Association of decreased mean platelet volume with renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the third most common genitourinary cancer. Activated platelets play a pivotal role in cancer development and progression. Altered mean platelet volume (MPV) has been reported in several malignancies. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of MPV with RCC. STUDY DESIGN: The study consisted of 145 patients with RCC, 110 patients with benign renal tumor and 132 healthy control subjects between January 2015 and December 2015. All participants' clinical and laboratory characteristics at initial diagnosis were collected. The odds ratios (ORs) for RCC were calculated using multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting for confounding variables across MPV quartiles. RESULTS: The patients with RCC had decreased pre-operative MPV compared to the patients with benign renal tumor and healthy control subjects. Furthermore, pre-operative MPV was reduced in benign renal tumor compared with healthy control subjects. Surgical tumor resection resulted in a significant increase in MPV levels (8.7 fL vs. 9.0 fL; p = 0.011). After adjusting for other risk factors, the ORs (95% CIs) for RCC in each MPV quartile were 25.725 (7.556-87.585), 7.447 (2.701-20.537), 0.703 (0.245-2.019), and 1.000, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: RCC patients have remarkably reduced MPV compared to patients with benign renal tumor and healthy control subjects. Moreover, decreased MPV was independently associated with RCC. Our results suggest that detection of MPV may be useful to assess the risk of RCC.

MiR-214-3p overexpression-triggered chondroitin polymerizing factor (CHPF) inhibition modulates the ferroptosis and metabolism in colon cancer.

Colon cancer is a common cancer with high mortality globally. The role of chondroitin polymerizing factor (CHPF) has been elucidated in various cancers. However, its role and mechanism remain unknown in colon cancer. CHPF expression was examined by GEPIA database, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot. The relationship between CHPF expression and the clinicopathologic characteristics as well as miR-214-3p level was determined in colon cancer patients. The role and mechanism of CHPF in the growth, ferroptosis, and glycolysis of colon cancer cells were evaluated by cell counting kit-8, biochemical detections, luciferase, and western blot experiments. Additionally, the role of CHPF was explored in xenografted mice. CHPF expression was increased and was related to advanced TNM stage, poor differentiation and shorter overall survival in patients with colon cancer. Knockdown of CHPF inhibited colon cancer cell growth, and downregulated the expression of proteins involving in ferroptosis and glycolysis both in vitro and in vivo. Besides, CHPF silencing increased the levels of ferrous iron and ROS, but decreased glucose uptake, lactate product, and ATP level in vitro. Mechanically, miR-214-3p directly targeted CHPF and negatively regulated its expression. Upregulation of miR-214-3p reduced cell viability, glucose uptake, lactate product, and ATP level, but increased the levels of ferrous iron and ROS, which were reversed by the overexpression of CHPF. Upregulation of CHPF predicted poor prognosis, and miR-214-3p/CHPF axis inhibited growth, downregulated the levels of glycolysis-related indexes, and promoted ferroptosis in colon cancer cells.

Platelet indices in non-small cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases.

BACKGROUND: Platelets play a crucial role in cancer progression and metastasis. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between platelet indices and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastases. METHODS: Between January 2015 and December 2017, 232 NSCLC patients with brain metastases and 244 NSCLC patients without metastases were retrospectively analyzed. Patients' clinicopathological characteristics data were collected. RESULTS: Platelet count was increased and mean platelet volume (MPV) was reduced in NSCLC patients with brain metastases compared with NSCLC patients without metastases. In addition, the prevalence of NSCLC decreased as MPV quartiles increased. After adjusting for other risk factors, the ORs (95% CIs) for NSCLC brain metastases according to MPV quartiles were 1.757 (1.024-3.015), 2.097 (1.209-3.635), 1.517 (0.874-2.635), and 1.000, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: MPV is reduced in NSCLC patients with brain metastases compared with NSCLC patients without metastases. Moreover, MPV is found to be independently associated with the presence of NSCLC brain metastases.

Decreased platelet distribution width predicts a worse prognosis in patients undergoing surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common malignant tumor and second most common cause of tumor-related deaths worldwide. Activated platelets play a prominent role in tumor. Platelet distribution width (PDW) indicates platelets activation and is altered in malignancies. The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic value of PDW for overall survival (OS) in HCC patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 273 HCC patients at a single institution from 2010 to 2014. The relationship between PDW and clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship of PDW with OS. RESULTS: Low PDW levels were observed in 127 (46.5%) out of 273 patients. A significant correlation was found between PDW and liver cirrhosis. Median follow-up was 36 months, survival curves revealed that the patients with increased PDW had significantly shorter survival time than those with normal PDW (p= 0.001). Cox regression analysis demonstrated that PDW was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio, 2.464; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.402-4.330, p= 0.001). CONCLUSION: PDW is significantly associated with OS in HCC. This result suggests activated platelet may affect clinical outcome and warrant continued investigation.

Lower mean platelet volume predicts poor prognosis in renal cell carcinoma.

Altered mean platelet volume (MPV) is found in several malignancies. Remarkably, there is little consensus on using the value of MPV in the prognostic evaluations of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility of MPV value as a prognostic indicator of RCC. The retrospective study recruited 306 consecutive RCC patients between January 2009 and December 2009. The relationships between MPV and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression were used to evaluate the prognostic impact of MPV. Of the 306 RCC patients, low MPV levels were detected in 61 (19.9%) patients. Reduced MPV was associated with histology types, T classification, UCLA Integrated Scoring System (UISS) category, and Mayo clinic stage, size, grade, and necrosis score (SSIGN) category (P < 0.05). Patients with decreased MPV had significantly shorter survival time than patients with normal MPV (P < 0.001). Cox regression analysis revealed that reduced MPV was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio, 1.758; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.083-2.855, P = 0.023). Moreover, the prognostic accuracy of TNM stage, UISS, and SSIGN prognostic models were improved when MPV was added. In conclusion, reduced MPV is identified as an independent predictor of adverse clinical outcome in RCC.

Mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width and carcinoembryonic antigen to discriminate gastric cancer from gastric ulcer.

Activated platelets are involved in cancer development and progression. Mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) are early indexes of platelet activation. The objectives of this study were to investigate the ability of MPV, PDW and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) individually or in combination, to distinguish between gastric cancer and gastric ulcer. The study involved 194 patients with gastric cancer, 191 patients with gastric ulcer, and 185 control subjects. Subjects' characteristics and hematologic tests data at initial diagnosis were collected. We found that MPV levels are significantly increased and PDW levels are significantly reduced in patients with gastric ulcer and in control subjects compared with those in gastric cancer. When the area under the curve (AUC) was used to analyze control subjects versus gastric cancer, the combination of PDW and CEA exhibited a significantly larger AUC of 0.939 (0.910-0.961) compared with the combination of MPV and CEA (p = 0.0045). When AUC was used to analyze gastric ulcer versus gastric cancer, PDW alone had the high specificity (98.5%) and high sensitivity (97.4%). In conclusion, combined use of MPV, PDW and CEA can accurately distinguish gastric cancer from gastric ulcer and controls. Further studies in larger samples are warranted.

Cancer antigen 15-3, platelet distribution width, and fibrinogen in combination to distinguish breast cancer from benign breast disease in non-conclusive mammography patients.

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among females. However, mammographic diagnosis is sometimes non-conclusive with a Breast imaging Reporting and Data System (Bi-RaDS) result of 0. Cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) is the most widely used serum tumor marker for breast cancer screening. Platelet distribution width (PDW) is an early indicator of platelet activation. Fibrinogen contributed to angiogenesis and distant metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of CA15-3, PDW, and fibrinogen individually or in combination, to distinguish breast cancer from benign breast disease. 200 consecutive patients with breast cancer and 187 patients with benign breast disease were included in this retrospective study. Patients' characteristics and hematologic tests data at initial diagnosis were collected. The benefit of adding PDW and fibrinogen to a model with only CA15-3 was evaluated as an increased in the area under the curve (AUC) obtained by receiver operating curve (ROC). CA15-3, PDW and fibrinogen are higher in breast cancer patients than in patients with benign breast disease. Single biomarkers had AUC values ranging from 0.687 for fibrinogen to 0.810 for CA15-3. In addition, the combination of PDW, CA15-3, and fibrinogen increased the AUC to 0.900 (0.866-0.928) (p<0.0001), significantly higher than those of any single marker. In conclusion, the combined use of CA15-3, PDW and fibrinogen may be clinically useful in discriminating between breast cancer and benign breast disease in non-conclusive mammography patients.

Platelet distribution width correlates with prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer.

Platelets play a multifaceted role in cancer progression and metastasis. Mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) are commonly used platelet parameters from routine blood test. The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between platelet indices and prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A total of 270 patients who were diagnosed with NSCLC between January 2009 and December 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients' characteristics and hematologic tests data at initial diagnosis were collected. The overall survival rate was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method. The prognostic analysis was carried out with univariate and multivariate Cox regressions model. Reduced PDW was significantly correlated with T stage, N stage, TNM stage, and histological type of the disease. Moreover, survival analysis showed that the overall survival of patients with PDW ≥ 16.3% was significantly longer than that of those with PDW < 16.3% (P < 0.001). In multivariate Cox regression model, age, sex, TNM stage, and PDW were identified as independent prognostic factors for overall survival (for PDW, P < 0.001). In conclusion, reduced PDW is an unfavorable predictive factor of NSCLC patient survival. Further studies are warranted.