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Can Hematological Inflammatory Parameters Predict Mortality in Hepatocellular Carcinoma?

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Abstract

Purpose

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. Inflammatory and hematological parameters such as neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) provided useful information especially in the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of malignancies. In this study, we planned to demonstrate the efficacy of NLR and PLR levels in the evaluation of the prognosis of patients with HCC in our clinic.

Material and Methods

This study was planned as a prospective observational cohort study. The study included 105 patients with HCC on the base of cirrhosis. Our study group was classified according to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC), Okuda staging system, and Milan criteria at the time of admission.

Results

The mean age of all cases was 60.6 ± 12.4 years, and 77 (73.3%) of the patients were male. The mean life expectancy of all patients was 7.7 ± 4.3 months. During 1-year follow-up, 61 (58.1%) HCC patients died. The mean survival of the patients who died was 4.6 ± 3.0 months. In our study, patients with NLR > 2.7, patients with PLR > 100.29, BCLC advanced stage, and Okuda advanced stage, and patients who did not meet the Milan criteria had shorter survival duration. NLR > 2.7, BCLC advanced stage, and Child C were determined as independent risk factors affecting mortality.

Conclusion

There was a strong correlation between NLR-PLR levels and mortality. PLR and NLR levels can be used in conjunction with other staging systems to regulate, monitor, and predict the survival of HCC patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Meram School of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram, Konya, Turkey

    Ramazan Dertli, Mehmet Asil, Murat Biyik, Muharrem Keskin & Huseyin Ataseven

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Meram School of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

    Ahmet Karakarcayildiz & Hakan Mevlüt Göktepe

  3. Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Van Education and Research Hospital, Van, Turkey

    Yusuf Kayar

Authors
  1. Ramazan Dertli
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  2. Mehmet Asil
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  3. Murat Biyik
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  4. Ahmet Karakarcayildiz
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Correspondence to Ramazan Dertli.

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This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration. Ethics approval was obtained from the ethics committee of Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram Faculty of Medicine. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Dertli, R., Asil, M., Biyik, M. et al. Can Hematological Inflammatory Parameters Predict Mortality in Hepatocellular Carcinoma?. J Gastrointest Canc 52, 666–675 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-020-00448-2

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