Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Changes in Perioperative Platelet Lymphocyte Ratio Predict Survival in Oesophago-Gastric Adenocarcinoma

  • Thoracic Oncology
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is associated with survival in oesophageal cancer. We explored whether PLR changes during different stages of treatment correlate with survival outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective single-centre study was performed. Consecutive patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery for oesophageal adenocarcinoma were identified. Changes in PLR were calculated during two time periods: the first spanning the neoadjuvant period (T1); the second the perioperative period (T2). Differences in PLR were calculated for clinicopathological variables during both T1 and T2 and for variables with regards to their association with median overall survival (OS). Variables found to be significant on univariate analysis were included in a multivariate Cox regression model. Using ROC analysis, optimal cut-offs for PLR changes were identified and plotted on a Kaplan-Meir curve.

Results

Of the 370 patients identified, 110 (29.7%) were included in the analysis. During T1 a positive correlation was noted between higher positive lymph node ratio and PLR change. During T2, PLR change was positively higher in patients who suffered major postoperative complications. Median survival for the cohort as a whole was 42.3 months and 5-year OS was 57.3%. Survival at 5 years was associated with lower PLR changes during T2. On univaraite analysis, median OS was significantly less for patients with a tumour size > 3 cm, poor differentiation and change in PLR ≥ 43.4 during T2. The latter two variables remained significant on multivariate analysis. Using the same PLR threshold, the survival curve comparing changes in PLR during T2 remained statistically significant.

Conclusion

Perioperative PLR changes are highly prognostic of survival outcomes in patients treated for oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Al-Batran SE, Homann N, Pauligk C, et al. Perioperative chemotherapy with fluorouracil plus leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel versus fluorouracil or capecitabine plus cisplatin and epirubicin for locally advanced, resectable gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (FLOT4): a randomised phase 2/3 trial. Lancet. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32557-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Kauppila JH, Wahlin K, Lagergren J. Gastrectomy compared to oesophagectomy for Siewert II and III gastro-oesophageal junctional cancer in relation to resection margins, lymphadenectomy and survival. Sci Rep. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-18005-6.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Murata M. Inflammation and cancer. Environ Health Prev Med. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-018-0740-1.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Balkwill F, Mantovani A. Inflammation and cancer: back to Virchow? Lancet. 2001. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(00)04046-0.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Dolan RD, McSorley ST, Horgan PG, Laird B, McMillan DC. The role of the systemic inflammatory response in predicting outcomes in patients with advanced inoperable cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.critrevonc.2017.06.002.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Choi JE, Villarreal J, Lasala J, et al. Perioperative neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio and postoperative NSAID use as predictors of survival after lung cancer surgery: a retrospective study. Cancer Med. 2015. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.428.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Retsky M, Rogers R, Demicheli R, et al. NSAID analgesic ketorolac used perioperatively may suppress early breast cancer relapse: particular relevance to triple negative subgroup. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2012. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-012-2094-5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Olsson AK, Cedervall J. The pro-inflammatory role of platelets in cancer. Platelets. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537104.2018.1453059.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Pretzsch E, D’Haese JG, Renz B, et al. Effect of platelet inhibition with perioperative aspirin on survival in patients undergoing curative resection for pancreatic cancer: a propensity score matched analysis. BMC Surg. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12893-021-01083-9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Deng J, Zhang P, Sun Y, Peng P, Huang Y. Prognostic and clinicopathological significance of platelet to lymphocyte ratio in esophageal cancer: a meta-analysis. J Thorac Dis. 2018. https://doi.org/10.21037/jtd.2018.02.58.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Liang S, Li C, Gao Z, et al. A nomogram to predict short-term outcome of radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy based on pre/post-treatment inflammatory biomarkers and their dynamic changes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Int Immunopharmacol. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107178.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  12. Hirahara N, Matsubara T, Mizota Y, Ishibashi S, Tajima Y. Prognostic value of preoperative inflammatory response biomarkers in patients with esophageal cancer who undergo a curative thoracoscopic esophagectomy. BMC Surg. 2016. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12893-016-0179-5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Zhang X, Wang Y, Zhao L, Sang S, Zhang L. Prognostic value of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in oncologic outcomes of esophageal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Biol Markers. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1177/1724600818766889.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Sun Y, Zhang L. The clinical use of pretreatment NLR, PLR, and LMR in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: evidence from a meta-analysis. Cancer Manag Res. 2018. https://doi.org/10.2147/CMAR.S171035.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Feng JF, Huang Y, Chen QX. Preoperative platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is superior to neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a predictive factor in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. World J Surg Oncol. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7819-12-58.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Rice TW, Gress DM, Patil DT, Hofstetter WL, Kelsen DP, Blackstone EH. Cancer of the esophagus and esophagogastric junction—major changes in the American Joint Committee on Cancer eighth edition cancer staging manual. CA Cancer J Clin. (2017). doi:https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21399.

  17. Japanese gastric cancer treatment guidelines 2018 (5th edition). Gastric Cancer. (2021). doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10120-020-01042-y.

  18. Hyder J, Boggs DH, Hanna A, Suntharalingam M, Chuong MD. Changes in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios during chemoradiation predict for survival and pathologic complete response in trimodality esophageal cancer patients. J Gastrointest Oncol. 2016. https://doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2078-6891.2015.080.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Chen Y, Zhong H, Zhao Y, Luo X, Gao W. Role of platelet biomarkers in inflammatory response. Biomark Res. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40364-020-00207-2.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Morrell CN, Aggrey AA, Chapman LM, Modjeski KL. Emerging roles for platelets as immune and inflammatory cells. Blood. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2013-11-462432.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Jain S, Harris J, Ware J. Platelets: linking hemostasis and cancer. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2010. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.110.207514.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Sylman JL, Boyce HB, Mitrugno A, et al. A temporal examination of platelet counts as a predictor of prognosis in lung, prostate, and colon cancer patients. Sci Rep. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-25019-1.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Guo W, Lu X, Liu Q, et al. Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio for breast cancer patients: an updated meta-analysis of 17079 individuals. Cancer Med. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.2281.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Diem S, Schmid S, Krapf M, et al. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) as prognostic markers in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with nivolumab. Lung Cancer. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lungcan.2017.07.024.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Zhou C, Wu XR, Liu XH, et al. Male gender is associated with an increased risk of anastomotic leak in rectal cancer patients after total mesorectal excision. Gastroenterol Rep. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1093/gastro/gox039.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Graziano V, Grassadonia A, Iezzi L, et al. Combination of peripheral neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio is predictive of pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. Breast. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.breast.2018.12.014.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Li W, Tao L, Lu M, Xiu D. Prognostic role of platelet to lymphocyte ratio in pancreatic cancers: a meta-analysis including 3028 patients. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000009616

  28. Larson C, Oronsky B, Carter CA, et al. TGF-beta: a master immune regulator. Exp Opin Ther Targets. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1080/14728222.2020.1744568.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Kuppner MC, Hamou MF, Bodmer S, Fontana A, De Tribolet N. The glioblastoma‐derived T‐cell suppressor factor/transforming growth factor beta2 inhibits the generation of lymphokineactivated killer (LAK) cells. Int J Cancer. (1988). doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.2910420416.

  30. Fontana A, Pfister HW, Frei K, Malipiero U. Modulation of the immune response by transforming growth factor beta. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 1992. https://doi.org/10.1159/000236328.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Long Y, Zhang Y, Ni L, et al. Prognostic value of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in neoadjuvant chemotherapy for solid tumors. Medicine (Baltimore). 2021. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000026202.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Athanasiou A, Spartalis M, Spartalis E. Platelets-to-lymphocyte ratio and esophageal cancer. J Thorac Dis. 2018. https://doi.org/10.21037/jtd.2018.07.41.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. McKelvey KJ, Hudson AL, Back M, Eade T, Diakos CI. Radiation, inflammation and the immune response in cancer. Mamm Genome. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00335-018-9777-0.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Ishibashi Y, Tsujimoto H, Hiraki S, et al. Predictive value of immuno-inflammatory and nutritional measures modulated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and long-term outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer. Oncol Lett. 2020. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2019.11122.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Kim SKDG. Chemotherapy and neutropenia. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 1996. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0889-8588(05)70344-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Kim YJ, Kang J, Ryoo SM, Ahn S, Huh JW, Kim WY. Platelet-lymphocyte ratio after granulocyte colony stimulating factor administration: an early prognostic marker in septic shock patients with chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia. Shock. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1097/SHK.0000000000001256.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Messager M, Neofytou K, Chaudry MA, Allum WH. Prognostic impact of preoperative platelets to lymphocytes ratio (PLR) on survival for oesophageal and junctional carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a retrospective monocentric study on 153 patients. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejso.2015.06.007.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Retsky M, Demicheli R, Hrushesky W, et al. Reduction of breast cancer relapses with perioperative non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: new findings and a review. Curr Med Chem. 2013. https://doi.org/10.2174/09298673113209990250.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  39. Wu HL, Kuo HC, Li CC, et al. A comparison of prognostic performance of perioperative inflammation markers in surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma. J Chin Med Assoc. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1097/JCMA.0000000000000534.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Lee SK, Choi MY, Bae SY, et al. Immediate postoperative inflammation is an important prognostic factor in breast cancer. Oncology. 2015. https://doi.org/10.1159/000368985.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Cools-Lartigue J, Spicer J, McDonald B, et al. Neutrophil extracellular traps sequester circulating tumor cells and promote metastasis. J Clin Invest. 2013. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI67484.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. Cools-Lartigue J, Spicer J, Najmeh S, Ferri L. Neutrophil extracellular traps in cancer progression. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-014-1683-3.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  43. Balta S, Ozturk C. The platelet-lymphocyte ratio: a simple, inexpensive and rapid prognostic marker for cardiovascular events. Platelets. 2015. https://doi.org/10.3109/09537104.2014.979340.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Peng YF, Cao L, Zeng YH, et al. Platelet to lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Open Med. 2015. https://doi.org/10.1515/med-2015-0037.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Turkmen K, Erdur FM, Ozcicek F, et al. Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio better predicts inflammation than neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in end-stage renal disease patients. Hemodial Int. 2013. https://doi.org/10.1111/hdi.12040.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

There are no acknowledgements relevant to this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jonathan Cools-Lartigue MD, PhD.

Ethics declarations

Disclosure

JT received a travel grant of $4000 from Medtronic and a receives a regular consulting fee from Google.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tankel, J., Calderone, A., Garcia-Luna, J.L.R. et al. Changes in Perioperative Platelet Lymphocyte Ratio Predict Survival in Oesophago-Gastric Adenocarcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol 29, 4512–4519 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-022-11475-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-022-11475-7

Navigation