Journal of International Oncology

Journal of International Oncology ›› 2024, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (5): 257-266.doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn371439-20240215-00044

• Original Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Predictive value of changes in inflammatory markers for prognosis in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with the first-line immunotherapy plus chemotherapy

Fan Zhipeng, Yu Jing, Hu Jing, Liao Zhengkai, Xu Yu, Ouyang Wen, Xie Conghua()   

  1. Department of Radiation and Chemotherapy for Lung Oncology， Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University， Wuhan 430061， China
  • Received:2024-02-15 Revised:2024-04-06 Online:2024-05-08 Published:2024-06-26
  • Contact: Xie Conghua， Email：chxie_65@whu.edu.cn

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Abstract:

Objective To investigate the correlation between pre- and post-treatment changing trends in peripheral blood inflammatory markers and efficacy and their predictive value for prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） patients treated with the first-line immunotherapy plus chemotherapy. Methods The clinical data of NSCLC patients admitted to the Department of Radiation and Chemotherapy for Lung Oncology， Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from October 2018 to May 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The χ2 test was used to analyze the correlation between the changing trend of peripheral blood inflammatory markers and the efficacy of immunotherapy plus chemotherapy. The influencing factors of objective response rate （ORR） were assessed using binary logistic regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox proportional hazards model were used to analyze the prognostic value of the changing trend of peripheral blood inflammation markers on patients' prognosis. Results A total of 102 NSCLC patients treated with first-line immunotherapy plus chemotherapy were included. The proportion of patients with bone metastases was higher in the lymphocyte to monocyte ratio （LMR） decreased group （n=50） than that in the increased group （n=52） （χ2=4.28， P=0.039）， whereas the pathological type of patients in the platelet to lymphocyte ratio （PLR） decreased group （n=51） was more common in squamous carcinoma compared to patients in the increased group （n=51） （χ2=18.99， P<0.001）， and a higher proportion of patients in the prognostic nutritional index （PNI） decreased group （n=46） was female than that in the increased group （n=56） （χ2=4.29， P=0.038）， with statistically significant differences. The 2-cycle objective response rate （ORR） of patients in the LMR increased and decreased groups was 63.5% （33/52） and 44.0% （22/50） （χ2=3.89， P=0.049）， the 2-cycle ORR of patients in the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio （NLR） increased （n=24） and decreased （n=78） groups was 29.2% （7/24） and 61.5% （48/78） （χ2=7.74， P=0.005）， and the 2-cycle ORR for patients in the systemic immune inflammatory index （SII） increased group （n=27） and decreased group （n=75） was 33.3% （9/27） and 61.3% （46/75） （χ2=6.26， P=0.012）， with statistically significant differences. Multivariate analysis showed that the changing trend of inflammatory markers in peripheral blood were not related to ORR. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve indicated that patients in the group with SII decreased had longer median progression-free survival （PFS） （not reached vs. 7.1 months， χ2=9.35， P=0.002） and median overall survival （OS） （not reached vs. 16.6 months， χ2=11.08， P<0.001） than those in the SII increased group， and patients in the NLR decreased group had longer median OS （not reached vs. 22.2 months， χ2=4.56， P=0.033） than that in the NLR increased group. Univariate analysis suggested that both brain and bone metastasis （HR=4.04， 95%CI： 1.23-13.35， P=0.022）， increased SII （HR=2.83， 95%CI： 1.41-5.66， P=0.003） were found to be significant factors affecting the PFS of NSCLC patients， both brain and bone metastasis （HR=3.47， 95%CI： 1.05-11.45， P=0.041）， increased NLR （HR=2.17， 95%CI： 1.05-4.51， P=0.037） and increased SII （HR=3.12， 95% CI： 1.54-6.30， P=0.002） were found to be significant factors affecting the OS of NSCLC patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that both brain and bone metastasis （HR=4.32， 95%CI： 1.30-14.40， P=0.017） and increased SII （HR=2.89， 95%CI： 1.44-5.81， P=0.003） were independent risk factors for PFS in NSCLC patients， both brain and bone metastasis （HR=3.76， 95%CI： 1.13-12.50， P=0.031） and increased SII （HR=3.47， 95% CI： 1.28-9.41， P=0.014） remained independent risk factors for OS in patients with NSCLC. Conclusion The changing trend of peripheral blood inflammatory markers of NSCLC patients cannot independently predict the efficacy of 2-cycle immunotherapy plus chemotherapy. Both brain and bone metastasis， as well as the changing trend of SII can be used as important indicators to predict PFS and OS in advanced NSCLC patients treated with first-line immunotherapy plus chemotherapy. The simultaneous occurrence of brain and bone metastasis and SII increased suggest poor prognosis of NSCLC patients.

Key words: Carcinoma, non-small-cell lung, Immunotherapy, Prognosis, Inflammatory markers, Survival analysis