Intraoperative use of dexmedetomidine is associated with decreased overall survival after lung cancer surgery.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim is to evaluate the association between the use of intraoperative dexmedetomidine with an increase in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) after nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a propensity score-matched (PSM) retrospective study. Single academic center. The study comprised patients with Stage I through IIIa NSCLC. Patients were excluded if they were younger than 18 years. Primary outcomes of the study were RFS and OS. RFS and OS were evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models after PSM (n = 251/group) to assess the association between intraoperative dexmedetomidine use and the primary outcomes. The value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: After PSM and adjusting for significant covariates, the multivariate analysis demonstrated no association between the use of dexmedetomidine and RFS (hazard ratio [HR] [95% confidence interval (CI)]: HR = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.91-1.53; P = 0.199). The multivariate analysis also demonstrated an association between the administration of dexmedetomidine and reduced OS (HR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.03-1.59; P = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the intraoperative use of dexmedetomidine to NSCLC patients was not associated with a significant impact on RFS and but worsening OS. A randomized controlled study should be conducted to confirm the results of this study.

Scalp block for glioblastoma surgery is associated with lower inflammatory scores and improved survival.

BACKGROUND: Regional anesthesia has anti-inflammatory effects. Recent studies suggest that regional anesthesia might improve the survival of patients with cancer. We hypothesized that the use of a scalp block (SB) during craniotomy for glioblastoma (GB) decreases the postoperative systemic and local inflammatory response and extend their survival. METHODS: This retrospective study included 119 patients with GB who underwent tumor resection. We divided patients into 2 groups based on the use of SB during surgery. Preoperative and postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) ratios were calculated as well as the percentage change in postoperative T2/FLAIR (FLuid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery) volume. Both markers of the inflammatory response were compared between patients with and without an SB. Progression-free survival (PFS) was also compared in both groups of patients. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to test the association between SB and patients' survival. RESULTS: On day 3 after surgery, patients who had an SB showed statistically significant lower NLRs and PLRs than those without an SB. There was also a significant larger reduction in postoperative T2/FLAIR signal in patients with SB than in those without SB. The median PFS (progression-free survival) was longer in patients with SB (16.7 months) than those without an SB (6.5 months, P<0.001). The multivariate analysis indicated that the use of SB was an independent factor for longer PFS (hazard ratio: 0.31 95% confidence interval: 0.07-0.21, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study supports the hypothesis that in patients with GB undergoing craniotomy, the use of SB is associated with lower levels of systemic and local inflammation, and longer survival.

Intraoperative opioids use for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma surgery and recurrence: a retrospective study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the use of intraoperative opioids is associated with poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) after lung cancer surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Academic hospital. SUBJECTS: Patients with laryngeal primary or recurrent laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma who had surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Intravenous opioids (remifentanil, fentanyl, sufentanil, and hydromorphone). MEASUREMENTS: Univariate and multicovariate Cox proportional hazards models were applied to assess the effects of covariates of interest on OS and RFS. MAIN RESULTS: A total of 195 patients were included. All received opioids intraoperatively. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.03; P = .005), negative margin status (HR, 0.163; P = .001], postoperative chemotherapy (HR, 7.38; P < .001), and concurrent chemotherapy and radiation (HR, 3.11; P < .001) treatment and fentanyl equivalent use (HR, 1.001; P = .02) were all predictor factors for 3- and 5-year RFS. The same variables were predictor factors for OS (age: HR, 1.03 [P = .003]; negative margin status: HR, 0.14 [P = .001]; postoperative chemotherapy: HR, 4 [P < .0001]; and fentanyl equivalent use: HR, 1.001 [P = .02]). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates a very weak association between the use of intraoperative opioids and cancer recurrence after laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma surgery.

Perioperative neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio and postoperative NSAID use as predictors of survival after lung cancer surgery: a retrospective study.

The association between neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and poor long-term outcomes in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been demonstrated in numerous studies. The benefit of perioperative administration of anti-inflammatory drugs on these outcomes has not been well established. Our aim in this retrospective study was to investigate the effects of postoperative nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) administration and NLR on tumor recurrence and survival in patients' undergoing surgical resection for NSCLC. This retrospective study included perioperative data from 1139 patients who underwent surgical resection for stages I-III NSCLC. Perioperative data such as baseline characteristics, adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy, pre- and postoperative NLR, and NSAID use (ketorolac, ibuprofen, celecoxib, or in combination) were included. We evaluated the association between preoperative NLR and NSAID use on recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS). In all, 563 patients received an NSAID as a part of their postoperative management. The majority of patients received ketorolac (n = 374, 67.16%). Ketorolac administration was marginally associated with better OS (P = 0.05) but not with RFS (P = 0.38). Multivariate analysis (n = 1139) showed that preoperative NLR >5 was associated with a reduction in RFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05-1.78; P = 0.02) and OS (HR = 1.69; 95% CI = 1.27-2.23; P = 0.0003). However, after accounting for tumor stage, NLR ≥ 5 was a predictor of RFS and OS only in patients with stage I NSCLC. To conclude, preoperative NLR was demonstrated to be an independent predictor of RFS and OS in a subset of patients with early stage NSCLC. Ketorolac administration was not found to be an independent predictor of survival.

Perioperative beta-blocker use and survival in lung cancer patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of perioperative beta blockers on recurrence and overall survival after non-small cell lung cancer surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Academic medical center. MEASUREMENTS: The medical records of patients with stage 1, 2, and 3a non-small cell lung cancer were divided into three different groups: those patients who never received beta blockers perioperatively, those receiving nonselective beta blockers within 60 days of surgery, and those taking selective beta blockers within 60 days of surgery. Recurrence-free survival and overall survival were the main clinical endpoints. Univariate log-rank tests and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the effects of selective beta blockers, nonselective beta blockers, or no beta blockers on recurrence-free survival and overall survival. MAIN RESULTS: The analysis included records of 435 patients. Univariate analyses showed that the use of both selective and nonselective beta blockers was associated with decreased recurrence-free survival (P = 0.014) and overall survival (P = 0.009). However, these findings were not sustained after adjusting for possible confounding variables in the multivariate analysis. The hazard ratios for recurrence-free survival (selective beta blockers vs no beta blocker use were: 1.304; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.973 - 1.747; P = 0.075; for nonselective beta blockers vs no beta blockers: 0.989; 95% CI 0.639 - 1.532; P = 0.962. The hazard ratios for overall survival were: selective beta blocker use vs no beta blockers: 1.335; 95% CI 0.966 - 1.846; P = 0.080; nonselective beta blocker use vs no beta blocker use: 1.108; 95% CI 0.678 - 1.812; P = 0.682. CONCLUSION: Administration of beta blockers during the perioperative period did not improve recurrence-free or overall survival in patients undergoing resection of non-small cell lung cancer.