Morbidity associated with the immediate vertical rectus abdominus myocutaneous flap reconstruction after radical pelvic surgery.

AIM: Patients who undergo radical pelvic surgery often have problems with perineal wound healing and pelvic collections. While there is recognition of the perineal morbidity, there also remains uncertainty around the benefit of vertical rectus abdominus myocutaneous (VRAM) flaps due to the balance between primary healing and the complications associated with this form of reconstruction. This study aimed to evaluate factors associated with significant flap and donor site related complications following VRAM flap reconstruction for radical pelvic surgery. METHOD: A retrospective analysis of VRAM flap related complications was undertaken from prospectively maintained databases for all patients undergoing radical pelvic surgery (2001- 2017) in two cancer centres. RESULTS: In all, 154 patients were identified [median age 62 years (range 26-89 years), 80 (52%) men]. Thirty-three (21%) patients experienced significant donor or flap related complications. Major complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥ 3) related to the abdominal donor site occurred in nine (6%) patients, while those related to the flap or perineal site occurred in 28 (18%) patients. Only smoking (P = 0.003) and neoadjuvant radiotherapy (P = 0.047) were associated with the development of significant flap related complications on univariate analysis. Flap related complications resulted in a significantly longer hospital stay (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Careful patient selection is required to balance the risks vs the benefits of VRAM flap reconstruction. Immediate VRAM reconstruction in patients undergoing radical pelvic surgery can achieve early healing and stable perineal closure; it has a low but significant morbidity. Major flap related complications are significantly associated with smoking status and neoadjuvant radiotherapy and result in a prolonged length of hospital stay.

A derived neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio predicts survival in patients with cancer.

BACKGROUND: The neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has prognostic value in patients with a variety of cancers. Many chemotherapeutic trial databases hold information on white cell and neutrophil counts only. The aim of the present study was to compare the prognostic value of the NLR with a derived score (dNLR), composed of white cell and neutrophil counts. METHODS: Patients (n=27,031) who were sampled incidentally between 2000 and 2007 for neutrophil, lymphocyte and white cell counts, and also had a diagnosis of cancer (Scottish Cancer Registry), were identified. Of this group, 12,118 patients who had been sampled within 2 years of their cancer diagnosis were studied. RESULTS: On follow-up, there were 7366 deaths, of which 6198 (84%) were cancer deaths. The median time from blood sampling to diagnosis was 2.1 months. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve for cancer-specific survival was 0.650 for the NLR and 0.640 for the dNLR. The NLR and dNLR were independently associated with survival in all cancers studied (all P<0.001). The optimal thresholds, on the basis of hazard ratios and area under the curve, were 4 : 1 for the NLR and 2 : 1 for the dNLR. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study show that the dNLR has similar prognostic value to the NLR. Therefore, the universally available dNLR is to be commended for use in the risk stratification of patients undergoing chemotherapy.

An inflammation-based prognostic score (mGPS) predicts cancer survival independent of tumour site: a Glasgow Inflammation Outcome Study.

INTRODUCTION: A selective combination of C-reactive protein and albumin (termed the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score, mGPS) has been shown to have prognostic value, independent of tumour stage, in lung, gastrointestinal and renal cancers. It is also of interest that liver function tests such as bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyl transferase, as well as serum calcium, have also been reported to predict cancer survival. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between an inflammation-based prognostic score (mGPS), biochemical parameters, tumour site and survival in a large cohort of patients with cancer. METHODS: Patients (n=21,669) who had an incidental blood sample taken between 2000 and 2006 for C-reactive protein, albumin and calcium (and liver function tests where available) and a diagnosis of cancer were identified. Of this group 9608 patients who had an ongoing malignant process were studied (sampled within 2 years before diagnosis). Also a subgroup of 5397 sampled at the time of diagnosis (sampled within 2 months prior to diagnosis) were examined. Cancers were grouped by tumour site in accordance with International Classification of Diseases 10 (ICD 10). RESULTS: On follow up, there were 6005 (63%) deaths of which 5122 (53%) were cancer deaths. The median time from blood sampling to diagnosis was 1.4 months. Increasing age, male gender and increasing deprivation was associated with a reduced 5-year overall and cancer-specific survival (all P<0.001). An elevated mGPS, adjusted calcium, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and γ-glutamyl transferase were associated with a reduced 5-year overall and cancer-specific survival (independent of age, sex and deprivation in all patients sampled), as well as within the time of diagnosis subgroup (all P<0.001). An increasing mGPS was predictive of a reduced cancer-specific survival in all cancers (all P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicate that the mGPS is a powerful prognostic factor when compared with other biochemical parameters and independent of tumour site in patients with cancer.

The relationship between the presence and site of cancer, an inflammation-based prognostic score and biochemical parameters. Initial results of the Glasgow Inflammation Outcome Study.

BACKGROUND: Cancer incidence is increasing in the United Kingdom, as well as on a global basis. Biochemical parameters, such as C-reactive protein and albumin (combined to form the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score, mGPS), alkaline phosphatase (Alk phos), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and serum calcium have been reported to be associated with cancer and non-cancer mortality. Therefore, to definitively examine the interrelationships between the above biochemical parameters, the mGPS and the presence of cancer, the Glasgow Inflammation Outcome Study was undertaken. The aim of this initial study was to examine the effect of cancer on markers of systemic inflammation induced by the liver (mGPS) and on levels of routine biochemical parameters. METHODS: Patients (n=223 303) who had a single incidental sample taken for C-reactive protein, albumin, calcium and serum liver function tests where available, between 2000 and 2008 were studied. Those with a pathological diagnosis of cancer (n=22 715) were identified. The mGPS was constructed and liver function tests classified in accordance with the local reference ranges. RESULTS: Patients with cancer had higher C-reactive protein and lower albumin levels (and thus a higher mGPS), higher adjusted calcium, Alk phos and GGT levels, but lower aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels (all P<0.001). The strongest associations (Spearman's correlation > or =0.3) in both the non-cancer and cancer groups were found between albumin, C-reactive protein and Alk phos, AST and ALT, AST and GGT and ALT and GGT (all P<0.001). On multivariate analysis, the associations with the presence of cancer remained with age, deprivation, C-reactive protein, albumin, adjusted calcium, Alk phos and GGT (all P<0.01). Patients following a diagnosis of cancer had lower albumin levels and thus higher mGPS (all P<0.001). Also, post-diagnosis patients were more likely to have lower adjusted calcium, bilirubin, Alk Phos, AST, ALT and GGT levels (all P<0.05). When the cancer diagnoses were ranked from those with the lowest proportion of mGPS 1 or 2 to those with the highest, the percentage of cases with a mGPS of 1 or 2 ranged from 21% in breast cancer to 46% in prostate cancer and to 68% in pulmonary cancer. Compared with breast cancer the mGPS was significantly higher in those diagnosed with dermatological, bladder, endocrinological, gynaecological, prostate, musculoskeletal, gastroesophageal, haematological, renal, colorectal, head and neck, pancreaticobiliary and pulmonary cancers (all P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicate that the systemic inflammatory response is common in a large patient cohort, increased by the presence of cancer and associated with the perturbation of a number of biochemical parameters previously reported to be associated with mortality. There is a striking parallel between the proportions of cases with a mGPS of 1 or 2 and reported survival rates in these tumours.

Systemic inflammation and survival of patients with prostate cancer: evidence from the Glasgow Inflammation Outcome Study.

BACKGROUND: There is some evidence that systemic inflammation may be associated with survival in patients with prostate cancer; however, it is unclear whether this is independent of grade. We therefore investigated the role of inflammation-based prognostic scores, the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and their associations with Gleason grade in patients with prostate cancer. METHODS: Patients from a cohort, the Glasgow Inflammation Outcome Study, who had diagnosis of prostate cancer, were included in this study. The mGPS was constructed by combining C-reactive protein and albumin whereas NLR by calculating the ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes. We estimated 5-year relative survival and relative excess risk (RER) of death by mGPS and NLR categories after adjusting for age, socioeconomic circumstances and Gleason grade. RESULTS: In all, 897 prostate cancer patients were identified; of those 422 (47%) died during a maximum follow-up of 6.2 years. Systemic inflammation appeared to have significant prognostic value. The mGPS predicted poorer 5-year overall and relative survival independent of age, socioeconomic circumstances, disease grade and NLR. Raised mGPS also had a significant association with excess risk of death (mGPS 2: RER =2.41, 95% confidence interval 1.37-4.23) among aggressive, clinically significant prostate cancer (Gleason grades 8-10). CONCLUSIONS: The mGPS is a strong measure of systemic inflammation, when compared with NLR. Prostate cancer patients with a raised mGPS had significantly higher risk of death for overall as well high-grade disease. Inflammation-based prognostic scores predict outcome in patients with prostate cancer and should be added to their routine clinical assessment.