The Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) and modified GPS (mGPS) have value in evaluating the prognosis of patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, with the continuous emergence of new research, the predictive value of GPS and mGPS for immunotherapy deserves further validation. The aim of the present study was to explore the predictive value of GPS or mGPS on the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with advanced cancer receiving ICIs. Eligible studies were systematically searched using the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library and Web of Science databases until November 2022. Published data were extracted and the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled. A total of 18 studies with 1,355 patients were included in the present study. Patients were divided into the low GPS/mGPS (0) and high GPS/mGPS (1/2/1-2) groups. Overall, the high GPS group had a shorter OS (HR, 2.88; 95% CI, 2.06-4.03) with high heterogeneity, and a shorter PFS (HR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.55-2.78) with low heterogeneity, compared with the low GPS group. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results were stable and the heterogeneity was significantly reduced from 56.4 to 30.3% after excluding one study. Subgroup analyses by score showed that GPS 1, GPS 2 and GPS 1-2 all had a poorer OS than GPS 0, with low heterogeneity. Overall, the high mGPS group had a poorer OS (HR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.76-3.72) with low heterogeneity, and a poorer PFS (HR, 2.55; 95% CI, 1.81-3.60) with high heterogeneity, compared with the low mGPS group. The combined effect size was consistent but the heterogeneity was not eliminated after sensitivity analysis. Subgroup analyses by country and score also showed that the country had no effect on the results and that mGPS 1, mGPS 2 and mGPS 1-2 had a poorer PFS than mGPS 0. Therefore, high GPS and mGPS may be effective biomarkers for predicting the survival of patients with cancer receiving ICIs. Patients with high GPS and mGPS may be considered for supportive treatment; however, large prospective trials are needed to validate these findings.

Only 15% to 20% of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) have access to surgical resection, which represents the only chance of curative treatment. Current resection classifications are almost exclusively anatomic and do not correlate sufficiently with patient survival. It is essential to develop preoperative prognostic factors to distinguish patients at high risk of early postoperative recurrence from those who will have prolonged survival after surgery. In some cases, PDACs may present biomolecular differences reflecting their aggressiveness that are not yet assessable by the current clinical-biologic assessment. This study aimed to assess the preoperative prognostic factors that are already available and the future perspectives being developed.

This study reviewed the literature using the PubMed public database for preoperative prognostic factors for resectable PDAC.

Validated preoperative prognostic factors, whether clinical, biologic, radiologic, or histologic, are very important in anticipating the course of each patient's disease. The identification of potential new prognostic biomarkers such as genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses and the dosage of circulating tumor DNA are very serious avenues to be developed, but the extraction and analysis techniques as well as the interpretation of their results need to be standardized in prospective studies.

The clinical significance of the prognostic immune nutritional index in esophageal cancer has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of the preoperative prognostic immune nutritional index in predicting oncological outcomes and the incidence of surgical site infection in patients with esophageal cancer.

We analyzed preoperative prognostic immune nutritional index from 150 esophageal cancer patients who underwent surgical treatment between 2008 and 2018 to clarify its clinical relevance.

Patients with low preoperative prognostic immune nutritional index exhibited poor disease-free survival and overall survival (P = 0.030 and P < 0.001, respectively). Although statistical significance was not observed in the multivariate analysis, low prognostic immune nutritional index showed a tendency toward poorer disease-free survival (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88-4.61; P = 0.096). Regarding overall survival, multivariate analysis revealed that low preoperative prognostic immune nutritional index was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (HR: 2.67; 95% CI: 1.39-5.16; P = 0.003). Moreover, the low preoperative prognostic immune nutritional index was associated with a tendency toward an increased risk of surgical site infection (odds ratio: 2.38; 95% CI: 0.96-5.91; P = 0.062). In the subgroup analysis of patients who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy, low preoperative prognostic immune nutritional index was identified as an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival (HR: 3.11; 95% CI: 1.00-9.71; P = 0.050) and overall survival (HR: 5.04; 95% CI: 1.80-14.13; P = 0.002).

The preoperative prognostic immune nutritional index is a useful marker for perioperative and oncological management of esophageal cancer patients.

The role of systemic inflammation, a significant prognostic factor in various malignancies, is underexplored in mucinous appendix cancer (MAC). We assessed how inflammation, expressed by preoperative serum C-reactive protein (CRP), correlates with survival across MAC histopathologies managed with cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC).

This retrospective cohort study included MAC patients with peritoneal dissemination, who had complete CRS/HIPEC (CC-0/1) (1998-2023). Preoperative serum CRP cut-off was defined with the minimum p-value approach and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression.

Of 273 patients, 163 had low-grade and 110 had high-grade MAC. CRP cut-off was 2.00 mg/dL. Among low-grade, 132 patients had CRP<2 and 31 had CRP≥2. In high-grade, 87 patients had CRP<2 and 23 had CRP≥2. Median follow-up was 86 (95%CI: 48-124) months. In low-grade MAC, 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 88.5 % in CRP<2 and 53.9 % in CRP≥2 (p < 0.001), while 5-year overall survival (OS) was 89.2 % and 85.4 %, respectively (p = 0.018). In high-grade tumors, 5-year PFS was 46.5 % in CRP<2 and 19.3 % in CRP≥2 (p = 0.011), while 5-year OS was 56.5 % and 45.3 %, respectively (p = 0.291). Multivariate Cox regression showed a strong association of CRP≥2 with worse PFS (HR 5.10; 95%CI: 2.46-10.58) and OS (HR 3.18; 95%CI: 1.22-8.28) in low-grade MAC only.

Elevated pre-CRS/HIPEC serum CRP was associated with worse PFS and OS in low-grade, but not in high-grade MAC. These findings highlight CRP's utility in prognosis assessment and can be useful in identifying target MAC subgroups for studying anti-inflammatory agents.

This study aimed to evaluate the utility of peritoneovenous shunt (PVS) placement for refractory ascites (RA) based on preoperative biomarkers.

This retrospective cohort study included patients with malignant and cirrhotic RA undergoing PVS placement treated at Sumoto Itsuki Hospital between January 2001 and March 2024. The efficacy of PVSs was defined according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). The usefulness of the prognostic nutritional index, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, and C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio as prognostic indicators for the efficiency of PVS was evaluated.

In total, 149 consecutive patients (malignant RA, n = 100; cirrhotic RA, n = 49) were included in this study. PVS placement satisfied the efficacy criteria for ascites in 102 (68%) patients in the entire cohort. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≤ 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 was an independent predictor for the inefficacy of PVSs (odds ratio: 2.82, 95% CI: 1.04-7.73, P = 0.042). Based on receiver operating characteristic curve and multivariate analysis of the entire cohort, NLR ≥ 5.8 was an independent risk factor for death within 1 week after PVS placement (odds ratio: 18.2, 95% CI: 2.07-29.7, P = 0.016).

PVS placement for RA may be a treatment option when preoperative eGFR is > 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and NLR is < 5.8.

Preoperative survival prognostication is the main factor to consider when selecting patients who will benefit from metastatic spine surgery. Since patients' selection for surgery is not fully standardized, we aim to identify clinical, oncological and biological markers associated with poor post-operative prognosis.

A retrospective analysis was conducted in 105 patients referred to a specialized center for surgery of spinal metastasis between October 2020 and January 2022. Detailed clinical and biological variables were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess overall survival.

Among the 105 patients included, One-third died within six months. Multivariate survival analysis identified age, Karnofsky score, hyperalgesia and C-reactive protein (CRP) as independently associated with shorter survival. Patients with CRP values above 100 mg/L had a 57% mortality rate at three months. Hyperalgesic patients had a higher mortality rate at three months (p = 0.047), and preoperative use of strong opioids was significantly associated with lower rates of pain relief (p = 0.042). However, pre-operative neurological deficits did not significantly impact survival prognosis (p = 0.92) and were fully corrected by surgery in half of the cases.

Incorporating biological markers of inflammation, particularly CRP levels above 100 mg/L, into pre-operative multidisciplinary discussions could improve patient selection for surgery. Hyperalgesic presentation should weigh against surgery, unlike incomplete neurological deficits. This study pointed new clinical and biological markers for short term post-operative survival. Further studies are needed to develop accurate prognosis models to help clinical decision-making.

Background/Objectives: Ovarian germ cell tumors are rare, and determining prognostic factors is crucial for individualizing management strategies. We aimed to determine an optimal neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) cut-off value for predicting survival outcomes in malignant ovarian germ cell tumors, and to evaluate the prognostic significance of NLR in these tumors. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included women diagnosed with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors who underwent surgery at Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa between 2000 and 2024. Patients with benign tumors; incomplete follow-up; inaccessible data; history of hematological or rheumatic diseases; inflammatory conditions such as diabetes mellitus, asthma, or renal failure; as well as those with acute/chronic infections or sepsis were excluded. Data collected included demographic characteristics, surgical and pathological findings, chemotherapy details, disease progression, survival outcomes, and laboratory values at preoperative, postoperative, and post-chemotherapy time points. The NLR was calculated and compared for overall survival and disease-free survival. Results: The study included 44 patients with a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of malignant ovarian germ cell tumors. The NLR cut-off value for survival prediction was determined as 3.69 using the ROC curve. The effect of preoperative NLR on overall survival was found to be significant. The median overall survival was significantly lower in the group with NLR ≥ 3.69 (153.2 months) compared to the group with NLR < 3.69 (234 months) (p = 0.010). However, there was no statistically significant difference in median disease-free survival between the NLR ≥ 3.69 group (159.3 months) and the NLR < 3.69 group (215 months). Conclusions: The preoperative NLR was found to have a significant impact on overall survival but not on disease-free survival. A cut-off value of 3.69 can be used to assess short survival time.

Background and Objectives: CRC is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. New biomarkers are needed to identify the high-risk patient population after primary treatment and to personalize and perfect treatment and follow-up. Indicators of cancer-associated systemic inflammatory response, such as the LMR, have been widely investigated and have yielded conflicting results. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of preoperative LMR on the prognosis of recurrent CRC. Materials and Methods: We included 204 patients admitted to our center for recurrent CRC between January 2010 and January 2015. Retrospectively, we investigated the preoperative LMR data and its effect on RFS and OS. Results: The cut-off value of LMR was 24.72 and, according to this value, we created two groups: LMR-H and LMR-L. There were 104 (50.9%) patients in the H group and 100 (49.1%) patients in the L group. The median OS was 38.0 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 30.66-45.33) for the L group and 49.0 months (95% CI: 44.06-53.94) for the H group. Overall population median OS was calculated as 44.0 months (95% CI: 40.1-47.8, p = 0.004). Median RFS was 21.3 months (95% CI: 18.3-24.2) for the LMR-L group and 28.39 months (95% CI: 24.9-31.8) for the LMR-H group (p = 0.004). Conclusions: The association between the LMR at diagnosis and early recurrence, as well as survival outcomes, was investigated in patients with recurrent CRC. Higher preoperative LMR levels were found to correlate with improved OS and RFS.

To analyze the prognostic value of N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and other biomarkers of inflammation in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) treated with [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE (Lutathera®). The prognostic value of histological characteristics of the tumor was also analyzed.

Prospective study of a cohort of patients with advanced and metastatic NETs treated with [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE. Before the administration of doses, NT-proBNP, hemoglobin, hematocrit, C-reactive protein, leukocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been determined. Overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) were calculated, using the Kaplan-Meier method, and curves were compared with a log-rank test. To determine the predictor variables of OS, a Cox regression model was fitted.

48 NET patients treated with [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE. Median OS was 96 months and PFS was 29 months. Factors associated with lower OS were: NTproBNP values>300 pg/mL (HR: 10,5; p = 0,005) in the subgroup of patients with grades 2-3, in addition to inflammatory indices NLR > 2 (HR: 3,87; p = 0,049) and PLR > 300 (HR: 11,88; p = 0,01) and higher tumor grade (HR: 6,45; p = 0,011). PLR > 300 (HR: 5,506; p = 0,003) was also associated with lower PFS. In contrast, higher levels of lymphocytes (HR: 0,21; p = 0,002), hemoglobin (HR: 0,65; p = 0,041) and hematocrit (HR: 0,862; p = 0,031) were associated with higher OS, without significant changes in PFS.

In patients with NETs treated with [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE, the determination of natriuretic factors (NT-ProBNP) and other inflammatory biomarkers may be useful as predictors of survival and prognostic factors.

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether albumin levels and the ratios of key biochemical markers, including the hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet (HALP score) and lymphocyte/C-reactive protein ratio (LCR), can predict survival and recurrence in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Materials and Methods: A total of 87 patients who underwent surgery for pancreatic adenocarcinoma in our clinic between January 2017 and December 2021 were included. Preoperative albumin levels, HALP scores, and LCR values were calculated and analyzed to evaluate their predictive value for pathological findings in the early postoperative period. Results: The mean age of the study population was 64.8 ± 9.6 years; 59 patients (67.8%) were male, and 28 (32.2%) were female. The cut-off values for HALP, LCR, and albumin were 34.4, 0.61, and 38.55, respectively. Patients with low HALP scores had significantly shorter overall survival than those with high scores (15.8 vs. 19.3 months; p < 0.01). Similarly, patients with low LCR scores showed shorter survival than those with high scores (17.8 vs. 18.5 months; p < 0.01). High albumin levels were associated with significantly longer survival compared to low albumin levels (16.3 vs. 14.6 months; p < 0.01). Conclusions: Low HALP scores and low albumin levels were identified as significant independent prognostic factors for both disease-free and overall survival in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

To predict oncological outcomes and select appropriate treatments for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), pre-treatment predictors such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are being used. This study aims to evaluate whether NLR is an independent predictor of disease and disease recurrence in NMIBC patients.

In this prospective clinical study, from March 2018 to March 2023, preoperative NLR values were monitored in 99 patients newly diagnosed with NMIBC, who were initially treated with trans-urethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and adjuvant intravesical therapy. To evaluate the best NLR cutoff points to predict recurrence, the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve and the Youden index were used. The monitoring period was 24 months.

With the cutoff value of NLR = 1.73, there is a statistically significant correlation (p = 0.008) between the NLR value and the increased risk of recurrence. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses show the significant prognostic impact of NLR on the recurrence of the disease.

The value of NLR > 1.73 is a significant preoperative predictor in risk assessment and will help with proper selection of treatment in the high- and intermediate-risk groups of patients.

We investigated whether dietary intakes of saturated fat (SFA), monounsaturated fat (MUFA), or polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) were associated with plasma inflammatory markers among breast cancer survivors in Korea. This cross-sectional study included 419 female breast cancer survivors aged 30 to 78 years. Dietary intake was assessed using 3-day dietary records (DRs) or food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). Plasma levels of adiponectin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured. We calculated an inflammatory composite score by summing the z-scores of each inflammatory marker, with adiponectin assigned a negative sign. Least-squares means (LS-means) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of inflammatory markers were estimated according to SFA, MUFA, and PUFA intakes using the generalized linear models. We found that increasing dietary MUFA intake was associated with increasing levels of adiponectin, but decreasing levels of hs-CRP (p for trend = 0.042 and 0.032, respectively). Similarly, higher dietary PUFA intake was associated with higher levels of adiponectin (p for trend = 0.023), but lower levels of hs-CRP and inflammatory composite score (p for trend < 0.001 and 0.036, respectively). However, no significant associations were found between SFA intake and plasma inflammatory markers. In conclusion, our results suggest that a higher intake of MUFA or PUFA is associated with a more favorable inflammatory profile among Korean female breast cancer survivors, which may potentially help in managing chronic inflammation.

Background: Colorectal cancer affects a large number of patients worldwide, with numerous factors being involved in its etiopathogenesis and chronic inflammation playing an essential role in tumor development. In this study, we analyzed and compared several markers of inflammation that are relatively easy to obtain for a rapid and accurate diagnosis and prognosis. Methods: This study included 219 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer, analyzing the inflammation scores derived from their blood cells and inflammatory circulating proteins. These inflammatory markers are neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio-NLR; platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio-PLR; lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio-LMR; systemic immune inflammation index-SII; systemic inflammatory response index-SIRI; aggregate index of systemic inflammation-AISI; derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio-dNLR; C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio-CAR; and fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio-FAR. In the analysis of patients with colorectal cancer, we have also introduced two new recently developed inflammatory markers: the cumulative inflammatory index (IIC) and the ratio between the mean corpuscular volume and lymphocytes (MCVL). This study aimed to correlate the inflammatory markers' levels with the colorectal cancer diagnostic stage, the tumor and clinical characteristics of the colorectal cancer patients, and 36 months' survival time and to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic capacity and accuracy of these inflammatory markers in this type of cancer. Results: We showed that the levels of the analyzed inflammation markers correlate with the TNM stage, the tumor pathological differentiation grade, the age and gender of the patients, and overall survival, with their increased levels being associated with a lower survival rate. Conclusions: The analyzed markers, which are easy to perform right from the patient's admission, can be helpful both in diagnosis and, mostly, in prognosis, sustaining the role of inflammation in cancer. By comparing them, we showed which one can be useful for increased sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.

The standard treatment for breast cancer typically includes surgery, often followed by systemic therapy and individualized treatment regimens. However, there is growing interest in identifying pre-therapeutic biomarkers that can predict tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). This study systematically evaluated various analytical parameters, including age, TNM stage, histological type, molecular subtype, and several biomarker ratios, such as the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI). We aimed to assess the predictive value of these parameters regarding the tumor's response rate to NACT. The analysis revealed a statistically significant association between the pathological complete response-pCR (absence of any detectable cancer cells in the tissue following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT))-rate and NLR in the subgroup with values between 1 and 3 (p = 0.001). The optimal cut-off for PLR was determined to be 120.45, with 80.55% of patients achieving pCR showing PLR values below this threshold (p = 0.000). Similarly, the LMR cut-off was found to be 12.34, with 77.77% of patients with pCR having LMR values below this threshold (p = 0.002). Additionally, lower pre-therapeutic values of NLR (p < 0.001), PLR (p = 0.002), SII (p = 0.001), and LMR (p = 0.001) were significantly correlated with pCR compared to the non-pCR subgroup (p < 0.005). These findings highlight the predictive potential of these biomarkers for achieving pCR following NACT. Our study supports the hypothesis that pre-therapeutic values of NLR, PLR, SII, and LMR can serve as predictive biomarkers for pCR in breast cancer patients undergoing NACT. However, the PNI did not demonstrate predictive potential in relation to pCR. These biomarkers may provide valuable insights into patient prognosis and guide personalized treatment strategies.

Background: Cervical cancer, primarily driven by persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, remains a significant global health challenge. Systemic inflammatory markers, such as neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), may reflect disease progression. This study examines the association between these markers and p16 positivity in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) cases. Methods: This retrospective analysis included 395 patients undergoing LEEP conization. Data on HPV status, p16 immunostaining, and hematological parameters were collected. Statistical analyses, including Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests, assessed relationships between markers and outcomes, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Elevated NLR was significantly associated with p16 positivity (p = 0.011) and HPV DNA positivity (p = 0.04). HPV-positive individuals showed higher mean NLR (2.15) compared to HPV-negative individuals (1.61). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated moderate diagnostic accuracy for NLR (AUC = 0.610), highlighting its potential as a biomarker. No significant associations were observed for PLR or LMR with p16 positivity. These findings suggest systemic inflammation, indicated by NLR, contributes to HPV persistence and CIN progression. Conclusions: NLR is a valuable prognostic biomarker for HPV-related cervical disease, correlating with both p16 and HPV DNA positivity. Incorporating hematological and immunohistochemical markers may enhance personalized cervical cancer management.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an essential biomarker for evaluating penile cancer prognosis. Previous studies have reported conflicting outcomes concerning the correlation between CRP levels and penile cancer prognosis. This study aimed to investigate this relationship by conducting a meta-analysis of published literature.

A systematic literature search was conducted using the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase databases to analyze the prognostic significance of serum CRP levels in individuals diagnosed with penile cancer. Pooled risk estimates were calculated using fixed-effects or random-effects models, depending on the degree of interstudy heterogeneity.

Sixty-eight articles were reviewed, identifying 8 articles and 989 patients that met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. The pooled analysis revealed a significant association between serum CRP levels and adverse outcomes in penile cancer cases (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.46-3.858). Additional meta-analysis findings showed a negative correlation between elevated CRP levels and overall survival (HR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.23-3.16, p<0.01), cancer-specific survival (HR = 3.42, 95% CI = 1.38-8.47, p<0.01), and disease-specific survival (HR = 3.23, 95% CI = 1.79-5.8, p<0.01) in patients with penile cancer. In the subgroup analysis, the HRs (95% CI) were 1.66 (0.61-4.48) in Europeans, 3.08 (2-4.74) in Asians, 3.04 (1.93-4. 77) in Chinese, 2.07 (1.21-3.53) in the group of cutoff value ≥ 5 mg/L, 2.43 (1.44-4.12) in the group of cutoff value ≥ 10 mg/L, 2.12 (1.04-4.32) in the group of surgical intervention, and 3.07 (1.76-5.37) in the group of multitherapy. This study also found a significant relationship between serum CRP levels and lymph node metastasis in patients with penile cancer (relative risk = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.61-3.2, p<0.01).

This meta-analysis indicates that increased CRP levels were associated with a poorer prognosis in penile cancer. Therefore, CRP levels could potentially serve as a prognostic indicator of penile cancer.

Background/Objectives: Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity worldwide, and refining prognostic tools is essential for individualized patient management. Recent evidence suggests that the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), derived from routine blood tests, may offer valuable prognostic insights. This study aimed to evaluate whether SII can reliably predict clinical outcomes for patients undergoing curative resection. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with histologically confirmed breast cancer who underwent surgical intervention at a single tertiary center. Preoperative complete blood counts were used to calculate SII. Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, we identified an optimal SII cutoff. Using statistical tests, including t-tests and ANOVA, we examined differences in clinicopathological factors between low- and high-SII groups. Using univariate and multivariate analyses, we explored associations between SII and variables such as tumor stage and hormone receptor status. Results: Patients with elevated SII levels showed significant associations with more advanced tumor stage and systemic inflammatory profiles. The identified SII cutoff separated patients into distinct risk groups, and high SII values correlated with poorer prognostic features. Multivariate models indicated that SII provided additional predictive value beyond standard markers. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that SII may provide prognostic insights into breast cancer, particularly in stratifying patients based on inflammatory profiles. However, the current study does not support the use of SII as a clinical tool for tailoring treatment strategies. Further preclinical and randomized controlled trials are required to determine its predictive utility and to assess its potential integration into personalized management approaches.

Antibiotic therapy is pivotal in deep neck space infections, yet inappropriate use and antibiotic resistance impact patient outcomes.

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of admission prognostic nutritional index (PNI) as a prognostic marker.

Data from 81 hospitalized patients (mean age 33.9 years) with deep neck space infections confirmed by CT scans were analyzed (Nov 2020 - Sep 2023). PNI, derived from serum albumin and lymphocyte count, was calculated. Primary outcome was antibiotic resistance; secondary outcome was length-of-stay.

Patients with antibiotic resistance (n = 24) had significantly lower PNI (mean 47.3, SD = 9.2) compared to the non-resistant group (n = 57, mean 57.5, SD = 12.2), P < 0.001. Adjusted multivariable analysis showed PNI as a significant predictor of antibiotic resistance (OR = 0.908, 95% CI 0.837-0.984, P = 0.004). ROC analysis established a PNI cut-off of 51.5 with 59% sensitivity and 80% specificity. Linear regression revealed decreasing PNI associated with prolonged length-of-hospital stays (adjusted R-squared = 0.40, P = 0.010).

The study underscores PNI's potential as a prognostic marker for deep neck space infections, particularly in predicting antibiotic resistance and length of hospital stay. Lower PNI values correlate with compromised nutritional and immune status, suggesting its clinical relevance for personalized treatment strategies.

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of radical resection and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy on the survival benefit in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), stratified by age, frailty, and other factors in actual clinical practice.

We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological and follow-up data of 414 patients with PDAC who underwent surgical resection at nine institutions under the Yamaguchi Pancreat/Biliary Disease Study Group, between January 1997 and December 2016. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Associations between survival and prognostic factors were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses.

There were 30.5% of patients with PDAC who were aged < 65 years, 37.9% aged 65-74 years, 17.6% aged 75-79 years, and 14.0% aged ≥ 80 years. Notably, RFS declined with increasing age (median RFS: 12.9, 10.2, 9.4, and 7.4 months, respectively), although the differences were not significant (p = 0.223). OS significantly decreased with age (median OS: 21.6, 21.2, 17.0, and 13.9 months, respectively; p = 0.005). In patients aged < 75 years, independent prognostic factors identified by univariate and multivariate analyses included lymph node metastasis (hazard ratio [HR], 1.598; p = 0.007), tumor size (HR, 1.489; p = 0.043), R status (HR, 1.536; p = 0.011), and serum albumin levels (HR, 1.526; p = 0.031). In patients aged ≥ 75 years, a high modified frailty index (HR, 2.446; p = 0.012) emerged as an independent prognostic factor, along with lymph node metastasis, CA19-9 level (HR, 1.897; p = 0.017), and R status (HR, 2.087; p = 0.007).

The prognosis for older patients with PDAC was shorter than that of younger patients. Frailty may contribute to their poorer prognosis in older age.

The main goal of the present research is to explore the potential link of body mass index (BMI) with different survival metrics in breast cancer patients. Our aim is to offer the latest and most thorough meta-analysis, assessing the strength and reliability of the connection that BMI has with prognostic indicators in this disease.

As of January 2024, we conducted a systematic literature search across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases. Our search aimed to identify studies examining BMI as an exposure factor, with breast cancer patients constituting the study population, and utilizing adjusted hazard ratio (HR) as the data type of interest.

The evidence synthesis incorporated a total of 61 eligible articles involving 201,006 patients. Being underweight posed a risk factor for overall survival (OS) in breast cancer patients compared to normal weight (HR 1.15, 95% CI 0.98-1.35; P = 0.08). Overweight or obesity, in comparison to normal weight, was a risk factor for OS (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.14-1.23; P < 0.00001), disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.08-1.13; P < 0.00001), relapse-free survival (RFS) (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06-1.22; P = 0.03), and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.11-1.26; P < 0.00001), but not for progression-free survival (PFS) (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.76-1.10; P = 0.33). Notably, in subgroup analyses, overweight patients achieved prolonged PFS (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.64-0.99; P = 0.04), and compared to the obese population, the overweight cohort exhibited a significant difference in OS (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.05-1.16; P < 0.00001) and DFS (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03-1.10; P = 0.0004), with a considerably stronger association. Furthermore, compared to HER- patients, HER + patients exhibited a greater predictive value for OS (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.10-1.37; P = 0.0004), RFS (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.03-1.64; P < 0.00001), and DFS (HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.03-1.17; P = 0.003).

The results of our meta-analysis reveal a notable association between BMI and various survival measures in breast cancer prognosis. These findings provide a solid basis for predicting breast cancer outcomes and implementing more effective therapeutic approaches.

To balance benefits and risks of cancer treatment in older patients, prognostic information is needed. The Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), composed of albumin and C-reactive protein (CRP), might provide such information. This study first aims to investigate the association between GPS and frailty, functional decline, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) decline as indicators of health problems in older patients with cancer. The second aim is to study the predictive value of GPS for mortality, in addition to clinical predictors.

This prospective cohort study included patients aged ≥70 years with a solid malignant tumor who underwent a geriatric assessment and blood sampling before treatment initiation. GPS was calculated using serum albumin and CRP measured in batch, categorized into normal (0) and abnormal GPS (1-2). Outcomes were all-cause mortality and a composite outcome of decline in daily functioning and/or HRQoL, or mortality at one year follow-up. Daily functioning was assessed by Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living questionnaires and HRQoL by the EQ-5D-3L and EQ-VAS questionnaires.

In total, 192 patients with a median age of 77 years (interquartile range 72.3-81.0) were included. Patients with abnormal GPS were more often frail compared to those with normal GPS (79 % vs. 63 %, p = 0.03). Patients with abnormal GPS had higher mortality rates after one year compared to those with normal GPS (48 % vs. 23 %, p < 0.01) in unadjusted analysis. Abnormal GPS was associated with increased mortality risk (hazard ratio 2.8, 95 % CI 1.7-4.8). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of age, distant metastasis, tumor site, comorbidity, and malnutrition combined was 0.73 (0.68-0.83) for mortality prediction, and changed to 0.78 (0.73-0.86) with GPS (p = 0.10). The composite outcome occurred in 88 % of patients with abnormal GPS versus 83 % with normal GPS (p = 0.44).

Abnormal GPS was associated with frailty and mortality. The addition of GPS to clinical predictors showed a numerically superior mortality prediction in this cohort of older patients with cancer, although not statistically significant. While GPS may improve the stratification of future older patients with cancer, larger studies including older patients with similar tumor types are necessary to evaluate its clinical usefulness.

The TENT study is retrospectively registered at the Netherlands Trial Register (NTR), trial number NL8107. Date of registration: 22-10-2019.

Pancreatic cancer is characterized by an extremely poor prognosis and presents significant treatment challenges. Liver metastasis is the leading cause of death in patients with pancreatic cancer. Recent studies have highlighted the significant impact of neutrophils on tumor occurrence and progression, as well as their crucial role in the pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment. Neutrophil infiltration plays a critical role in the progression and prognosis of pancreatic cancer. Neutrophils contribute to pancreatic cancer liver metastasis through various mechanisms, including angiogenesis, immune suppression, immune evasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Therefore, targeting neutrophils holds promise as an important therapeutic strategy for inhibiting pancreatic cancer liver metastasis. This article provides a summary of research findings on the involvement of neutrophils in pancreatic cancer liver metastasis and analyzes their potential as therapeutic targets. This research may provide new insights for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and improve the prognosis of patients with this disease.

Systemic inflammatory response represented by C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) was shown to be associated with long-term outcome in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative CAR in patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC.

We searched four databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane Library) from inception to May 10th, 2024. Studies investigating the prognostic value of preoperative CAR in HCC patients after hepatectomy. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Data from individual studies were aggregated to calculate the pooled hazard ratio (HR) using a random-effects model.

A total of 11 studies included 4,066 patients were finally analyzed in the meta-analysis. Overall, the higher preoperative CAR was associated with poorer OS (HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.67 to 2.22, I 2 = 0%) and DFS (HR 1.79, 95% CI 1.59 to 2.02, I 2 = 0%) rate. Furthermore, subgroup analyses indicated that CAR could be a prognostic biomarker for patients with HCC regardless of regions and cut-off value.

Our meta-analysis indicates that higher preoperative CAR level is associated with poorer OS and DFS, it may be a good prognostic marker of survival outcomes after hepatectomy in patients with HCC. However, future prospective trials are necessary to validate the conclusion.

The study protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/uavt8).

This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) in patients with non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) who underwent nephrectomy.

Patients with non-metastatic ccRCC who underwent nephrectomy between 2013 and 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The GNRI was calculated within one week before surgery. The optimal cut-off value of GNRI was determined using X-tile software, and the patients were divided into a low GNRI group and a high GNRI group. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine prognostic factors. In addition, propensity score matching (PSM) was performed with a matching ratio of 1:3 to minimize the influence of confounding factors. Variables entered into the PSM model were as follows: sex, age, history of hypertension, history of diabetes, smoking history, BMI, tumor sidedness, pT stage, Fuhrman grade, surgical method, surgical approach, and tumor size.

A total of 645 patients were included in the final analysis, with a median follow-up period of 37 months (range: 1-112 months). The optimal cut-off value of GNRI was 98, based on which patients were divided into two groups: a low GNRI group (≤ 98) and a high GNRI group (> 98). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that OS (P < 0.001), CSS (P < 0.001) and RFS (P < 0.001) in the low GNRI group were significantly worse than those in the high GNRI group. Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis showed that GNRI was an independent prognostic factor of OS, CSS and RFS. Even after PSM, OS (P < 0.05), CSS (P < 0.05) and RFS (P < 0.05) in the low GNRI group were still worse than those in the high GNRI group. In addition, we observed that a low GNRI was associated with poor clinical outcomes in elderly subgroup (> 65) and young subgroup (≤ 65), as well as in patients with early (pT1-T2) and low-grade (Fuhrman I-II) ccRCC.

As a simple and practical tool for nutrition screening, the preoperative GNRI can be used as an independent prognostic indicator for postoperative patients with non-metastatic ccRCC. However, larger prospective studies are necessary to validate these findings.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is considered a biomarker of systemic inflammation and immune activation. However, its relationship with the risk of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between NLR and the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with COPD.

Data were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from January 1999 to December 2018. The calculation method of NLR involves dividing the neutrophil count by the lymphocyte count in the total blood cell count. The optimal NLR threshold associated with survival outcomes was determined using the maximally selected rank statistics method (MSRSM). The relationship between NLR and the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in COPD was investigated using a weighted multivariable Cox regression model. Additionally, restricted cubic spline (RCS) was employed to discuss the potential relationship between NLR patients in different groups and the risk of mortality.

In this study, 716 adults with COPD were included using the maximally selected rank statistics method, among whom 208 had higher NLR (≥2.56) and 508 had lower NLR (<2.56). During a median follow-up of 111.5 months, 162 COPD patients died from all causes, and 49 patients died from cardiovascular diseases. After adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle factors, the risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 2.07, 95%CI: 1.46-2.94) and cardiovascular mortality (HR = 3.03, 95%CI: 1.63-5.65) in patients with higher NLR was increased by 2-3 times compared to those with lower NLR. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed significantly lower survival rates in patients with higher NLR for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality (p < 0.05). Restricted cubic spline analysis showed a linear correlation between NLR and the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality.

NLR has a high value in independently predicting long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risks in community-dwelling COPD patients. Therefore, NLR can serve as a cost-effective and widely available indicator for assessing the prognosis of COPD patients.

Colorectal cancer peritoneal carcinomatosis (CRC PC) necessitates preoperative assessment of inflammatory markers to predict postoperative outcomes and guide treatment. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic value of preoperative Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), and Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) in predicting complications for CRC PC patients undergoing surgery.

Calculating NLR, PLR, and MPV from patient data: NLR = absolute neutrophil count/total lymphocyte count, PLR = total lymphocyte count/total platelet count × 100, and MPV = platelet crit (PCT)/total platelet count.

The study included 196 CRC PC patients and found significant relationships between these markers and overall survival (OS). Patients with an NLR of 3.77 had a median OS of 22.1 months, compared to 58.3 months for those with lower NLR (HR 2.7, 95% CI 1.1-5.3, p < 0.001).

For CRC PC patients undergoing CRS+HIPEC, preoperative assessment of NLR, PLR, and MPV can serve as independent prognostic markers for OS. Incorporating these markers into preoperative evaluations may improve patient selection and outcome prediction.

The effect of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on predicting prognosis of endometrial cancer (EC) patients has been widely analyzed, but no consistent findings are obtained. We therefore performed a meta-analysis for determining accurate role of PNI in predicting EC prognosis.

We comprehensively searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CNKI databases from inception till January 5, 2024. Correlation between PNI and survival outcomes in EC was evaluated by pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs).

There were altogether eight articles involving 3,164 patients enrolled into this meta-analysis. According to our pooled results, low PNI significantly predicted the dismal overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.72, 95%CI = 1.33-2.22, p < 0.001) and inferior progression-free survival (PFS)/disease-free survival (DFS)/recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR = 2.49, 95%CI = 1.62-3.84, p < 0.001) for EC patients. Furthermore, as revealed by our pooled results, a decreased PNI was significantly connected to FIGO stage III-IV (OR = 2.06, 95%CI = 1.42-2.99, p < 0.001), tumor grade of G3 (OR = 1.68, 95%CI = 1.32-2.14, p < 0.001), presence of lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) (OR = 1.72, 95%CI = 1.14-2.61, p = 0.010), and presence of myometrial invasion (MMI) (OR = 2.04, 95%CI = 1.51-2.77, p < 0.001) in EC.

According to our meta-analysis results, the decreased PNI is markedly related to poor OS and inferior PFS/DFS/RFS of EC patients. Additionally, decreased PNI was indicative of features implying tumor progression and development in EC.

This study aimed to investigate disease-free survival (DFS) outcomes and associated prognostic factors among surgically treated penile cancer patients at Songklanagarind Hospital, Thailand, over a 20-year period.

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 208 primary penile cancer patients treated between January 2001 and December 2022. Disease-free survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, and Cox proportional hazard models were employed for multivariate analysis.

All of patients (100%) were squamous cell carcinoma of penis, with 38.9% having T1 tumors, 70.7% well-differentiated tumors, and 32.6% diagnosed at stage III. The recurrence rate was 16.8%, with a mean time to recurrence of 25.9 months. Disease-free survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 82.1%, 72%, and 70.2%, respectively. Median overall survival was 18.2 months, with rates at 1, 3, and 5 years at 68.7%, 44.7%, and 36.4%, respectively. Significant associations were found between disease-free survival and higher T stage, clinical chronic inflammation, delayed onset of symptoms, primary lesion location, groin node metastasis, lymphovascular invasion, and pelvic lymph node metastases. However, multivariate analysis revealed that higher primary tumor stage (T) was the only independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival.

This study provides valuable insights into disease-free survival outcomes in penile cancer treatment at a single institution over an extended period. Higher pathologic T stage emerged as the sole independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival. Further validation through large-scale prospective studies is warranted.

The interleukin-6/Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 axis is a reported driver of chemotherapy resistance. We hypothesized that adding the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib to standard chemotherapy would be tolerable and improve progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with ovarian cancer in the upfront setting.

Patients with ovarian/fallopian tube/primary peritoneal carcinoma recommended for neoadjuvant chemotherapy were eligible. In phase I, treatment was initiated with dose-dense paclitaxel (P) 70 mg/m2 once daily on days 1, 8, and 15; carboplatin AUC 5 intravenously day 1; and ruxolitinib 15 mg orally (PO) twice a day, every 21 days (dose level 1). Interval debulking surgery (IDS) was required after cycle 3. Patients then received three additional cycles of chemotherapy/ruxolitinib, followed by maintenance ruxolitinib. In the randomized phase II, patients were randomly assigned to paclitaxel/carboplatin with or without ruxolitinib at 15 mg PO twice a day for three cycles, IDS, followed by another three cycles of chemotherapy/ruxolitinib, without further maintenance ruxolitinib. The primary phase II end point was PFS.

Seventeen patients were enrolled in phase I. The maximum tolerated dose and recommended phase II dose were established to be dose level 1. One hundred thirty patients were enrolled in phase II with a median follow-up of 24 months. The regimen was well tolerated, with a trend toward higher grade 3 to 4 anemia (64% v 27%), grade 3 to 4 neutropenia (53% v 37%), and thromboembolic events (12.6% v 2.4%) in the experimental arm. In the randomized phase II, the median PFS in the reference arm was 11.6 versus 14.6 in the experimental, hazard ratio (HR) for PFS was 0.702 (log-rank P = .059). The overall survival HR was 0.785 (P = .24).

Ruxolitinib 15 mg PO twice a day was well tolerated with acceptable toxicity in combination with paclitaxel/carboplatin chemotherapy. The primary end point of prolongation of PFS was achieved in the experimental arm, warranting further investigation.

Lymphocyte subsets are the most intuitive expression of the body's immune ability, and the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) also clearly reflect the degree of chronic inflammation activity. The purpose of this study is to investigate their predictive value of lymphocyte subsets and LMR to neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) efficacy in breast cancer patients. In this study, lymphocyte subsets and LMR were compared between breast cancer patients (n = 70) and benign breast tumor female populations (n = 48). Breast cancer patients were treated with NAT, and the chemotherapy response of the breast was evaluated using established criteria. The differences in lymphocyte subsets and LMR were also compared between pathological complete response (pCR) and non-pCR patients before and after NAT. Finally, data were analyzed using SPSS. The analytical results demonstrated that breast cancer patients showed significantly lower levels of CD3 + T cells, CD4 + T cells, CD4 + /CD8 + ratio, NK cells, and LMR compared to benign breast tumor women (P < 0.05). Among breast cancer patients, those who achieved pCR had higher levels of CD4 + T cells, NK cells, and LMR before NAT (P < 0.05). NAT increased CD4 + /CD8 + ratio and decreased CD8 + T cells in pCR patients (P < 0.05). Additionally, both pCR and non-pCR patients exhibited an increase in CD3 + T cells and CD4 + T cells after treatment, but the increase was significantly higher in pCR patients (P < 0.05). Conversely, both pCR and non-pCR patients experienced a decrease in LMR after treatment. However, this decrease was significantly lower in pCR patients (P < 0.05). These indicators demonstrated their predictive value for therapeutic efficacy. In conclusion, breast cancer patients experience tumor-related immunosuppression and high chronic inflammation response. But this phenomenon can be reversed to varying degrees by NAT. It has been found that lymphocyte subsets and LMR have good predictive value for pCR. Therefore, these markers can be utilized to identify individuals who are insensitive to NAT early on, enabling the adjustment of treatment plans and achieving precise breast cancer treatment.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has a poor prognosis even after curative-intent hepatic resection due to a high recurrence rate. The aim of this study was to investigate preoperative risk factors for early recurrence after surgery for ICC, which may help to identify patients who need preoperative chemotherapy.

We retrospectively analyzed 51 patients who had undergone primary surgery for ICC. We investigated the association of preoperative clinical variables with recurrence within 1 year after resection for ICC. We then created a high-risk ICC score using the identified preoperative factors and investigated the association of the score with disease-free and overall survival.

Recurrence within 1 year after surgery for ICC was significantly associated with poor overall survival (P < .01). In the multivariate analysis, preoperative tumor size > 5 cm (P = .03) and elevated C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) (P = .04) were significantly associated with recurrence within 1 year after surgery. A high-risk ICC score of 2 was associated with poor disease-free survival (P < .01) and overall survival (P = .02) compared with a score of 0 or 1.

Our high-risk ICC score, combining preoperative tumor size and CAR, can be an indicator of early recurrence and poor survival in patients after hepatic resection for ICC. Our findings may provide better preoperative risk stratification of patients with ICC, and the high-risk ICC patients may benefit from preoperative therapy.

In the landscape of cancer treatments, the efficacy of coadjuvant molecules remains a focus of attention for clinical research with the aim of reducing toxicity and achieving better outcomes. Most of the pathogenetic processes causing tumour development, neoplastic progression, ageing, and increased toxicity involve inflammation. Inflammatory mechanisms can progress through a variety of molecular patterns. As is well known, the ageing process is determined by pathological pathways very similar and often parallel to those that cause cancer development. Among these complex mechanisms, inflammation is currently much studied and is often referred to in the geriatric field as 'inflammaging'. In this context, treatments active in the management of inflammatory mechanisms could play a role as adjuvants to standard therapies. Among these emerging molecules, Silibinin has demonstrated its anti-inflammatory properties in different neoplastic types, also in combination with chemotherapeutic agents. Moreover, this molecule could represent a breakthrough in the management of age-related processes. Thus, Silibinin could be a valuable adjuvant to reduce drug-related toxicity and increase therapeutic potential. For this reason, the main aim of this review is to collect and analyse data presented in the literature on the use of Silibinin, to better understand the mechanisms of the functioning of this molecule and its possible therapeutic role.

Background: We retrospectively evaluated the usefulness of an elevated glucose-to-lymphocyte ratio (GLR) as a sensitive prognostic biomarker of disease-specific survival in 338 patients who underwent surgical resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods: The optimal GLR cutoff value was determined using the method of Contal and O'Quigley. Patient demographics, clinical information, and imaging data were analyzed to identify preoperative predictors of long-term survival outcomes. Results: Elevated GLR correlated significantly with aggressive tumor biologic behaviors, such as a high carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 level (p = 0.003) and large tumor size (p = 0.011). Multivariate analysis identified (1) GLR > 92.72 [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.475, p < 0.001], (2) CA 19-9 level > 145.35 (HR = 1.577, p = 0.068), and (3) symptoms (p = 0.064) as independent predictors of long-term, cancer-specific survival. These three risk factors were used to group patients into groups 1 (0 factors), 2 (1-2 factors), and 3 (3 factors), which corresponded to significantly different 5-year overall survival rates (50.2%, 34.6%, and 11.7%, respectively; p < 0.001). Conclusions: An elevated preoperative GLR is associated with aggressive tumor characteristics and is an independent predictor of poor postoperative prognosis in patients with PDAC. Further prospective studies are required to verify these findings.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) correlates with poor outcomes, necessitating the identification of prognostic factors from an inflammation-nutritional perspective in locally advanced ICC patients after R0 resection.

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 159 locally advanced ICC patients from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, as well as competing risk analysis, were conducted to explore prognostic variables for locally advanced ICC following surgery. To validate the robustness of our findings, we performed propensity score matching (PSM) analyses to evaluate survival differences based on inflammation-nutritional indexes.

Considering non-cancer-specific death as competing risk factors, both systemic immune-inflammation index (SII, HR: 1.934) and prognostic nutrition index (PNI, HR: 0.604) emerged as significant prognostic variables for locally advanced ICC after R0 resection (P < 0.05). After PSM, the survival benefit between the low and high PNI sets remained clear (median survival time: 15.7 months vs 35.1 months, P = 0.002). Although the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of the low SII group was higher than that of the high SII group, the difference was not statistically significant (17.5% VS 27.4%, P = 0.112). Other influencing factors included tumor number, tumor diameter, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels, and postoperative adjuvant therapy.

Individual inflammatory and nutritional status significantly impact the prognosis of locally advanced ICC undergoing R0 hapectomy. Oncologists should consider incorporating inflammation-nutritional conditions into the decision-making process for this subset of advanced ICC.

The practicality and effectiveness of using the prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-albumin ratio (NAR) in evaluating patients with cancer remain unclear, and research is needed to fully understand its potential application in the cancer population.

The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and the log-rank test was employed for comparison. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the prognostic biomarkers, and Logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between NAR and 90-day outcomes and cachexia.

The study included 14 682 patients with cancer, divided into discovery (6592 patients), internal validation (2820 patients), and external validation groups (5270 patients). Patients with high NAR had higher all-cause mortality than those with low NAR in the discovery (50.15% versus 69.29%, P < 0.001), internal validation (54.18% versus 70.91%, P < 0.001), and external validation cohorts (40.60% versus 66.68%, P < 0.001). In the discovery cohort, high NAR was observed to be independently associated with all-cause mortality in patients (HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.12-1.19; P < 0.001). Moreover, we validated the promising prognostic value of NAR as a predictor of survival in patients with cancer through internal validation (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.16-1.27, P < 0.001) and external validation cohorts (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.21-1.34, P < 0.001). Additionally, in the subgroup analysis by tumor type, high NAR was identified as a risk factor for most cancers, except for breast cancer.

This study showed that NAR is a feasible and promising biomarker for predicting prognosis and cancer cachexia in cancer patients.

To assess the prognostic role of pretreatment lymphocyte percentage (LY%) for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

A large-scale prospective cohort study between July 2002 and March 2021 was conducted. Propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis were performed to adjust for potential confounders. Using random survival forest (RSF), the relative importance of pretreatment LY% in prognosis prediction was also assessed.

A total of 743 patients were enrolled and followed up (median: 2.75 years, interquartile range: 1.25-4.42 years). A high pretreatment LY% was significantly associated with better disease-specific survival of patients with OSCC (Hazard ratio [HR] = 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.42, 0.84). The same tendency was observed in PSM (HR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.85) and IPTW analysis (HR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.40, 0.82). RSF showed that LY% ranked the fifth among importance ranking of all prognostic factors.

Pretreatment LY% showed a moderate predictive ability, suggesting it might be a valuable tool to predict prognosis for patients with OSCC.