Albumin-Derived NLR Score is a Novel Prognostic Marker for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background Multidisciplinary treatment for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has improved outcomes, but the prognosis for ESCC remains poor. Nutritional and inflammatory indicators are reported to be associated with cancer prognosis. The combination of albumin and the derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (Alb-dNLR) score was established to measure the immune system and nutritional status. The authors hypothesized that the Alb-dNLR score could be a new reliable prognostic factor for ESCC patients. Methods The study evaluated 269 patients who underwent esophagectomy between April 2010 and March 2018, including 185 patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The Alb-dNLR score was calculated using serum albumin and the dNLR. The dNLR was calculated as neutrophils to (leukocyte-neutrophil count). The cutoff values of the albumin and dNLR for overall survival (OS) were determined using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Patients were divided into high and low groups according to the Alb-dNLR score. Results A high Alb-dNLR score was found in 61 cases (22.7%). The 5-year OS was 34% in the high Alb-dNLR group and 66.2% in the low Alb-dNLR group (p < 0.0001). The 5-year cause-specific survival (CSS) was 51.5% in the high Alb-dNLR group and 74.7% in the low Alb-dNLR group (p < 0.0001). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that the Alb-dNLR score was an independent prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.198; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.460-3.263; p = 0.0002) and CSS (HR, 1.733; 95% CI, 1.035-2.835; p = 0.0371). Conclusions The Alb-dNLR score is an extremely useful, easy-to-use parameter to predict OS and CSS for ESCC patients.

Automated summary

The Alb-dNLR score has been shown to be an independent prognostic factor for ESCC patients, and can predict both overall survival and cause-specific survival rates by analyzing albumin and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.