Abstract:
Objective To investigate the relation between inflammatory response indicators, such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR), and lymph node metastasis in patients with cN0 gastric cancer, and establish a prediction model.
Methods 206 patients with cN0 gastric cancer (imaging-confirmed) who underwent radical resection in Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January 2019 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, and they were further assigned to the lymph node metastasis group (the pN+group) and the non-lymph node metastasis group (the pN0 group) according to postoperative pathological diagnosis.200 healthy individuals who underwent annual physical examination at the same hospital were enrolled as the control group.Differences in inflammatory response indicators among the three groups were compared.We then assessed the relations of NLR, PLR and CAR to the number of metastatic lymph nodes, ratio of metastasis and lymph node stage, respectively.Independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with cN0 gastric cancer were screened using both univariate and multivariate Logistic regression models, and a predictive model was constructed correspondingly.
Results Leukocyte count, neutrophil count, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, PLR, NLR, CAR and carcinoembryonic antigen level in the pN+group were significantly higher than those in the pN0 group(all P< 0.05);and there were no statistically significant differences in the above parameters between the pN0 group and the control group (all P>0.05).Differences in lymphocyte count, platelet count and albumin level were not statistically significant among the three groups (all P>0.05).Both the number of metastatic lymph nodes and the stage of lymph nodes in patients with high NLR, PLR and CAR were significantly higher than those in patients with low NLR, PLR and CAR, respectively (all P< 0.05).Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses showed that tumor size (OR=1.358), depth of invasion (OR=8.174), NLR (OR=3.049) and CAR (OR=2.254) were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with cN0 gastric cancer.The prediction model for lymph node metastasis in patients with cN0 gastric cancer was established based on the following formula: h(t)=h0exp (1.358X1+8.174X2+3.049X3+2.254X4).
Conclusions High PLR, NLR and CAR before operation are closely related to lymph node stage and the number of metastatic lymph nodes.High NLR and CAR before operation are independent factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with cN0 gastric cancer.