170 Background: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) predict for survival in cancer patients. In patients receiving multi-modality therapy, the effect of each specific therapy on the NLR and PLR is not well understood. We therefore evaluated changes in NLR and PLR among locally advanced esophageal cancer patients who received trimodality therapy. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of non-metastatic patients with esophageal cancer who received neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CRT) followed by esophagectomy at our institution between March 2000 and April 2012. NLR and PLR values were obtained the following time points (TP): 1) at diagnosis before CRT, 2) after CRT prior to surgery, and 3) after surgery. We also evaluated change in NLR and PLR using the difference and ratio between TPs. Overall survival (OS) was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were applied to evaluate the independent prognostic significance of NLR and PLR. Results: 83 patients with stage II-IV esophageal cancer and median age 60 years were included. Median follow up was 29.3 months. Median dose of 50.4 Gy (50.4-59.4) in 28 fractions (28-33) was used. Median NLR and PLR at the each TP: 1) 3.3 and 157.2, 2) 12 and 645, and 11.5 and 391.7, respectively. On multivariate analysis, inferior OS was associated with PLR ≥250 at TP 3 (p=.03), PLR decrease ≥609.2 from TP 2-3 (p=.02), and PLR ratio (TP 1/TP3) ≥1.08 (p=.03). Inferior progression free survival (PFS) was associated with NLR at TP 2 ≥36 (p=.0008), NLR increase ≥28.3 from TP 1-2 (p=.0005), PLR increase from TP 1-3 ≥19 (p=.01), and PLR ratio (TP 2/TP 3) ≥0.34 (p=0.1). Pathologic complete response (pCR) was less likely for adenocarcinoma histology (p=.03), NLR at TP 2 ≥10.6 (p=.04), and NLR increase from TP 1 to TP 2 ≥4.6 (p=.03). Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that changes in NLR and PLR throughout trimodality therapy for esophageal cancer correlate with OS, PFS, and pCR. Further evaluation is warranted to better define which of the identified cut-off values are most clinically significant.
Prognostic impact of inflammation-based scores in esophageal cancer patients achieving pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery
