Correlation Between the Glasgow Prognostic Score and the Serum Cytokine Profile in Taiwanese Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Background: The Glasgow Prognostic Score and circulating cytokine levels are related to the prognosis of colorectal cancer and the severity of chronic inflammation. The association between the Glasgow Prognostic Score and circulating cytokines in colorectal cancer remains unclear. Methods: The levels of 10 circulating cytokines (TNF-α, TGF-β, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, and IL-23) were measured in 128 patients with colorectal cancer. The relationship between the Glasgow Prognostic Score, clinicopathologic variables, and cytokine levels was assessed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. The correlation among cytokines was also examined. Results: Patients with advanced stage colorectal cancer had lower levels of albumin ( P = 0.003), higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP; P < 0.001), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA; P < 0.001), interferon (IFN)-γ ( P < 0.001), and interleukin (IL)-10 ( P = 0.006), and shorter survival outcomes ( P < 0.001). Patients with a high Glasgow Prognostic Score (1 or 2) had lower 5-year progression-free survival and poor overall survival (log-rank P < 0.001). A high Glasgow Prognostic Score was significantly correlated with abnormal CEA levels (CEA > 5 ng/mL, P = 0.033), and higher levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (TNF-α ⩾ 53.9 pg/mL, P = 0.035) and IL-10 (IL-10 ⩾ 75.95 pg/mL, P = 0.008). TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, and IL-23 were significantly correlated with each other (all P < 0.05). Only IL-10 was correlated with abnormal CEA levels ( P < 0.001). Conclusion: The Glasgow Prognostic Score and level of circulating cytokines have an intergroup correlation, and there is a close association among cytokines in colorectal cancer.

Pretreatment Glasgow prognostic score as a predictor of outcomes in nivolumab-treated patients with advanced gastric cancer

In Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, nivolumab might provide overall survival benefits for patients with advanced gastric cancer. However, it is effective only in a limited number of patients. The Glasgow prognostic score is an indicator of the systematic inflammatory response and nutritional status. This study aimed to investigate the ability of the Glasgow prognostic score and other markers to predict the outcomes of patients treated with nivolumab. We reviewed the medical records of patients treated for advanced gastric cancer and who received nivolumab between February 2015 and June 2019 at Hyogo Cancer Center. The patients were categorized into two groups according to their Glasgow prognostic scores. Overall, 53.3% and 46.7% of the patients were assigned to groups with Glasgow prognostic scores of 0 and 1/2, respectively. The median durations of progression-free and overall survival of the participants were 2.3 and 5.7 months, respectively. The patients with a Glasgow prognostic score of 0 had significantly higher median overall survival than those with scores of 1 or 2 (16.4 vs. 4.2 months; p = 0.0006). This observation suggests that a pretreatment Glasgow prognostic score of 0 is associated with better outcomes, and this scoring system may be used as a predictor of outcomes in patients with advanced gastric cancer treated with nivolumab.

Interrelation between ofsystemic inflammation factors and cardiovascular calcification factors in patients of chronic kidney disease 5D stage

BACKGROUND. The role of inflammation and uremic intoxication in the development and progression of bone mineral dis­orders, including cardiovascular calcification, has been actively studied over the past decades. PATIENTS AND METHODS. A single-stage, cohort study of 85 patients with stage 5D CKD treated with programmatic hemodialysis was conducted. The blood concentrations of interleukin-3 (IL-3) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined using the enzyme immunoassay, the level of fibrinogen - using the Rutberg method, and the level of p2-microglobulins - using the nephelometric method. The blood leu­kocyte shift index (ISLC) and the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) risk index for systemic inflammation were also calculated, taking into account the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) and blood albumin. The presence of valvular calcification, its severity, and calcification of the abdominal aortic wall was recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using the program STATISTICA 12.6 ("StatSoft", USA). THE AIM: to evaluate the relationship between factors of systemic inflammation and cardiovascular cal­cification in patients with stage 5D chronic kidney disease. RESULTS. The risk of detecting calcification of the aorta and heart valves was influenced by the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-3 and IL-6, as well as ISLK and GPS. However, inflammatory fac­tors such as fibrinogen, p2-microglobulin, and CRP levels in the blood did not show a statistically significant effect. In the case when the predicted parameter was chosen not friendly calcification, but the presence of any of its components, the predictive significance of IL-3 decreased, but IL-6 remained. The 20% risk threshold was exceeded at IL-6 values of more than 33 pg/ml. The effect of ISLC on the probability of detection of calcification was shown both about friendly calcification and concerning isolated calcification of the aorta or valves. CONCLUSION. It was found that among the studied factors of inflammation, IL-6, ILK, and IL-3 demonstrate a relationship with the processes of cardiovascular calcification, GPS-only in relation to friendly calcification. Nomograms have been developed that allow predicting the detection of cardiovascular calcification in dialysis patients, depending on the state of the inflammatory circuit.