Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic marker for metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Authors

null

Jasmin Radhika Desai

Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC

Jasmin Radhika Desai , Bradley Scott Colton , Hongkun Wang , John Marshall , Sunnie S. Kim , Michael J. Pishvaian

Organizations

Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC

Research Funding

Other

Background: Metastatic pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease, with a median survival that remains less than 12 months. However, more patients than ever before are surviving for more than 1 year, though it has been difficult to determine which patients have a better or worse prognosis. In the MPACT trial of gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel vs gemcitabine alone, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) prior to treatment was found to be a promising prognostic marker. However, the significance of NLR has not been confirmed. We examined our institutional experience with assessing the prognostic value of the NLR for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer treated with standard chemotherapies. Methods: We performed an IRB approved retrospective chart review of patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Patients were eligible if a routine blood count from which an NLR would be calculated was available prior to initiating any chemotherapy. 41 patients were identified who were treated with either FOLFOX (n = 9), FOLFIRINOX (n = 8) or gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel (n = 24). Patients were stratified into two groups: NLR < 5 and NLR > 5. The median progression free survival and overall survival were determined, and statistical analyses performed to observe any correlation to NLR. Results: In this review, patients with an elevated NLR (NLR > 5) had an improved PFS and OS when compared with patients with a decreased NLR (NLR < 5). OS was 12.2 months in NLR > 5 and 11.0 months in NLR < 5. PFS was 4.7 months and 3.6 months, respectively. When comparing patients that were treated with 5-FU based regimens, the overall survival was similar with the NLR > 5 of 11.5 months and the NLR < 5 group of 11.0 months. However, those patients treated with gemcitabine and abraxane had more of a difference; patients with an NLR > 5 had an OS of 16.0 months and NLR < 5, the OS was 11.5 months. Conclusions: Our single institution experience suggests that NLR could be a marker for prognosis for metastatic pancreatic cancer. However, our data contradicts the results of the MPACT trial where an increased NLR was associated with a worsened overall survival. Therefore, additional confirmatory studies will need to be performed to find the true prognostic value of the NLR.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2018 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B: Cancers of the Pancreas, Small Bowel, and Hepatobiliary Tract

Track

Cancers of the Pancreas, Small Bowel, and Hepatobiliary Tract

Sub Track

Prevention, Diagnosis, and Screening

Citation

J Clin Oncol 36, 2018 (suppl 4S; abstr 251)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2018.36.4_suppl.251

Abstract #

251

Poster Bd #

C4

Abstract Disclosures