Pretreatment platelet-lymphocyte ratio is an independent predictor of cervical cancer recurrence following concurrent chemoradiation therapy

Significance of platelet parameters in invasive squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among females worldwide. The role of platelets in cancer progression and metastasis have been evaluated in various cancers. This study is done to assess the association between platelet parameters and invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighty cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix were retrospectively collected from the medical record department. Values of platelet parameters such as platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), plateletcrit (PCT), platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), platelet-neutrophil ratio (PNR), and platelet-monocyte ratio (PMR) are collected from automated hematology analyzer. These values were compared with 80 healthy controls which were randomly selected. Values of platelet parameters were also compared among Federation Internationale de Gynecolgie et d'Obstetrique (FIGO) stages in 80 cases.

RESULT

Mean ± standard deviation (SD) for platelet count, MPV, PDW, PCT, P-LCR, PLR, PNR, and PMR among cases were 316 ± 100.37 × 109/L, 9.98 ± 0.96, 11.11 ± 2.27, 0.31 ± 0.092, 24.09 ± 7.62, 179.35 ± 85.53, 63.89 ± 42.10, and 492.29 ± 192.86, respectively, and in controls were 300.30 ± 79.40 × 109/L, 9.97 ± 0.83, 10.97 ± 1.80, 0.59 ± 2.65, 23.94 ± 6.81, 137.72 ± 50.52, 60.07 ± 26.68, and 563.65 ± 602.55, respectively. The PLR between cases and controls was statistically significant. The platelet count and PCT between stages was statistically significant wherein the values increased from stage II to stage IV.

CONCLUSION

Platelet parameters are importance in cervical cancer. PLR, platelet count, and PCT are platelet parameters that can be used as predictors and prognostic parameters in cervical cancer. These parameters are cost-effective and can be considered in low resource settings. However, a multicentric study with a larger sample size should be done to extrapolate the findings for patient care.

Prognostic significance of C-reactive protein in patients with cervical cancer: a meta-analysis

Background

Numerous studies have investigated the significance of pretreatment C-reactive protein (CRP) levels for determining the prognosis of cervical cancer (CC). The results of these studies, however, have been inconsistent. The present meta-analysis, therefore, focused on identifying the exact relationship of CRP levels with CC prognoses.

Methods

We searched the following databases from their inception until April 18, 2023: PubMed; Web of Science; Embase; and Cochrane Library. From the search results, we estimated the significance of CRP levels in determining the prognosis of CC, based on combined hazard ratios (HRs) and relevant 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

The present meta-analysis included 12 studies, encompassing 2,204 patients. Based on combined data, an increased CRP level was significantly related to an unfavorable overall survival (OS) of patients with CC (HR = 1.63; 95% CI = 1.36-1.95; P < 0.001). Moreover, an increased CRP level was significantly associated with shortened progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with CC (HR = 1.68; 95% CI = 1.39-2.03; P < 0.001). According to the subgroup and sensitivity analyses, CRP level was a reliable factor in determining CC prognoses.

Conclusion

Based on the results of our present analyses, increased CRP levels were significant predictors of poor OS and PFS in patients with CC. CRP level, therefore, could be an independent and inexpensive factor for determining the prognosis of patients with CC in clinical settings.

Systematic review registration

INPLASY, identifier INPLASY202360074.

Relationship between Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio with Spontaneous Preterm Birth: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background

Spontaneous preterm birth is one of the most common pregnancy complications in obstetric clinical practice, and its etiology is complex. The problems of low survival and high morbidity rates of premature infants need to be solved urgently. The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) are two novel biomarkers of inflammation, and several studies have linked PLR and LMR to spontaneous preterm birth. These systematic review and meta-analysis are aimed at analyzing the relationship between PLR and LMR in patients with spontaneous preterm birth to provide new ideas for the early prevention and treatment of spontaneous preterm births.

Methods

Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were inspected to gather PLR and LMR in patients with spontaneous preterm birth, all from the database to February 2022. Interstudy heterogeneity was evaluated using Cochran's Q test and I 2 statistic. Differences in PLR and LMR between patients with spontaneous preterm birth and full-term controls were evaluated by computing standardized mean differences and 95% confidence intervals. Publication bias and sensitivity analyses were also performed.

Results

Nine studies were included in the meta-analysis based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed that serum PLR values were remarkably larger for patients with spontaneous preterm birth than for full-term controls (SMD = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.13 to 0.84, P = 0.007), whereas the difference between serum LMR in patients with spontaneous preterm birth and full-term controls was not statistically significant (SMD: 0.35, 95% CI: -0.18, 0.88, P = 0.199). The results of Begg's and Egger's tests revealed that the publication bias of the meta-analysis was not significant. The outcomes of the sensitivity analysis showed that the individual studies did not influence the meta-analysis results.

Conclusions

Current evidence shows that PLR is strongly associated with spontaneous preterm birth, whereas LMR is not. PLR has a certain clinical value in diagnosing and treating spontaneous preterm births, and our research will provide strong theoretical support for clinical work. In the future, it will be necessary to further explore the reasons for the increased PLR in the serum of patients with spontaneous preterm birth and other mechanisms inducing spontaneous preterm birth.

C-Reactive Protein as a Prognostic Biomarker for Gynecologic Cancers: A Meta-Analysis

Background

The prognostic role of CRP (C-reactive protein) in gynecological tumors has been previously reported in individual studies, but whether CRP can be used as a separate potential prognostic factor has not been systematically reviewed. The purpose of this research is to determine if there is a link between CRP levels and the prognosis of gynecological cancer patients.

Methods

A systematic search was carried out to find the literature evaluating the predictive role of CRP in the prognosis of gynecological cancer patients. For the purpose of determining the relationship between CRP and clinicopathological characteristics, the pooled odds ratio (OR) was calculated. A hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to determine differences in overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), or progression-free survival (PFS) between patients with low and high CRP levels.

Results

A total of 19 studies, including 4062 patients, were analyzed retrospectively. The FIGO stage was related to the CRP level (OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.19-1.00). Age, lymph node metastasis, and histological grade were not associated with CRP level (OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.69-1.25; OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.65-1.28; OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.52-1.05). Worse OS (HR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.23-1.57), DFS (HR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.12-1.28), and PFS (HR = 1.57, 95%CI: 1.23-1.91) were associated with elevated CRP levels, as shown by the pooled results. Subgroup analysis was performed according to cancer type (endometrial cancer: HR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.02-1.28; ovarian cancer: HR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.03-2.31; cervical cancer: HR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.19-1.64), multivariate value (HR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.10-1.33), and age (HR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.28-1.72). Significant correlations were observed between CRP and OS.

Conclusions

CRP may be utilized as a prognostic indicator for a variety of gynecologic malignancies, including cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and vulvar cancer.

Hematologic parameters as a predictor of myometrial and cervical invasion in endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

Despite significant improvements in molecular biology for uterine cancer, we did not have specific peripheral blood biomarkers for clinical usage such as prognostic or predictive outcomes of disease in the last decade.

METHODS

A retrospective endometrial cancer database was collected from a tertiary gynecologic cancer center. The cohort included only endometrioid type uterine cancer. Subsequently, we investigated the relationship between preoperative hematologic parameters and pathologic findings.

RESULTS

In this study, 191 non-metastatic endometrial cancer (median age was 61 years, ranging from 41 to 86 years) were analyzed. Lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) was significantly different between the FIGO stage I and II (4.48 vs. 3.88, P=0.004). Platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) was significantly higher in FIGO stage III than stage I, and LMR was significantly decreased by each FIGO stage. LMR values significantly decreased with a depth of myometrial invasion. PLR and eosinophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (ELR) values were significantly higher in patients with cervical invasion compared to those without invasion, 287 vs. 144, P=0.005, 10.3 vs. 6, P=0.022, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that low-LMR levels and high-PLR with ELR levels correlated with myometrial and cervical invasion, respectively. These findings can explain why hematologic parameters have an impact on oncologic outcomes.

Effects of Perioperative Inflammatory Response in Cervical Cancer: Laparoscopic versus Open Surgery

There are few studies between postoperative neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and survival in cervical cancer. We compared postoperative changes in NLR according to surgical methods and analyzed the effect of these changes on 5-year mortality of cervical cancer patients. A total of 929 patients were assigned to either the laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH) (n = 721) or open radical hysterectomy (ORH) (n = 208) group. Propensity score matching analysis compared the postoperative NLR changes between the two groups, and multivariate logistic regression analysis evaluated the association between NLR changes and 5-year mortality. Surgical outcomes between the two groups were also compared. In the LRH group, NLR changes at postoperative day (POD) 0 and POD 1 were significantly lower than in the ORH group after matching (NLR change at POD 0, 10.4 vs. 14.3, p < 0.001; NLR change at POD 1, 3.5 vs. 5.4, p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, postoperative NLR change was not associated with 5-year mortality (2nd quartile: OR 1.55, 95% CI 0.56–4.29, p = 0.401; 3rd quartile: OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.29–2.82, p = 0.869; 4th quartile: OR 1.40, 95% CI 0.48–3.61, p = 0.598), whereas preoperative NLR was associated with 5-year mortality (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.06–1.43, p = 0.005). After matching, there were no significant differences in surgical outcomes between the two groups. There were significantly fewer postoperative changes of NLR in the LRH group. However, the extent of these NLR changes was not associated with 5-year mortality. By contrast, preoperative NLR was associated with 5-year mortality.

Inflammatory Biomarkers as Promising Predictors of Prognosis in Cervical Cancer Patients

INTRODUCTION

Increasing evidence demonstrates a crucial role of inflammation in inducing and promoting several cancers. Pro-inflammatory upregulation of cytokines such as IL-6 has been implicated in cervical cancer development and progression through several mechanisms, for example, by inducing platelet production, activation, and aggregation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effective prognostic impact of inflammatory biomarkers such as platelet count, platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and IL-6 in cervical cancer patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between 2016 and 2019, 108 out of 159 patients with cervical cancer have been enrolled. Cutoff level of pretreatment platelet count and PLR was identified by using the ROC curve. IL-6 tumoral and peritumoral expression was analyzed and stratified as low and high (low expression: 0 and +1; marked expression: +2 and +3).

RESULTS

Median follow-up duration was 30 months (range 16-44). Patients with higher platelet counts showed worse DFS and OS (DFS p < 0.001; OS p < 0.001). Cumulative rates of DFS and OS in patients with lower PLR were higher than in patients with higher values of PLR (DFS p = 0.032; OS p < 0.001). Survival analysis showed a better prognosis in patients with lower IL-6 expression (DFS p < 0.001; OS p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Nowadays, causal relationship between inflammation, innate immunity, and cancer is more widely accepted. However, many of the molecular and cellular mechanisms mediating this relationship remain unresolved. Ongoing inflammatory response was associated with poor outcomes in cervical cancer patients. A higher pretreatment platelet count and PLR value associated with higher IL-6 tumoral expression could be used to predict poor prognosis in cervical cancer patients.

Pretreatment lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratios predict AIDS-related diffuse large B-cell lymphoma overall survival

The lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been reported to be useful for predicting the prognosis of various malignancies, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, little is known about the role of LMR and PLR in the prognosis of DLBCL patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We retrospectively evaluated the prognostic value of the LMR and PLR in patients with newly diagnosed AIDS-related diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (AR-DLBCL) who were treated with CHOP-like chemotherapy at a single institution. In 33 AR-DLBCL patients, the median follow-up period was 32 months (range: 7-85 months), with an estimated 2-year overall survival (OS) rate of 79.9%. The univariate analysis confirmed the LMR ≤ 2.74 (p = .015), PLR ≥ 337.7 (p = .019), and moderate anemia (p = .045) were associated with inferior survival. The independent significant association between low LMR and poor OS in the multivariate analysis was identified (HR: 0.033, 95% CI: 0.001-0.853, p = .040). However, PLR (p = .459) and moderate anemia (p = .102) did not retain an independent significance in the multivariate analysis. Moreover, compared with the high-LMR group, patients with low-LMR more frequently had B symptoms (p = .010) and lower CD4+T cell count (p <  .001). The pretreatment LMR may be an effective prognostic factor for predicting OS in patients with AR-DLBCL.

Descriptive statistics of dataset from the meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis on prognostic significance of pre-treatment systemic hemato-immunological indices of cervical cancer patients

In this study, we perform a meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis for the article entitled “Prognostic value of systemic hemato-immunological indices in uterine cervical cancer: A systemic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of observational studies.” [1] We implemented quantitative meta-analyses and time series meta-regression analysis to determine whether systemic hemato-immunological indices, such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), thrombocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (TLR), and C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) are associated with an increased risk of cervical collision cancer. In all, 9558 patients from 22 studies were included after a systematic data search, performed comprehensively using the following databases: MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane. The meta-analysis was conducted with a random-effects model using the Review Manager software (Revman version 5.3). The overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and progression-free survival (PFS) data were compared among each observational study. All data are expressed as hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and were calculated using the generic inverse of variance method. Statistical heterogeneity was quantified using Cochrane's Q statistic and Higgins I² statistic. Subgroup analysis was performed to investigate the sources of heterogeneity. Furthermore, quality assessment of the included datasets was presented according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale method. Additionally, sensitivity analysis was conducted to explore the sources of heterogeneity and analyze whether the results were stable and reliable. Meta-analysis random-effect approach was used for the regression to evaluate the effect of age, presence of squamous cell carcinoma patients, and number of evaluated NLR and PLR parameters on patient survival.

High neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is a predictor of short-term survival for patients with recurrent cervical cancer after radiation-based therapy

AIM

Patients with recurrent cervical cancer after radiotherapy have poor prognoses because of the lack of effective treatment options. Biomarkers to predict survival outcomes for recurrent cervical cancer are warranted because patients with limited life expectancy sometimes benefit from less aggressive treatment in combination with early palliative care. Therefore, we aimed to explore a predictive biomarker for the outcomes of patients with recurrent cervical cancer.

METHODS

We retrospectively investigated 231 patients initially treated with radiation-based therapy between January 2004 and December 2015. The associations between clinicopathological features at the time of relapse and overall survival after relapse were assessed. As factors which reflect patients' conditions, we particularly focused on C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) at the time of relapse. Additionally, we investigated biomarkers predictive of short-term survival.

RESULTS

Among 231 patients, 91 patients experienced relapse and 74 patients died during the follow-up period. Multivariate analysis revealed that treatment after relapse, CAR, and NLR was significantly associated with overall survival. Among them, treatment after relapse significantly affected survival outcomes, and patients who received definitive local treatment had a better 3-year survival rate than those who received other treatments. Conversely, NLR was the most influential biomarker for short-term survival, and the prognosis of patients with high NLRs was much worse than those with low NLRs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study thus demonstrated that, for the patients with recurrent cervical cancer who received radiation-based therapy, definitive local treatment can provide long-term survival and extremely high NLRs are predictive of short-term survival.

C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio is an independent poor prognostic factor in newly diagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: A clinical analysis of 322 cases

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The first study to concentrate on serum C-reactive protein-to-albumin (CRP/ALB) ratio as an cancer-associated systemic inflammation and malnutrition parameter in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

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The first study showing pre-diagnostic CRP/ALB ratio (CAR) was associated with unfavorable treatment-free survival (TFS) and overall survival (OS).

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CAR was an independent prognostic indicator only for OS, not for TFS.

•

Adding the criterion of high CAR could improve the prognostic capacity of CLL-international prognostic index (CLL-IPI) in OS prediction, especially in intermediate risk group and high risk group.

•

CAR may be good candidates for predicting prognosis and evaluating effectiveness of anti-inflammatory and nutrition improvement treatments in the future clinical practice of CLL.

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is one of the most common types of adult leukaemia. Cancer-related systemic inflammation response has been characterized to correlate with therapeutic outcome in patients with cancer. The C-reactive protein-to-albumin (CRP/ALB) ratio (CAR), which is an inflammatory marker, has been reported as a novel prognostic factor in several cancers. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the CAR in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). We retrospectively reviewed the clinical characteristics of 322 newly diagnosed CLL patients, investigated the correlations among pretreatment CAR, treatment-free survival (TFS) and overall survival (OS), assessed the prognostic effect of the CAR to compare with other inflammation-related prognostic index by the area under the curve (AUC), and combined CAR and CLL-international prognostic index (CLL-IPI) together to improve the current prognostic system. The results showed that CAR was an independent prognostic factor for OS. Furthermore, the predictive and discriminatory capacity of CLL-IPI together with CAR level was superior to that of CLL-IPI alone for OS. In conclusion, serum CRP and ALB levels are both simple and easily accessible parameters, whose ratio CAR may be good candidates for predicting prognosis in the future clinical practice of CLL.

Prognostic value of systemic hemato-immunological indices in uterine cervical cancer: A systemic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of observational studies

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the prognostic efficacy of several systemic hemato-immunological indices for the treatment of cervical cancer as well as to determine whether the systemic hemato-immunological indices are associated with an increased risk of cervical collision cancer.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted to identify studies that evaluated the prognostic impact of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), thrombocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (TLR), C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in cervical cancer patients. The endpoints were overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) and clinicopathologic parameters. A meta-analysis using random-effect models was performed to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Twenty-two retrospective cohort studies involving 9558 patients were included. Our results show that high NLR, PLR, TLR, and CAR indicated poor prognosis for patients with cervical cancer (HRs = 2.46, 1.88, 3.70, and 3.94, respectively; all P ≤ 0.001). Subgroup analysis suggested that the highest NLR and PLR were more precise biomarkers in patients who were diagnosed with FIGO stage I-III cervical cancer after treatment with chemo-radiotherapy. High TLR and high LMR displayed significant prognostic value in late-FIGO stage III-IV cervical cancer (HRs = 4.33 and 2.032, respectively). Additionally, CAR was associated with poor survival in patients with advanced-FIGO stage cervical cancer and larger tumor size. According to the difference of NLR, the younger (43-51 years old) cervical cancer patients had a tendency of increased collision risk. However, cervical cancer patients in the 52-61 years age group were more vulnerable than their respective counterparts using the pooled estimate for PLR.

CONCLUSION

Our findings support a prognostic role for elevated CAR and TLR besides that of NLR and PLR in advanced-FIGO stage cervical cancer.

Prediction scoring system based on clinicohematologic parameters for cervical cancer patients undergoing chemoradiation

OBJECTIVE

A scoring system based on clinicohematologic parameters in cervical cancer patients receiving chemoradiation has not been reported to date. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of clinicohematologic parameters in patients with cervical cancer undergoing chemoradiation and to develop a prediction scoring system based on these results.

METHODS

A total of 107 patients who received definitive chemoradiation for cervical cancer were enrolled in this study. The clinical data and hematologic parameters were retrospectively reviewed, and their prognostic value in predicting survival was analyzed. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and the changes in these hematologic parameters (ΔNLR, ΔPLR, and ΔLMR) between pre- and post-treatment were calculated to determine the specific value of these parameters for predicting patient survival.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 39.9 (range 2.7-114.6) months. The 3-year overall survival rate and progression-free survival rate were 80.9% (95% CI 72.7 to 90.0) and 53.4% (95% CI 44.1 to 64.8), respectively. The median progression-free survival was 67.5 months and the median overall survival was not reached. According to multivariable analysis, a ΔNLR≥0 was significantly associated with decreased progression-free survival (HR=2.91, 95% CI 1.43 to 5.94) and overall survival (HR=3.13, 95% CI 1.18 to 8.27). In addition, age (age <58.5 years; progression-free survival: HR=2.55, 95% CI 1.38 to 4.70; overall survival: HR=4.49, 95% CI 1.78 to 11.33) and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (Ⅲ-Ⅳ; progression-free survival: HR=2.49, 95% CI 1.40 to 4.43; overall survival: HR=3.02, 95% CI 1.32 to 6.90) were identified as predictors of poor survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the age and FIGO stage, as clinical parameters, and the ΔNLR, as a hematologic parameter, were independent prognostic factors for survival for cervical cancer patients treated with chemoradiation. Based on these results, we developed a risk score-based classification system for predicting survival.

Prognostic Values of Platelet-Associated Indicators in Resectable Cervical Cancer

Background:

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality in women, which seriously threatens the health of women worldwide. Platelet (PLT)-related parameters, including PLT count, mean platelet volume (MPV), plateletcrit (PCT), and platelet distribution width (PDW), are correlated with tumor prognosis.

Methods:

In total, 110 patients with cervical carcinoma were recruited in this study. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the receiver operating characteristic analysis cutoff values of PLT, MPV, PCT, or PDW. The post-/preradiotherapy ratios were defined as the rate of preradiotherapy PLT-related parameters counts and the corresponding ones obtained after radiotherapy.

Results:

Higher pretreatment PLT level was correlated with Higher Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (II). Higher pretreatment PLT level was correlated with worse progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Increased post-/preradiotherapy ratio of PLT was correlated with worse PFS and OS. Changes in PCT, MPV, or PDW levels had no effects on PFS or OS. Cox regression analysis model indicated that larger tumor size, higher pretreatment PLT level, and increased post-/preradiotherapy PLT ratio were independently associated with worse PFS; higher FIGO stage (II) and increased post-/preradiotherapy PLT ratio were independently associated with worse OS.

Conclusion:

Pretreatment PLT level and increased post-/preradiotherapy PLT ratio are correlated with outcomes of cervical cancer.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Discriminating Precancerous Pathologies from Cervical Cancer

Purpose

We aimed to determine the predictive value of several hematological markers of inflammation on the presence/absence of cervical cancer and also to determine their ability in discriminating precancerous cervical pathologies from cervical cancer.

Materials and Methods

In this study, patients who presented to Acıbadem Kayseri Hospital between May 2010 and June 2018 were evaluated. Forty patients with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), 40 patients with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), and 30 patients with cervical cancer (CC) were retrospectively included in this study. A control group of 70 healthy volunteers with normal cervical cytology was also included in the study.

Results

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was significantly higher in patients with CC than in controls. The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) was significantly higher in patients with CC compared to those with LSIL and HSIL diagnoses and also controls (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that age (OR: 1.075, 95% CI: 1.020-1.132, p=0.007), NLR (OR: 1.643, 95% CI: 1.009-3.142, p=0.047), and PLR (OR: 1.032, 95% CI: 1.003-1.062, p=0.029) were predictors for the presence of CC. ROC curve analysis revealed that both NLR and PLR were predictive of CC with a cutoff value of 2.02 for NLR (71% sensitivity and 60% specificity, AUC: 0.682, p=0.004) and 126.7 for PLR (83% sensitivity and 69% specificity, AUC: 0.752, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

In addition to patients' age, determination of NLR and PLR values, which are simple, inexpensive, and readily available markers of systemic inflammation, may help in decision making precancerous pathologies of the cervix.

Pretreatment Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) as a Predictive Value of Hematological Markers in Cervical Cancer

Background:

Inflammation represents a pivotal role in the progression of cervical cancer. The hematological markers of inflammation in complete blood count (CBC) panel are potentially useful in determining the prognosis of the disease.

Objective:

The aim of the study was to investigate whether the pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) could be used as in predicting the stage of cervical cancer.

Methods:

A retrospective cross-sectional study involving 282 patients with cervical cancer was enrolled at Sanglah General Hospital for five years (2013-2017). The histopathological records and complete blood counts (CBC) of the patients were collected and analyzed using SPSS ver. 16 software. FIGO stage I–II and III-IV were classified as early and advance stage respectively.

Results:

The median NLR and PLR were significantly higher in the advance stage compared with early stage (7.58 (1.36-33.20) and 247.89 (97.10-707.11); p-value = 0.001). A strong positive correlation was found between the staging of cervical cancer and NLR (r=0.638) and PLR (r=0.668). The AUC, sensitivity, and specificity value of NLR and PLR were 0.803 (82%; 71%) and 0.716 (72%; 70%). Advanced stage of cervical cancer was found in high NLR (adjusted OR: 9.02; 95%CI=2.42-33.64; p=0.001) and PLR (adjusted OR = 2.47; 95% CI = 1.45-4.85; p = 0.032).

Conclusion:

Increased pretreatment NLR and PLR values may provide a useful information in predicting the staging of cervical cancer.

Prognostic significance of pretreatment lymphocyte percentage and age at diagnosis in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with definite radiotherapy

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of age at diagnosis, and pretreatment hematologic markers, including lymphocyte percentage and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) treated with definitive radiotherapy (RT).

Methods

A total of 392 patients with LACC (stage IIb to IVa) treated with cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy or RT alone between 2001 and 2012 were retrospectively enrolled. Clinical data and pretreatment complete blood counts were extracted from electronic medical records of the patients, and analyzed. Treatment outcomes, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated.

Results

Low lymphocyte percentage and a high NLR were associated with younger age, advanced stage, larger tumor size, lymph nodes metastasis, and treatment failure. The cut-off value for lymphocyte percentage and NLR was determined using a receiver operating characteristic curve. In univariate analysis, low lymphocyte percentage (≤24%) was associated with poor PFS and OS, while high NLR (>2.8) was significantly associated only with PFS. In multivariate analysis, both lymphocyte percentage (hazard ratio [HR], 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.40–0.85; P=0.005) and NLR (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.07–2.25; P=0.022) had independent prognostic value for PFS. Compared to younger patients (age ≤50 years), older patients (age >60 years) had a lower risk of death.

Conclusion

Although the lymphocyte percentage did not remain significant in multivariate analysis for OS, it was predictive of PFS and OS. Thus, lymphocyte percentage is a simple hematologic parameter with a significant prognostic value in patients with LACC treated with definitive RT.

Pretreatment neutrophil to lymphocyte and platelet to lymphocyte ratios as predictive factors for the survival of cervical adenocarcinoma patients

Objective

Our study assessed the clinical utility and prognostic value of pretreatment hematological parameters and calculated coefficients including the platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR) in patients with cervical adenocarcinoma (CA).

Materials and methods

Among 738 cervical cancer patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages IA–IV treated at our institution, 96 (13%) presented with CA histology. The blood samples, collected within 10 days before treatment, were analyzed using a Sysmex XN-2000 system. The statistical tests included Mann–Whitney U-tests, log-rank tests, and Cox regression models. The cutoff points for the calculated hematological coefficients (NLR, PLR, and MLR) were determined using the MedCalc statistical program.

Results

The prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in CA was clinical stage according to FIGO classification (FIGO IIB–IV vs I–IIA) (P=0.0001; P=0.002). Among patients with FIGO stage IIB–IV treated with radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy, an elevated PLR was a negative prognostic factor for OS (P=0.017; HR: 2.96; 95% CI: 2.069–3.853). Among all patients, an elevated pretreatment NLR was a poor prognostic factor for OS (P=0.014; HR: 2.85; 95% CI: 2.011–3.685) and RFS (P=0.049; HR: 4.0; 95% CI: 2.612–5.392). The white blood cell count (WBC) before treatment was significantly higher in patients who died during follow-up (P=0.009).

Conclusion

Elevated NLR values before treatment may be associated with a shorter time of RFS and OS, while PLR index may have prognostic significance for OS in patients with advanced disease (FIGO IIB–IV). Both indexes and WBC may be a cost-effective biomarker that can be used conveniently for stratification of recurrence risk and death.

Down-regulation of lncRNA snaR is correlated with postoperative distant recurrence of HPV-negative cervical squamous cell carcinoma

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) snaR is a newly identified lncRNA with known functionality only in colon cancer. Our study was carried out to investigate the involvement of lncRNA snaR in human papillomaviruses (HPV)-negative cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). In the present study, plasma levels of lncRNA snaR in 108 patients with HPV-negative CSCC at stage I and II, and 35 healthy female controls were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. ROC curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of lncRNA snaR for HPV-negative CSCC. All patients were subjected to surgical resection and followed-up for 5 years to record cancer recurrence. lncRNA snaR expression vectors were transfected into HPV-negative CSCC cells. Cell migration and invasion ability were evaluated by Transwell migration and invasion assay, respectively. Expression levels of TGF-β1 were determined by Western blot. It was observed that lncRNA snaR was down-regulated in HPV-negative CSCC patients comparing with healthy controls. Down-regulation of lncRNA snaR effectively distinguished HPV-negative CSCC patients from healthy controls. lncRNA snaR was further down-regulated in patients with distant recurrence (DR) but not in patients with local-recurrence or without recurrence. lncRNA snaR overexpression decreased TGF-β1 expression in CSCC cells, while exogenous TGF-β1 treatment showed no significant effects on lncRNA snaR expression. lncRNA snaR overexpression inhibited cancer cell migration and invasion, while TGF-β1 treatment attenuated the inhibitory effect of lncRNA snaR overexpression on cancer cell migration and invasion. We therefore conclude that down-regulation of lncRNA snaR may induce postoperative DR of HPV-negative CSCC possibly through the interactions with TGF-β1.

The pretreatment platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts clinical outcomes in patients with cervical cancer: A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been reported to possess significant prognostic value in multiple types of cancer. However, its prognostic value in patients with cervical remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic value of pretreatment PLR in cervical cancer.

METHODS

We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases to identify studies evaluating the prognostic significance of the pretreatment PLR in patients with cervical cancer. The end points were overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and clinicopathological parameters. All statistical analyses were conducted with Stata 13.0.

RESULTS

A total of 12 studies comprising 3668 patients with cervical cancer were included. Elevated PLR was significantly correlated with poor OS [hazard ratio (HR): 1.56, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.32-1.85, P < .001] and DFS/PFS (HR = 1.56; 95% CI = 1.26-1.94; P < .001). In addition, elevated PLR was highly correlated with lymphovascular space invasion (+), lymph node metastasis (+), tumor size (>4 cm), grade (G3).

CONCLUSION

The pretreatment PLR could serve as a predicative biomarker of poor prognosis for patients with cervical cancer.

Prognostic significance of pre-treatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios in non-surgically treated uterine cervical carcinoma

The aim of the present study was to assess the prognostic significance of the pre-treatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and other clinicopathological characteristics in patients with non-surgically treated uterine cervical carcinoma. The correlations of clinicopathological characteristics with overall and progression-free survival were determined in 98 Japanese patients who received non-surgical treatment for uterine cervical carcinoma between January 1997 and July 2013. Survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and potential prognostic indicators were assessed using a Cox proportional hazards model. A total of 68 patients (69.4%) had a high pre-treatment NLR (≥3.5) and 34 patients (34.7%) had a high pre-treatment PLR (≥212). Both NLR and PLR were found to be positively correlated with pre-treatment platelet counts. Multivariate analysis identified NLR and carcinoembryonic antigen level, but not PLR, as independent predictors of overall and progression-free survival. In conclusion, the present study identified two prognostic indicators for uterine cervical carcinoma, both of which can be easily and cost-effectively monitored via blood testing.

Prognostic Value of Fluorine-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose Uptake of Bone Marrow on Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography for Prediction of Disease Progression in Cervical Cancer

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake of bone marrow (BM) on positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography in patients with uterine cervical cancer.

METHODS

One hundred forty-five patients with cervical cancer who underwent staging FDG PET/computed tomography and subsequent surgical resection or chemoradiotherapy were retrospectively enrolled in the study. Mean BM FDG uptake (BM standardized uptake value [SUV]) and BM-to-liver uptake ratio of FDG uptake (BLR) were measured. Relationships of BM SUV and BLR with hematologic and inflammatory markers were evaluated. Prognostic values of PET parameters for predicting disease progression-free survival and distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS) were assessed with a Cox proportional hazards regression model.

RESULTS

Bone marrow SUV and BLR were significantly correlated with white blood cell count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage (P = 0.048), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (P = 0.028), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR; P = 0.004), maximum SUV of cervical cancer (P = 0.030), and BLR (P = 0.031) were significantly associated with progression-free survival, whereas lymph node metastasis (P = 0.041), PLR (P = 0.002), and BLR (P = 0.025) were significantly associated with DRFS. In a patient subgroup with chemoradiotherapy, BLR (P = 0.044) was still an independent prognostic factor for predicting DRFS in multivariate analysis along with PLR (P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with cervical cancer, BLR is associated with an increased risk of disease progression and distant recurrence.

An inflammation-based cumulative prognostic score system in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma in rituximab era

Background

Systemic inflammatory parameters are associated with poor outcomes in malignant patients. Several inflammation-based cumulative prognostic score systems were established for various solid tumors. However, there is few inflammation based cumulative prognostic score system for patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 564 adult DLBCL patients who had received rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (R-CHOP) therapy between Nov 1 2006 and Dec 30 2013 and assessed the prognostic significance of six systemic inflammatory parameters evaluated in previous studies by univariate and multivariate analysis:C-reactive protein(CRP), albumin levels, the lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR), the platelet-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)and fibrinogen levels.

Results

Multivariate analysis identified CRP, albumin levels and the LMR are three independent prognostic parameters for overall survival (OS). Based on these three factors, we constructed a novel inflammation-based cumulative prognostic score (ICPS) system. Four risk groups were formed: group ICPS = 0, ICPS = 1, ICPS = 2 and ICPS = 3. Advanced multivariate analysis indicated that the ICPS model is a prognostic score system independent of International Prognostic Index (IPI) for both progression-free survival (PFS) (p < 0.001) and OS (p < 0.001). The 3-year OS for patients with ICPS =0, ICPS =1, ICPS =2 and ICPS =3 were 95.6, 88.2, 76.0 and 62.2%, respectively (p < 0.001). The 3-year PFS for patients with ICPS = 0–1, ICPS = 2 and ICPS = 3 were 84.8, 71.6 and 54.5%, respectively (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The prognostic value of the ICPS model indicated that the degree of systemic inflammatory status was associated with clinical outcomes of patients with DLBCL in rituximab era. The ICPS model was shown to classify risk groups more accurately than any single inflammatory prognostic parameters. These findings may be useful for identifying candidates for further inflammation-related mechanism research or novel anti-inflammation target therapies.

Prognostic nutritional index as a predictor of survival in patients with recurrent cervical cancer

Systemic inflammatory responses (SIRs) can help predict survival in various cancers. The present study investigated the accuracy of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in predicting survival for patients with recurrent cervical cancer. A retrospective review of prognoses examined the associations among NLR, PLR, and PNI, and clinical characteristics and survival in 79 patients with recurrent cervical cancer after undergoing concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) or radical hysterectomies with or without CCRT. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used for statistical analyses. In addition, 12-month, 24-month and overall survival were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox's proportional hazard regression was used for univariate and multivariate analyses. Median survival was 15.0 months over follow-up periods of 2–93 months. At the last follow-up point, 54 had succumbed to disease and 25 were alive with disease. In univariate analysis, NLR, PLR and PNI were significantly associated with 12-month, 24 month and overall survival (12 months: P=0.021, P=0.001 and P<0.001; 24 months: P=0.020, P=0.008 and P<0.001; overall; P=0.032, P=0.032 and P<0.001, respectively). In multivariate analyses, PNI was an independent prognostic factor for 12-month, 24-month and overall survival (P=0.001, P=0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). PNI is a useful predictor of survival of recurrent cervical cancer.

Prognostic significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The prognostic role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in cervical cancer are controversial. We conducted this meta-analysis to obtain a more accurate assessment of prognostic significance of NLR in cervical cancer.

RESULTS

A total of 9 studies, consisting of 2,804 patients, were selected in this meta-analysis. Our pooled results showed that high pre-treatment NLR level was significantly associated with poorer overall survival (HR: 1.88, 95% CI 1.30-2.73) and shorter progression free survival (HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.18-2.29). Additionally, increased NLR was also significantly correlated with tumor size (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.14-3.65), advanced FIGO stage (OR 2.12, 95% CI1.28-3.49) and lymph node involvement (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.65-3.04).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature search using the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase up to May 2016.Statistical analysis was performed using Stata 10.0.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated pretreatment NLR could serve as a predicative factor of poor prognosis for cervical cancer patients.

Prognostic value of the pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in cervical cancer: a meta-analysis and systematic review

The prognostic value of pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in cervical cancer remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis based on the data from 13 studies with 3729 patients to evaluate the association between the pretreatment NLR and the clinical outcomes of overall survival and progression-free survival in patients with cervical cancer. The relationship between NLR and clinicopathological parameters was also assessed. Hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as the effect size estimate. Our analysis indicated that elevated pretreatment NLR was a poor prognostic marker for patients with cervical cancer because it predicted unfavorable overall survival (HR = 1.375, 95% CI: 1.200–1.576) and progression-free survival (HR = 1.646, 95% CI: 1.313–2.065). Increased NLR is also significantly associated with the larger tumor size (OR = 1.780, 95% CI: 1.090–2.908), advanced clinical stage (OR = 2.443, 95% CI: 1.730–3.451), and positive lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.380, 95% CI: 1.775–3.190). By these results, high pretreatment NLR predicted a shorter survival period for patients with cervical cancer, and it could be served as a novel index of prognostic evaluation in patients with cervical cancer.

Comparison of clinical utilities of the platelet count and platelet-lymphocyte ratio for predicting survival in patients with cervical cancer: a single institutional study and literature review

Objective

To compare the clinical utilities of the platelet count and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) for predicting survival in patients with cervical cancer.

Results

Multivariate analyses demonstrated that thrombocytosis and elevated PLR were found to be independent prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS, P = 0.0077, P = 0.044) and overall survival (OS, P = 0.025, P = 0.019) in separate Multivariate analyses. In the ROC analysis, the platelet count showed a significantly greater area under the ROC curve (AUC) value than that of PLR for predicting patient recurrence (0.5941 versus 0.5331, p = 0.018) and survival (0.6139 versus 0.5468, p = 0.029). In patients without thrombocytosis, elevated PLR correlated with shorter survival (PFS, P = 0.041; OS, P = 0.017). In contrast, PLR in patients with thrombocytosis did not provide prognostic information. We divided patients into 3 prognostic groups using platelet counts and PLR: high-risk (thrombocytosis with any PLR); intermediate-risk (elevated PLR without thrombocytosis); low-risk (none of the above), which allowed for individualized and accurate survival estimates.

Materials and Methods

The baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of cervical cancer patients were identified. Patients were grouped according to their pretreatment platelet counts or PLR, and clinicopathological characteristics and patient survival were then compared between these groups. The clinical utilities of the platelet count and PLR were compared using a time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Conclusions

Pretreatment thrombocytosis and elevated PLR were identified as independent predictors in cervical cancer patients. Platelet counts were superior to PLR for predicting the prognosis of uterine cervical cancer patients. Our prognostic model consisting of platelet counts and PLR offers individualized survival estimates.

The C-reactive protein/albumin ratio predicts overall survival of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer

Recent studies have demonstrated the prognostic value of the C-reactive protein/albumin (CRP/Alb) ratio in cancer. However, the role of the CRP/Alb ratio in advanced pancreatic cancer (PC) has not been examined. A retrospective study of 233 patients with advanced PC was conducted. We investigated the relationship between the CRP/Alb ratio, clinicopathological variables, and overall survival (OS). The optimal cutoff point of the CRP/Alb ratio was 0.54. A higher CRP/Alb ratio was significantly associated with an elevated neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (P < 0.001) and higher modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) (P < 0.001). Using univariate analyses, we found that the age (P = 0.009), disease stage (P < 0.001), NLR (P < 0.001), mGPS (P < 0.001), and CRP/Alb ratio (P < 0.001) were significant predictors of OS. Patients with a higher CRP/Alb ratio had a worse OS than patients with a lower CRP/Alb ratio (hazard ratio (HR) 3.619; 95 % CI 2.681-4.886; P < 0.001). However, the CRP/Alb ratio was identified as the only inflammation-based parameter with an independent prognostic ability in the multivariate analyses (P < 0.001). The pretreatment CRP/Alb ratio is a superior prognostic and therapeutic predictor of OS in advanced PC.