Lymphocyte to Monocyte Ratio: A New Independent Prognostic Factor in Bladder Cancer Progression?

Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio in glaucoma: a meta-analysis

Aim: To explore the association between two systemic inflammation markers, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and glaucoma. Materials & methods: The authors searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library for eligible studies comparing PLR and LMR levels in glaucoma patients and healthy controls. Results: Analysis revealed that glaucoma patients exhibited significantly elevated PLR levels and reduced LMR compared with nonglaucoma controls. These findings were consistent across various glaucoma types, with the exception of secondary glaucoma, where the association with PLR was less significant. Conclusion: The authors found PLR and LMR to be potential valuable biomarkers for glaucoma identification and progression monitoring. These findings highlight the role of systemic inflammation in glaucoma pathogenesis.

Postoperative ratio of C-reactive protein to albumin is an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

The role of postoperative of the ratio of c-reactive protein to albumin (CRP/Alb ratio) in the prognosis of gastric cancer is rarely evaluated. Our purpose was to investigate the correlation of the postoperative CRP/Alb ratio and long-term prognosis of gastric cancer.

METHODS

We enrolled 430 patients who suffered from radical gastrectomy. The commonly used inflammatory indices, clinical-pathological characteristics and oncologic outcomes were recorded. The median was used to the cut-off value for preoperative and postoperative CRP/Alb ratio, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression model were performed to determine its prognostic significance.

RESULTS

In univariate analysis, there were significant differences were observed in overall survival (OS) according to perioperative CRP/Alb ratio, c-reactive protein (CRP), serum albumin (Alb), respectively. According to the multivariate analysis, higher postoperative CRP/Alb ratio (HR 2.03, 95% CI 1.55-2.66, P < 0.001), lower postoperative albumin (Alb), higher preoperative c-reactive protein (CRP) and higher postoperative CRP were indicated a shorter overall survival.

CONCLUSION

Postoperative inflammatory factors in patients with gastric cancer should be pay attention, especially postoperative CRP/Alb ratio may be an independent predictor of long-term prognosis of gastric cancer.

Prognostic impact of geriatric nutritional risk index on patients with urological cancers: A meta-analysis

Background

Despite previous research examining the predictive value of the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) in individuals with urological cancers (UCs), results have been conflicting. This study aimed to comprehensively explore the potential link between GNRI and the prognosis of UCs using a meta-analysis.

Methods

The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were systematically and exhaustively searched. We estimated the prognostic importance of the GNRI in patients with UCs by calculating the pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) on survival outcomes. Publication bias was identified using Egger's test and Begg's funnel plot.

Results

Eight trials with 6,792 patients were included in our meta-analysis. Patients with UCs who had a lower GNRI before treatment had a higher risk of experiencing worse overall survival (HR = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.69-4.09, p < 0.001), recurrence-free survival/progression-free survival (HR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.51-2.08, p < 0.001), and cancer-specific survival (HR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.28-4.20, p = 0.006). Moreover, the subgroup analysis did not change the predictive significance of the GNRI in individuals with UCs. Neither Egger's nor Begg's test indicated substantial bias in this analysis.

Conclusion

As a result of our meta-analysis, we found that a low GNRI strongly predicts poor prognosis for patients with UCs. A lower pretreatment GNRI indicates poor survival outcomes in UCs.

Preoperative Fibrinogen-to-Albumin Ratio as Potential Predictor of Bladder Cancer: A Monocentric Retrospective Study

Background and objective: Fibrinogen and albumin are two proteins widely used, singularly and in combination, in cancer patients as biomarkers of nutritional status, inflammation and disease prognosis. The aim of our study was to investigate the preoperative fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) as a preoperative predictor of malignancy as well as advanced grade in patients with bladder cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent TURBT at our institution between 2017 and 2021 was conducted. FAR was obtained from preoperative venous blood samples performed within 30 days from scheduled surgery and was analyzed in relation to histopathological reports, as was the presence of malignancy. Statistical analysis was performed using a Kruskal−Wallis Test, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, assuming p < 0.05 to be statistically significant. Results: A total of 510 patients were included in the study (81% male, 19% female), with a mean age of 71.66 ± 11.64 years. The mean FAR was significantly higher in patients with low-grade and high-grade bladder cancer, with values of 80.71 ± 23.15 and 84.93 ± 29.96, respectively, compared to patients without cancer (75.50 ± 24.81) (p = 0.006). Univariate regression analysis reported FAR to be irrelevant when considered as a continuous variable (OR = 1.013, 95% CI = 1.004−1.022; p = 0.004), while when considered as a categorical variable, utilizing a cut-off set at 76, OR was 2.062 (95% CI = 1.378−3.084; p < 0.0001). Nevertheless, the data were not confirmed in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Elevated preoperative FAR is a potential predictor of malignancy as well as advanced grade in patients with bladder cancer. Further data are required to suggest a promising role of the fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio as a diagnostic biomarker for bladder tumors.

Preoperative monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio as a potential predictor of bladder cancer

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of preoperative Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte ratio (MLR) as a potential predictor of bladder cancer (BC).

METHODS

Clinical data of patients who underwent TURBT at our institution between 2017 and 2021 were collected and retrospectively analysed. MLR was obtained from preoperative blood analyses performed within 1 month from hospital admission. The association of MLR with different clinic-pathological features obtained from histological reports was further analysed. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal Wallis test for non-parametric variables, assuming p<0.05 as statistically significant.

RESULTS

510 patients were included in the study (81% males, 19% females), with a mean age of 71.66 ± 11.64 years. Mean MLR was higher in patients with any-type bladder cancer, reporting an MLR of 0.41 ± 0.11 compared to 0.38 ± 0.43 in patients without bladder cancer (p=0.043). In the subsequent comparison among low-grade and high-grade bladder cancer, MLR did not report statistically significant differences, with 0.29 ± 0.12 for low-grade BC and 0.51 ± 0.81 for high-grade BC (p=0.085).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings reported elevated preoperative MLR should be considered a potential biomarker predicting malignancy for bladder tumours. Furthermore, research are necessary to assess its role in discerning low-grade from high-grade patients.

The Values of Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Predicting Biochemical Recurrence in Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer After Radical Prostatectomy

Purpose

To investigate the association between preoperative systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and oncological outcomes in localized prostate cancer (PCa) patients after radical prostatectomy (RP).

Methods

Between January 2014 and December 2019, 291 patients with pathologically confirmed localized PCa who underwent RP were included in this study. The threshold values of SII and NLR for biochemical recurrence (BCR) were calculated according to Youden's index based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, then the patients were divided into two groups by the threshold values of SII and NLR, and the clinicopathological outcomes were analyzed and compared between groups, respectively. The binary logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between SII, NLR, and pathological outcomes including Gleason score (GS) and pathological T (pT) stage. Kaplan-Meier curves and univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were used to determine the association between high SII, high NLR, and BCR-free survival, respectively.

Results

The median follow-up time was 48 months (IQR 36-62), and 114 (39.18%) patients developed BCR. The AUC of SII for BCR was 0.813 (P < 0.001), with a threshold value of 528.54, a sensitivity of 72.9%, and a specificity of 76.3%; the AUC of NLR for BCR was 0.824 (P < 0.001), with a threshold value of 2.62, a sensitivity of 71.2%, and a specificity of 81.6%. Patients were divided into two groups according to the threshold values of SII and NLR, respectively. Patients in the high SII group had higher tPSA, GS, pT stage, and BCR rate than patients in the low SII group (P = 0.004, 0.04, 0.007, and <0.001, respectively), and patients in the high NLR group had higher tPSA, GS, pT stage, and BCR rate than patients in the low NLR group (P = 0.04, 0.02, 0.006, and <0.001, respectively). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that high SII was significantly correlated with adverse pathological outcomes of GS (HR, 1.656; 95% CI, 1.00-2.742, P = 0.042) and pT stage (HR, 1.478; 95% CI, 0.972-3.64, P = 0.028); there was no association between high NLR and pathological events. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significantly poorer BCR-free survival in patients with high SII or high NLR (P < 0.001 and <0.001, respectively). By using the multivariable Cox regression model, high SII (HR, 4.521; 95% CI, 2.262-9.037, P < 0.001) and high NLR (HR, 4.787; 95% CI, 2.339-9.798, P < 0.001) were both significant predictors of BCR after RP.

Conclusion

High SII was significantly related to unfavorable clinicopathological outcomes. High preoperative SII and NLR were related to higher BCR rate in localized PCa after RP, and they were all independent risk factors associated with shorter BCR-free survival. These two factors might provide promising and inexpensive methods for predicting clinical outcomes in patients with RP.

Treatment Strategy for Dialysis Patient with Urothelial Carcinoma

To investigate postoperative complications and oncologic outcomes of prophylactic nephroureterectomy and/or cystectomy in dialysis patients with urothelial carcinoma (UC), we retrospectively reviewed the records of dialysis patients with UC and a final status of complete urinary tract extirpation (CUTE, i.e., the removal of both kidneys, ureters, and bladder) between January 2004 and December 2015. Patients undergoing dialysis after initial radical nephroureterectomy and/or cystectomy were excluded. Eighty-four and 27 dialysis patients, undergoing one-stage and multi-stage CUTE, were enrolled in this study, respectively. Demographic, medical, perioperative, and pathologic features were collected to determine variables associated with oncologic outcomes. Although there was no significant difference in mortality between the 2 groups (p = 0.333), all 5 (4.5%) patients with Clavien-Dindo grade 5 complications were from the one-stage CUTE group. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, advanced age (p = 0.042) and high Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) (p = 0.000) were related to postoperative major complications. Compared with multi-stage CUTE, one-stage CUTE had no overall, cancer-specific, and recurrence-free survival benefits (all p > 0.05). According to multivariate analysis with Cox regression, age > 70 years (HR 2.70, 95% CI 1.2-6.12; p = 0.017), CCI ≥ 5 (HR 2.16, 95% CI 1.01-4.63; p = 0.048), and bladder cancer stage ≥ 3 (HR 12.4, 95% CI 1.82-84.7; p = 0.010) were independent, unfavorable prognostic factors for the overall survival. One-stage CUTE is not associated with superior oncologic outcomes, and all perioperative mortalities in our series occurred in the one-stage CUTE group. Our data do not support prophylactic nephroureterectomy and/or cystectomy for uremic patients with UC.