Inflammation-based prognostic scores and nutritional prognostic index in patients with locally-advanced unresectable colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Unresectable colorectal cancer has a poor prognosis. However, some patients survive intensive chemotherapy, and complete resection of primary and metastatic tumors may even be possible. In the present study, we examined the prognostic factors associated with survival after intensive chemotherapy in patients with unresectable colorectal cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 61 patients diagnosed with unresectable locally advanced colorectal cancer between January 2004 and December 2013. Among the prognostic parameters, we found that the prognoses of patients with abnormal performance status (PS) of 2 or 3, high Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) of 1 or 2, high neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) >5, and low prognostic nutritional index (PNI) <40 were poor. Thus, we scored each patient according to our scoring system (abnormal PS, 2 or 3 = +1; high GPS, 1 or 2 = +1; high NLR, >5 = +1; and low PNI, <40 = +1). If the patient showed abnormalities in every parameter, the score would be +4. RESULTS: Sixteen patients had a score of 0, 17 scored +1, 10 scored +2, 17 scored +3, and one scored +4. The median survival time (MST) of the 61 patients was 9 months. Patients were divided into two groups, a low-score group (0 and +1) and a high-score group (+2, +3, and +4). The MST of the 33 patients in the low-score group was significantly longer than that of the 28 patients in the high-score group (15 months versus 4 months, P < 0.001). Also, conversion chemotherapy was performed in 4.9% (3/61) of patients. And these 3 patients were in a low-score group. CONCLUSIONS: This new prognostic scoring system may help to select patients with unresectable advanced colorectal cancer who are able to survive through intensive chemotherapy.

Surgical treatment of retroperitoneal liposarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RL) is a relatively rare tumor and is usually found at the advanced stage. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy for this tumor is not yet defined, and if operable, surgery is the treatment of choice. Complete resection of tumor with wide margins including excision of other organs has been recommended. However, many patients suffer from deterioration of the quality of a postoperative life. In the present study, we retrospectively analyzed the ideal surgical procedures for treating RL. METHODS: RL patients treated at our institute between 2003 and 2013 amounted to 10. RL was primary in 5 patients and recurrent in the rest 5. We analyzed cases of the 10 patients retrospectively. RESULTS: Tumor resection was performed for 9 patients, 7 of whom underwent complete tumor resection. RL was well-differentiated in 6 patients and dedifferentiated in 4. We analyzed the overall survival of 10 patients, and the relapse free survival of the operated 9 patients. Patients with well-differentiated RL showed better survival than those with dedifferentiated RL. Even the recurrent RL was huge, complete tumor resection could be performed in the well-differentiated type, but it was difficult in the dedifferentiated type. CONCLUSION: In the recurrent huge RL, the chance of a margin-negative resection remains low, but surgery remains the treatment of choice. Tumor resection with preserving important organs may improve patients' quality of postoperative life and survival.

Scoring of prognostic parameters in patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Suitable chemotherapy is needed to prolong the survival of patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer. We scored the periodical changes of several prognostic markers during chemotherapy in patients with this type of cancer to discern the effectiveness of chemotherapy. METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer were enrolled. All patients underwent combination chemotherapy with oxaliplatin or irinotecan plus 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), serum C-reactive protein (CRP), serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and serum albumin (ALB) were compared between the two periods (before chemotherapy and 3 months after it was started) in each patient. The scoring system was as follows: points are added when a patient shows a decrease of NLR, CRP and CEA and an increase of ALB at 3 months after the start of chemotherapy with a possible final score of +4. On the other hand, points are reduced if a patient shows an elevation of NLR, CRP and CEA and a decrease of ALB at 3 months after the start of chemotherapy with a possible final score of -4. RESULTS: At 3 months after the start of first line chemotherapy, 13 patients showed positive scores but 7 patients showed zero or minus scores. According to our scoring system, we found the mean survival time (MST) of the 13 patients with plus scores was 34 months and this was significantly better than that of the 7 patients who showed zero or minus scores (P = 0.0008). CONCLUSION: Our new scoring system is useful but when we find that first line chemotherapy is ineffective, we need to change it to second line chemotherapy as soon as possible. That may be the best treatment for patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer.