We use cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site, you accept our cookie policy.×
Skip main navigation
Aging Health
Bioelectronics in Medicine
Biomarkers in Medicine
Breast Cancer Management
CNS Oncology
Colorectal Cancer
Concussion
Epigenomics
Future Cardiology
Future Medicine AI
Future Microbiology
Future Neurology
Future Oncology
Future Rare Diseases
Future Virology
Hepatic Oncology
HIV Therapy
Immunotherapy
International Journal of Endocrine Oncology
International Journal of Hematologic Oncology
Journal of 3D Printing in Medicine
Lung Cancer Management
Melanoma Management
Nanomedicine
Neurodegenerative Disease Management
Pain Management
Pediatric Health
Personalized Medicine
Pharmacogenomics
Regenerative Medicine
Research Article

Prognostic value of peripheral blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, pan-immune-inflammation value and systemic immune-inflammation index for the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer

    Maodong Fu‡

    Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen), Fudan University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361015, People's Republic of China

    Xiamen Clinical Research Center for Cancer Therapy, Xiamen, Fujian, 361015, People's Republic of China

    ‡Authors contributed equally

    Search for more papers by this author

    ,
    Xiuping Zhang‡

    Department of Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen), Fudan University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361015, People's Republic of China

    Xiamen Clinical Research Center for Cancer Therapy, Xiamen, Fujian, 361015, People's Republic of China

    ‡Authors contributed equally

    Search for more papers by this author

    ,
    Feng Shen

    Department of Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen), Fudan University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361015, People's Republic of China

    Xiamen Clinical Research Center for Cancer Therapy, Xiamen, Fujian, 361015, People's Republic of China

    ,
    Jun Ma

    *Author for correspondence: Tel.: +86 592 356 9607;

    E-mail Address: ma.jun@zs-hospital.sh.cn

    Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen), Fudan University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361015, People's Republic of China

    Xiamen Clinical Research Center for Cancer Therapy, Xiamen, Fujian, 361015, People's Republic of China

    &
    Zhiyong Li

    **Author for correspondence: Tel.: +86 592 356 9607;

    E-mail Address: li.zhiyong@zsxmhospital.com

    Department of Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen), Fudan University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361015, People's Republic of China

    Xiamen Clinical Research Center for Cancer Therapy, Xiamen, Fujian, 361015, People's Republic of China

    Published Online:https://doi.org/10.2217/imt-2024-0031

    Aim: The study aimed to assess the value of pretreatment peripheral blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) for predicting immunotherapy prognosis and efficacy in advanced gastric cancer (GC). Methods: A total of 84 advanced GC patients received immunotherapy were retrospectively collected. The optimal cut-off values were determined by receiver operating characteristic curves. The univariate and multivariate analysis investigated the effects of NLR, PLR, PIV and SII on patients prognosis. Results: NLR, PLR, PIV and SII had predictive value of efficacy. NLR ≥3.65 was an independent risk factor for worse outcomes. Conclusion: NLR, PLR, PIV and SII have predictive value of efficacy and NLR ≥3.65 suggests a poor prognosis following immunotherapy in advanced GC.

    Plain language summary

    Immunotherapy can make gastric cancer patients live longer. However, not all patients live longer. We need simple, inexpensive and effective indicators to find patients who can live longer with immunotherapy. Routine blood test is common in our daily lives. Previous studies reported that some indicators in routine blood test can predict the prognosis and efficacy of surgery in gastric cancer patients. But it is not clear in immunotherapy for advanced gastric cancer patients. In our trial, we found that some indicators in routine blood test can help predict the effect of immunotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer and screen which patients will live longer with immunotherapy.

    Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

    References

    • 1. Sung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL et al. Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries. CA Cancer J. Clin. 2021;71:209–249. doi: 10.3322/caac.21660 • Details the incidence and mortality rates of gastric cancer worldwide and provides a reference for the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer.
    • 2. Arnold M, Abnet CC, Neale RE et al. Global burden of 5 major types of gastrointestinal cancer. Gastroenterology 2020;159:335–349.e15. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.02.068
    • 3. Wang FH, Zhang XT, Li YF et al. The Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), Clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer, 2021. Cancer Commun. (Lond). 2021;41:747–795. doi: 10.1002/cac2.12193
    • 4. Allemani C, Matsuda T, Di Carlo V et al. Global surveillance of trends in cancer survival 2000–14 (CONCORD-3): analysis of individual records for 37 513 025 patients diagnosed with one of 18 cancers from 322 population-based registries in 71 countries. Lancet 2018;391:1023–1075. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)33326-3
    • 5. Jim MA, Pinheiro PS, Carreira H et al. Stomach cancer survival in the United States by race and stage (2001–2009): findings from the CONCORD-2 study. Cancer 2017;123(Suppl. 24):4994–5013. doi: 10.1002/cncr.30881
    • 6. Li Y, Feng A, Zheng S et al. Recent estimates and predictions of 5-year survival in patients with gastric cancer: a model-based period analysis. Cancer Control. 2022;29:10732748221099227. doi: 10.1177/10732748221099227
    • 7. Li J, Cui T, Huang Z et al. Analysis of risk factors for lymph node metastasis and prognosis study in patients with early gastric cancer: a SEER data-based study. Front. Oncol. 2023;13:1062142. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1062142
    • 8. Smyth EC, Nilsson M, Grabsch HI et al. Gastric cancer. Lancet 2020;396:635–648. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31288-5
    • 9. Shitara K, Van Cutsem E, Bang YJ et al. Efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab or pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone for patients with first-line, advanced gastric cancer: the KEYNOTE-062 Phase III randomized clinical trial. JAMA Oncol. 2020;6:1571–1580. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.3370 •• Compared with chemotherapy, the PD1 inhibitor pembrolizumab significantly prolonged overall survival (OS) in patients with gastric cancer. The study represented a breakthrough in the field of gastric cancer treatment and rewritten the guidelines for gastric cancer treatment.
    • 10. Ajani JA, D'Amico TA, Bentrem DJ et al. Gastric Cancer, Version 2.2022, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. J. Natl. Compr. Canc. Netw. 2022;20:167–192. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2022.0008 • The NCCN Guidelines are internationally recognized oncology treatment guidelines that systematically analyze the latest research in the field of oncology and update all types of treatment options and levels of evidence and they are updated very quickly to help physicians quickly access authoritative and up-to-date treatment options.
    • 11. Lordick F, Carneiro F, Cascinu S et al. Gastric cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guideline for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann. Oncol. 2022;33:1005–1020. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2022.07.004
    • 12. Kim TH, Kim IH, Kang SJ et al. Korean Practice Guidelines for Gastric Cancer 2022: an evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach. J. Gastric Cancer 2023;23:3–106. doi: 10.5230/jgc.2023.23.e11
    • 13. Fuchs CS, Doi T, Jang RW et al. Safety and efficacy of pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with previously treated advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer: Phase II Clinical KEYNOTE-059 Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2018;4:e180013. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2018.0013
    • 14. Bang YJ, Kang YK, Catenacci DV et al. Pembrolizumab alone or in combination with chemotherapy as first-line therapy for patients with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: results from the phase II nonrandomized KEYNOTE-059 study. Gastric Cancer 2019;22:828–837. doi: 10.1007/s10120-018-00909-5
    • 15. Chen DS, Mellman I. Elements of cancer immunity and the cancer-immune set point. Nature 2017;541:321–330. doi: 10.1038/nature21349
    • 16. Janjigian YY, Shitara K, Moehler M et al. First-line nivolumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone for advanced gastric, gastro-oesophageal junction, and oesophageal adenocarcinoma (CheckMate 649): a randomised, open-label, Phase III trial. Lancet 2021;398:27–40. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00797-2
    • 17. Chao J, Fuchs CS, Shitara K et al. Assessment of pembrolizumab therapy for the treatment of microsatellite instability-high gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer among patients in the KEYNOTE-059, KEYNOTE-061, and KEYNOTE-062 clinical trials. JAMA Oncol. 2021;7:895–902. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2021.0275
    • 18. Zhang Y, Yang Y, Chen Y et al. PD-L1: biological mechanism, function, and immunotherapy in gastric cancer. Front. Immunol. 2022;13:1060497. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1060497 •• This review provided information on the endogenous and exogenous regulatory mechanisms of PD-L1 and its biological functions combined with current clinical trials of PD-L1/PD-1 inhibitors in gastric cancer and introduced the biomarkers of the potential efficacy of immunotherapy in gastric cancer.
    • 19. Cheng Y, Bu D, Zhang Q et al. Genomic and transcriptomic profiling indicates the prognosis significance of mutational signature for TMB-high subtype in Chinese patients with gastric cancer. J. Adv. Res. 2023;51:121–134. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2022.10.019
    • 20. Yang Y, Shi Z, Bai R et al. Heterogeneity of MSI-H gastric cancer identifies a subtype with worse survival. J. Med. Genet. 2021;58:12–19. doi: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2019-106609
    • 21. Wang M, Ran X, Leung W et al. ATR inhibition induces synthetic lethality in mismatch repair-deficient cells and augments immunotherapy. Genes Dev. 2023;37:929–943. doi: 10.1101/gad.351084.123
    • 22. Yeong J, Lum H, Teo CB et al. Choice of PD-L1 immunohistochemistry assay influences clinical eligibility for gastric cancer immunotherapy. Gastric Cancer. 2022;25:741–750. doi: 10.1007/s10120-022-01301-0
    • 23. Tsao MS, Kerr KM, Kockx M et al. PD-L1 immunohistochemistry comparability study in real-life clinical samples: results of blueprint Phase II Project. J. Thorac. Oncol. 2018;13:1302–1311. doi: 10.1016/j.jtho.2018.05.013
    • 24. Paver EC, Cooper WA, Colebatch AJ et al. Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) as a predictive marker for immunotherapy in solid tumors: a guide to immunohistochemistry implementation and interpretation. Pathology 2021;53:141–156. doi: 10.1016/j.pathol.2020.10.007
    • 25. Xu X, Chen J, Li W et al. Immunology and immunotherapy in gastric cancer. Clin. Exp. Med. 2023;23:3189–3204. doi: 10.1007/s10238-023-01104-2
    • 26. Hara K, Aoyama T, Yamada T et al. The prognostic value of the perioperative systemic inflammation score for patients with advanced gastric cancer. Anticancer Res. 2020;40:1503–1512. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.14095
    • 27. Zhang J, Zhang L, Duan S et al. Single and combined use of the platelet-lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, and systemic immune-inflammation index in gastric cancer diagnosis. Front. Oncol. 2023;13:1143154. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1143154
    • 28. Ock CY, Nam AR, Lee J et al. Prognostic implication of antitumor immunity measured by the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and serum cytokines and angiogenic factors in gastric cancer. Gastric Cancer 2017;20:254–262. doi: 10.1007/s10120-016-0613-5
    • 29. Mosca M, Nigro MC, Pagani R et al. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in NSCLC, gastrointestinal, and other solid tumors: immunotherapy and beyond. Biomolecules 2023;13:1803. doi: 10.3390/biom13121803
    • 30. Qiu Y, Zhang Z, Chen Y. Prognostic value of pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index in gastric cancer: a meta-analysis. Front. Oncol. 2021;11:537140. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.537140
    • 31. Eisenhauer EA, Therasse P, Bogaerts J et al. New response evaluation criteria in solid tumors: revised RECIST guideline (version 1.1). Eur. J. Cancer 2009;45:228–247. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2008.10.026
    • 32. Montagne JM, Jaffee EM, Fertig EJ. Multiomics empowers predictive pancreatic cancer immunotherapy. J. Immunol. 2023;210:859–868. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200660
    • 33. Nie Y, Zhao W, Lu L et al. Predictive biomarkers and new developments of immunotherapy in gastric cancer: a 2023 update. Am. J. Cancer Res. 2023;13:3169–3184
    • 34. Ravindranathan D, Master VA, Bilen MA. Inflammatory markers in cancer immunotherapy. Biology (Basel). 2021;10:325. doi: 10.3390/biology10040325
    • 35. Sun D, Liu J, Zhang L. Establishment of tumor immune microenvironment classification model to select patients sensitive to immunotherapy. J. Thorac. Oncol. 2023;18:e111–e112. doi: 10.1016/j.jtho.2023.07.003 •• This article is inspiring and groundbreaking in exploring immunotherapy predictors from the perspective of the immune microenvironment by building an immune microenvironment classification model to screen patients sensitive to immunotherapy.
    • 36. Adegoke NA, Gide TN, Mao Y et al. Classification of the tumor immune microenvironment and associations with outcomes in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with immunotherapies. J. Immunother. Cancer 2023;11:e007144. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007144
    • 37. Belkouchi Y, Nebot-Bral L, Lawrance L et al. Predicting immunotherapy outcomes in patients with MSI tumors using NLR and CT global tumor volume. Front. Oncol. 2022;12:982790. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.982790
    • 38. Zhou K, Cao J, Lin H et al. Prognostic role of the platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in the clinical outcomes of patients with advanced lung cancer receiving immunotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front. Oncol. 2022;12:962173. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.962173
    • 39. Wu Y, Jiang M, Qin Y et al. Single and combined use of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio and carcinoembryonic antigen in diagnosing gastric cancer. Clin. Chim. Acta 2018;481:20–24. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2018.02.027
    • 40. Zhang LX, Wei ZJ, Xu AM et al. Can the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-lymphocyte ratio be beneficial in predicting lymph node metastasis and promising prognostic markers of gastric cancer patients? Tumor maker retrospective study. Int. J. Surg. 2018;56:320–327. doi: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2018.06.037
    • 41. Shimada H, Takiguchi N, Kainuma O et al. High preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio predicts poor survival in patients with gastric cancer. Gastric Cancer 2010;13:170–176. doi: 10.1007/s10120-010-0554-3
    • 42. Zhang S, Xia K, Chang Y et al. LRP2 and DOCK8 are potential antigens for mRNA vaccine development in immunologically ‘cold’ KIRC tumors. Vaccines (Basel). 2023;11:396. doi: 10.3390/vaccines11020396
    • 43. Pennel K, Park JH, McMillan DC et al. Signal interaction between the tumor and inflammatory cells in patients with gastrointestinal cancer: implications for treatment. Cell. Signal. 2019;54:81–90. doi: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2018.11.013
    • 44. Liu YT, Sun ZJ. Turning cold tumors into hot tumors by improving T-cell infiltration. Theranostics 2021;11:5365–5386. doi: 10.7150/thno.58390
    • 45. White K, Connor K, Meylan M et al. Identification, validation and biological characterisation of novel glioblastoma tumor microenvironment subtypes: implications for precision immunotherapy. Ann. Oncol. 2023;34:300–314. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2022.11.008
    • 46. Duan Q, Zhang H, Zheng J et al. Turning cold into hot: firing up the tumor microenvironment. Trends Cancer 2020;6:605–618. doi: 10.1016/j.trecan.2020.02.022
    • 47. Ortiz-Muñoz G, Brown M, Carbone CB et al. In situ tumor arrays reveal early environmental control of cancer immunity. Nature 2023;618:827–833. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06132-2
    • 48. Sun R, Limkin EJ, Vakalopoulou M et al. A radiomics approach to assess tumor-infiltrating CD8 cells and response to anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy: an imaging biomarker, retrospective multicohort study. Lancet Oncol. 2018;19:1180–1191. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(18)30413-3
    • 49. Guo W, Cai S, Zhang F et al. Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is useful to predict survival outcomes in patients with surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer. Thorac. Cancer 2019;10:761–768. doi: 10.1111/1759-7714.12995
    • 50. Huang H, Liu Q, Zhu L et al. Prognostic value of preoperative systemic immune-inflammation index in patients with cervical cancer. Sci. Rep. 2019;9:3284. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-39150-0
    • 51. Xue R, Zhang Q, Cao Q et al. Liver tumor immune microenvironment subtypes and neutrophil heterogeneity. Nature 2022;612:141–147. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05400-x
    • 52. Faria A, Andrade SS, Peppelenbosch MP et al. Platelets in aging and cancer-“double-edged sword”. Cancer Metastas. Rev. 2020;39:1205–1221. doi: 10.1007/s10555-020-09926-2
    • 53. Hirahara N, Matsubara T, Fujii Y et al. Comparison of the prognostic value of immunoinflammation-based biomarkers in patients with gastric cancer. Oncotarget 2020;11:2625–2635. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.27653
    • 54. Yang L, Zhang Y. Tumor-associated macrophages: from basic research to clinical application. J. Hematol. Oncol. 2017;10:58. doi: 10.1186/s13045-017-0430-2