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The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts poor survival in patients with huge hepatocellular carcinoma that received transarterial chemoembolization

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Tumor Biology

Abstract

Inflammation is particularly strong in huge hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is unclear whether the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), as an inflammatory-related marker, can predict survival of patients with huge HCC. In this study, we enrolled 291 patients with huge HCC (diameter over 10 cm) who were undergoing repeated transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) at our institute. The baseline PLR was calculated from complete serum blood counts before the first chemoembolization. We found that a baseline PLR cutoff value over 150 best predicted huge HCC survival. The 12, 24, and 36 months survival rates in the high PLR group (22.6, 8.1, and 4.1 %, respectively) were significantly lower than in the low PLR group (35.6, 22.4, and 14 %, respectively). Thus, a significant difference was found in overall survival (log–rank test, p < 0.0001). Univariate analyses indicated a high PLR (p < 0.0001) was predictor of poor survival, and multivariate Cox analyses further showed that a high PLR (p = 0.002) was an independent factor that predicted worse survival. In conclusion, for patients with huge HCC, a high baseline PLR is a useful predictor of poor survival in patients undergoing chemoembolization. Additional anti-inflammatory or anti-platelet treatments, in combination with TACE, may improve survival in HCC patients with high PLR.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the State Key Project on Infectious Diseases of China (No. 2012ZX10002-016).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

      Tong-Chun Xue, Ning-Ling Ge, Bo-Heng Zhang, Yan-Hong Wang, Zheng-Gang Ren & Sheng-Long Ye

    2. Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

      Tong-Chun Xue, Ning-Ling Ge, Bo-Heng Zhang, Yan-Hong Wang, Zheng-Gang Ren & Sheng-Long Ye

    3. Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

      Qing-An Jia

    4. Department of Medical Statistics, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

      Bo-Heng Zhang

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    1. Tong-Chun Xue
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    Correspondence to Sheng-Long Ye.

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    Tong-Chun Xue and Qing-An Jia contributed equally to this work.

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    Xue, TC., Jia, QA., Ge, NL. et al. The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts poor survival in patients with huge hepatocellular carcinoma that received transarterial chemoembolization. Tumor Biol. 36, 6045–6051 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-015-3281-x

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-015-3281-x

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