Absolute lymphocyte count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as predictors of CDK 4/6 inhibitor efficacy in advanced breast cancer.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) are the standard agents for treating patients with estrogen receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer (ER + HER2 - ABC). However, markers predicting the outcomes of CDK4/6i treatment have yet to be identified. This study was a single-center retrospective cohort study. We retrospectively evaluated 101 patients with ER + HER2 - ABC receiving CDK4/6i in combination with endocrine therapy at Fukuyama City Hospital between November 2017 and July 2021. We investigated the clinical outcomes and the safety of CDK4/6i treatment, and the absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as predictive markers for CDK4/6i. We defined the cut-off values as 1000/µL for ALC and 3 for NLR, and divided into "low" and "high" groups, respectively. We evaluated 43 and 58 patients who received abemaciclib and palbociclib, respectively. Patients with high ALC and low NLR had significantly longer overall survival than those with low ALC and high NLR (high vs. low; ALC: HR 0.29; 95% CI 0.12-0.70; NLR: HR 2.94; 95% CI 1.21-7.13). There was no significant difference in efficacy between abemaciclib and palbociclib and both had good safety profiles. We demonstrated that ALC and NLR might predict the outcomes of CDK4/6i treatment in patients with ER + HER2 - ABC.

Prognostic Value of Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio for Japanese Patients With Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Treated With Sorafenib Therapy.

Background/Aim: We investigated the efficacy and safety of sorafenib in Japanese patients and the prognostic value of systemic immunity markers for predicting clinical outcomes after sorafenib therapy in patients with radioiodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RR-DTC). Patients and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 26 patients with RR-DTC who underwent sorafenib therapy between July 2014 and December 2020. The systemic immunity markers were calculated from blood cell counts. Results: The median overall survival (OS) was 2,002 days, and the clinical benefit rate was 80.8%. The high lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) group had significantly longer OS than the low LMR group (hazard ratio=0.21; 95% confidence interval=005-0.88; log-rank p=0.019). Adverse events observed in this study were acceptable, and no new safety signals associated with sorafenib were found. Conclusion: Sorafenib therapy is efficacious and safe for Japanese patients with RR-DTC, and baseline LMR may be useful as a sorafenib therapy prognostic marker.

The Systemic Immune Markers at Diagnosis Can Predict the Survival Benefit in Advanced Breast Cancer.

Background/Aim: It has been difficult to establish prognostic markers for overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC). Although systemic immune markers were reported as prognostic markers in several cancers, their utility in ABC remains unclear. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 331 ABC patients, who received treatment at Fukuyama City Hospital between April 2009 and December 2020. Results: Patients with high absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), low neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and high lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) had significantly longer OS (p=0.025, p=0.010, and p<0.001, respectively). High ALC and high LMR were independently associated with longer OS (p=0.020 and p=0.015, respectively). High ALC was also independently associated with longer time to treatment failure (p=0.014). Conclusion: These systemic immune markers at diagnosis can predict not only a better OS but also a better TTF after first-line treatment.

Severe proliferative retinopathy progressing to blindness in a japanese woman with takayasu disease.

PURPOSE: To report a patient with Takayasu disease with severe proliferative retinopathy progressing to bilateral blindness. A 57-year-old Japanese woman suffering from Takayasu disease for 16 years manifested severe proliferative retinopathy in both eyes, leading to blindness due to optic atrophy. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: A 57-year-old Japanese woman suffering from Takayasu disease for 16 years underwent a comprehensive opthalmologic examination. Panretinal photocoagulation and vitrectomy were performed on both eyes. SETTINGS: Institutional practice. RESULTS: At initial examination, the patient was found to have severe proliferative retinopathy with tractional retinal detachment in both eyes. The retinal detachments were repaired by the vitrectomy, however, the patient developed bilateral blindness due to optic atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a long history of Takayasu disease can demonstrate severe proliferative retinopathy that may be resistant to photocoagulation and/or vitreous surgery. Ocular ischemia can lead to blindness from ischemic optic neuropathy.