Prognostic value of inflammation-based markers in patients with pancreatic cancer administered gemcitabine and erlotinib

Table 1 Patient demographics and laboratory findings

Characteristic
No. of patients, n	82
Age, mean ± SD, yr	63.5 ± 10.7
Male, n (%)	49 (60)
Laboratory findings
WBC count, mean ± SD	6259 ± 2667
Platelet count, mean ± SD, × 1000	225 ± 94
Neutrophil count, mean ± SD	4175 ± 2139
Lymphocyte count, mean ± SD	1462 ± 729
CRP, mean ± SD, mg/dL	12.5 ± 23.8
Albumin, mean ± SD, g/dL	3.5 ± 0.6
CA19-9, median, IU/mL	503.8
CEA, median, ng/mL	2.8
ECOG performance status score, n (%)
0	22 (27)
1	48 (58)
2	12 (15)
Inflammatory markers
NLR, median, range	3.1 (1-48)
PLR, median, range	141 (44-921)
CRP/albumin ratio, median, range	0.5 (0-37.7)
Staging
Locally advanced, n (%)	14 (17)
Metastatic, n (%)	68 (83)

WBC: White blood cell; CRP: C-reactive protein; NLR: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; PLR: Platelet to lymphocyte ratio; CA19-9: Carbohydrate antigen 19-9; CEA: Carcinoembryonic antigen; ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group.

Table 2 Univariate analysis of the clinical parameters for the prediction of progression-free survival

Parameter	n	Univariate analysis
		HR (95%CI)	P value
Sex
Woman	33	1
Man	49	1.37 (0.82-2.3)	0.232
Age (yr)
< 65	41	1
≥ 65	41	0.85 (0.52-1.41)	0.536
Staging
Locally advanced	14	1
Metastatic	68	1.39 (0.68-2.82)	0.367
ECOG performance status score
0-1	70	1
2	12	1.49 (0.77-2.87)	0.234
CA19-9 (IU/mL)
< 1000	48	1
≥ 1000	34	1.33 (0.81-2.21)	0.264
CEA (ng/mL)
< 5	46	1
≥ 5	29	1.24 (0.72-2.13)	0.441
NLR
≤ 5	62	1
> 5	20	1.80 (1.04-3.19)	0.049
PLR
≤ 150	46	1
> 150	36	1.22 (0.73-2.02)	0.448
CRP/albumin ratio
≤ 0.5	42	1
> 0.5	40	1.72 (1.07-2.80)	0.047

ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; CA19-9: Carbohydrate antigen 19-9; CEA: Carcinoembryonic antigen; NLR: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; PLR: Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio; CRP: C-reactive protein; HR: Hazard ratio.

Table 3 Univariate and multivariate analysis of the clinical parameters for the prediction of overall survival

Parameter	n	Univariate analysis		Multivariate analysis
		HR (95%CI)	P value	HR (95%CI)	P value
Sex
Woman	33	1
Man	49	1.26 (0.73-2.17)	0.418
Age (yr)
≥ 65	41	1
< 65	41	1.27 (0.75-2.17)	0.379
Staging
Locally advanced	14	1		1
Metastatic	68	2.87 (1.20-6.83)	0.017	2.10 (0.85-5.18)	0.108
ECOG performance status score
0-1	70	1		1
2	12	2.96 (1.49-5.89)	0.002	2.94 (1.42-6.08)	0.004
CA19-9 (IU/mL)
< 1000	48	1
≥ 1000	34	1.45 (0.79-2.66)	0.224
CEA (ng/mL)
< 5	46	1
≥ 5	29	1.67 (0.90-3.10)	0.107
NLR
≤ 5	62	1		1
> 5	20	2.61 (1.29-5.27)	0.008	2.76 (1.33-5.75)	0.007
PLR
≤ 150	46	1
> 150	36	1.43 (0.79-2.60)	0.24
CRP/albumin
≤ 0.5	42	1		1
> 0.5	40	2.13 (1.19-3.81)	0.011	1.60 (0.84-3.04)	0.151

ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; CA19-9: Carbohydrate antigen 19-9; CEA: Carcinoembryonic antigen; NLR: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; PLR: Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio; CRP: C-reactive protein; HR: Hazard ratio.

Table 4 Mean times to disease progression and death according to the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio

Variable	NLR ≤ 5	NLR > 5	P value	CRP/albumin ratio ≤ 0.5	CRP/albumin ratio > 0.5	P value
Time until disease progression, mean ± SD), mo	3.0 ± 1.7	1.9 ± 1.2	0.016	3.0 ± 1.8	2.3 ± 1.4	0.08
Time until death, mean ± SD, mo	9.3 ± 5.9	4.7 ± 3.5	0.014	10.0 ± 5.4	6.0 ± 5.5	0.01

NLR: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; CRP: C-reactive protein.