The hematological indicators, imageological data, and perioperative clinical data were acquired for statistical analysis and poor prognosis model construction.

Results

Prognostic nutrition index (PNI) < 45.88, maximum tumor diameter (MTD) > 2.24 cm, and jaundice (JD) were all associated with a poor prognosis in multivariate logistic regression analysis. The prognosis prediction model was based on the three risk factors, which indicated a superior predictive ability in the primary cohort [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.951] and validation cohort (AUC = 0.888). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, poorly differentiation (PD) was associated with poor 3-year survival. In addition, Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis suggested that GBC patients with high-risk scores and PD had a better prognosis after RS (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in prognosis for patients with non-poorly differentiation (NPD) or low-risk scores after RS (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Our prediction model for GBC patients with prognosis evaluation is accurate and effective. For patients with PD and high-risk scores, RS is highly recommended; a simple cholecystectomy can also be considered for acceptance for patients with NPD or low-risk score. The significant findings provide a new therapeutic strategy for the clinical treatment of GBC.