Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2/2021

01-02-2021 | Rectal Cancer | Original Article

Prognostic Potential of Lymphocyte–C-Reactive Protein Ratio in Patients with Rectal Cancer Receiving Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy

Authors: Yoshinaga Okugawa, Yuji Toiyama, Hiroyuki Fujikawa, Shozo Ide, Akira Yamamoto, Yusuke Omura, Chengzeng Yin, Kurando Kusunoki, Yukina Kusunoki, Hiromi Yasuda, Takeshi Yokoe, Junichiro Hiro, Masaki Ohi, Masato Kusunoki

Published in: Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery | Issue 2/2021

Login to get access

Abstract

Purpose

The systemic inflammatory response is attracting increasing attention as a predictive biomarker for oncological outcome in patients with colorectal cancer. This study is aimed at verifying if the lymphocyte–C-reactive protein (CRP) ratio (LCR) could be used as a predictor of oncological outcome in patients with rectal cancer (RC) receiving preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

Methods

We analyzed data for 86 patients with RC who received preoperative CRT followed by total mesorectal excision at our institution. A ratio of 6000 was used as the cut-off value for LCR for further analysis.

Results

The post-CRT LCR was significantly lower than the pre-CRT LCR in patients with RC. Although post-CRT LCR status was not significantly correlated with overall survival (OS), low pre-CRT LCR was significantly associated with shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS: p = 0.02) and OS (p = 0.017) in this population and was an independent prognostic factor for both RFS and OS (hazard ratio (HR) 3.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33–7.66, p = 0.009; HR 2.83, 95%CI 1.14–7.01, p = 0.025, respectively). Furthermore, low pre-CRT LCR was a stronger indicator of early recurrence (p = 0.001) and poor prognosis (p = 0.025) in RC patients without pathological lymph node metastasis compared with patients with pathological lymph node metastasis, and prognostic potential of pre-CRT LCR was clearly revealed especially RC patients receiving long-course CRT.

Conclusions

Assessment of pretreatment LCR status might aid decision-making regarding postoperative treatment strategies in patients with RC receiving CRT followed by potentially curative resection.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
3.
go back to reference Sebag-Montefiore D, Stephens RJ, Steele R, Monson J, Grieve R, Khanna S et al. Preoperative radiotherapy versus selective postoperative chemoradiotherapy in patients with rectal cancer (MRC CR07 and NCIC-CTG C016): a multicentre, randomised trial. Lancet (London, England). 2009;373(9666):811–20. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(09)60484-0.CrossRef Sebag-Montefiore D, Stephens RJ, Steele R, Monson J, Grieve R, Khanna S et al. Preoperative radiotherapy versus selective postoperative chemoradiotherapy in patients with rectal cancer (MRC CR07 and NCIC-CTG C016): a multicentre, randomised trial. Lancet (London, England). 2009;373(9666):811–20. doi:https://​doi.​org/​10.​1016/​s0140-6736(09)60484-0.CrossRef
8.
go back to reference MacFarlane JK, Ryall RD, Heald RJ. Mesorectal excision for rectal cancer. Lancet (London, England). 1993;341(8843):457–60.CrossRef MacFarlane JK, Ryall RD, Heald RJ. Mesorectal excision for rectal cancer. Lancet (London, England). 1993;341(8843):457–60.CrossRef
12.
go back to reference Cedermark B, Johansson H, Rutqvist LE, Wilking N. The Stockholm I trial of preoperative short term radiotherapy in operable rectal carcinoma. A prospective randomized trial. Stockholm Colorectal Cancer Study Group. Cancer. 1995;75(9):2269–75.CrossRef Cedermark B, Johansson H, Rutqvist LE, Wilking N. The Stockholm I trial of preoperative short term radiotherapy in operable rectal carcinoma. A prospective randomized trial. Stockholm Colorectal Cancer Study Group. Cancer. 1995;75(9):2269–75.CrossRef
13.
go back to reference Yoshikawa R, Kusunoki M, Yanagi H, Noda M, Furuyama JI, Yamamura T et al. Dual antitumor effects of 5-fluorouracil on the cell cycle in colorectal carcinoma cells: a novel target mechanism concept for pharmacokinetic modulating chemotherapy. Cancer research. 2001;61(3):1029–37.PubMed Yoshikawa R, Kusunoki M, Yanagi H, Noda M, Furuyama JI, Yamamura T et al. Dual antitumor effects of 5-fluorouracil on the cell cycle in colorectal carcinoma cells: a novel target mechanism concept for pharmacokinetic modulating chemotherapy. Cancer research. 2001;61(3):1029–37.PubMed
14.
go back to reference Japanese Research Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum. Kanehara T. General rules for clinical and pathological studies on cancer of the colon, rectum and anus. 2006. Japanese Research Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum. Kanehara T. General rules for clinical and pathological studies on cancer of the colon, rectum and anus. 2006.
16.
go back to reference Okugawa Y, Toiyama Y, Oki S, Ide S, Yamamoto A, Ichikawa T et al. Feasibility of Assessing Prognostic Nutrition Index in Patients With Rectal Cancer Who Receive Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy. JPEN Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. 2018;42(6):998–1007. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/jpen.1041.CrossRefPubMed Okugawa Y, Toiyama Y, Oki S, Ide S, Yamamoto A, Ichikawa T et al. Feasibility of Assessing Prognostic Nutrition Index in Patients With Rectal Cancer Who Receive Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy. JPEN Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. 2018;42(6):998–1007. doi:https://​doi.​org/​10.​1002/​jpen.​1041.CrossRefPubMed
18.
go back to reference Nagasaki T, Akiyoshi T, Fujimoto Y, Konishi T, Nagayama S, Fukunaga Y et al. Prognostic Impact of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients with Advanced Low Rectal Cancer Treated with Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy. Digestive Surgery. 2015;32(6):496–503. doi:https://doi.org/10.1159/000441396.CrossRefPubMed Nagasaki T, Akiyoshi T, Fujimoto Y, Konishi T, Nagayama S, Fukunaga Y et al. Prognostic Impact of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients with Advanced Low Rectal Cancer Treated with Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy. Digestive Surgery. 2015;32(6):496–503. doi:https://​doi.​org/​10.​1159/​000441396.CrossRefPubMed
19.
go back to reference Toiyama Y, Inoue Y, Saigusa S, Kawamura M, Kawamoto A, Okugawa Y et al. C-reactive protein as predictor of recurrence in patients with rectal cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. Anticancer Research. 2013;33(11):5065–74.PubMed Toiyama Y, Inoue Y, Saigusa S, Kawamura M, Kawamoto A, Okugawa Y et al. C-reactive protein as predictor of recurrence in patients with rectal cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. Anticancer Research. 2013;33(11):5065–74.PubMed
28.
go back to reference Chung MJ, Lee JH, Lee JH, Kim SH, Song JH, Jeong S et al. Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Rectal Cancer Patients Treated With Preoperative Chemoradiation and Total Mesorectal Excision: A Multicenter and Retrospective Propensity-Score Matching Study. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics. 2019;103(2):438–48. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2018.09.016.CrossRefPubMed Chung MJ, Lee JH, Lee JH, Kim SH, Song JH, Jeong S et al. Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Rectal Cancer Patients Treated With Preoperative Chemoradiation and Total Mesorectal Excision: A Multicenter and Retrospective Propensity-Score Matching Study. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics. 2019;103(2):438–48. doi:https://​doi.​org/​10.​1016/​j.​ijrobp.​2018.​09.​016.CrossRefPubMed
29.
go back to reference Garlipp B, Ptok H, Benedix F, Otto R, Popp F, Ridwelski K et al. Adjuvant treatment for resected rectal cancer: impact of standard and intensified postoperative chemotherapy on disease-free survival in patients undergoing preoperative chemoradiation-a propensity score-matched analysis of an observational database. Langenbeck’s archives of surgery. 2016;401(8):1179–90. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-016-1530-0.CrossRefPubMed Garlipp B, Ptok H, Benedix F, Otto R, Popp F, Ridwelski K et al. Adjuvant treatment for resected rectal cancer: impact of standard and intensified postoperative chemotherapy on disease-free survival in patients undergoing preoperative chemoradiation-a propensity score-matched analysis of an observational database. Langenbeck’s archives of surgery. 2016;401(8):1179–90. doi:https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s00423-016-1530-0.CrossRefPubMed
34.
go back to reference Yamamoto A, Toiyama Y, Okugawa Y, Saigusa S, Ide S, Fujikawa H et al. Identification of Predictors of Recurrence in Patients with Lower Rectal Cancer Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Direct Comparison of Short-Course and Long-Course Chemoradiotherapy. Oncology. 2019;96(2):70–8. doi:https://doi.org/10.1159/000492617.CrossRefPubMed Yamamoto A, Toiyama Y, Okugawa Y, Saigusa S, Ide S, Fujikawa H et al. Identification of Predictors of Recurrence in Patients with Lower Rectal Cancer Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Direct Comparison of Short-Course and Long-Course Chemoradiotherapy. Oncology. 2019;96(2):70–8. doi:https://​doi.​org/​10.​1159/​000492617.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Prognostic Potential of Lymphocyte–C-Reactive Protein Ratio in Patients with Rectal Cancer Receiving Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy
Authors
Yoshinaga Okugawa
Yuji Toiyama
Hiroyuki Fujikawa
Shozo Ide
Akira Yamamoto
Yusuke Omura
Chengzeng Yin
Kurando Kusunoki
Yukina Kusunoki
Hiromi Yasuda
Takeshi Yokoe
Junichiro Hiro
Masaki Ohi
Masato Kusunoki
Publication date
01-02-2021
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery / Issue 2/2021
Print ISSN: 1091-255X
Electronic ISSN: 1873-4626
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-019-04495-4

Other articles of this Issue 2/2021

Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2/2021 Go to the issue