NLR is a prognosticator in patients with metastatic NPC.

No abstract

Preoperative elevation of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) is reportedly associated with poor prognosis in several types of cancer. This study investigated the role of serum CRP as a prognostic factor in early-stage esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The preoperative serum CRP levels were measured in 156 newly diagnosed pT1-2N0M0 patients using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Correlations between serum CRP levels and other clinical parameters were analyzed. Multivariate analyses were performed to find prognostic markers using Cox's proportional hazards model. CRP concentrations were within the normal range in 117 (75%) individuals, but were elevated in 39 (25%) patients. Serum CRP levels were significantly correlated with the tumor length (p = 0.032), depth (T classification, p = 0.0157), or histologic grade (p = 0.034). The overall 5-year survival rates were 76.3% and 50.2% in the low- and high-CRP groups, respectively (p = 0.005). By multivariate analyses, the elevated serum CRP level was found to be an independent prognostic factor for poor survival (hazard ratio = 2.131; p = 0.007), regardless of tumor classification or other prognostic factors. In conclusion, preoperative, high serum CRP is an independent determinant of poor prognosis in early-stage ESCC.

Thymic carcinoma is an uncommon neoplasm. The efficacy of second-line treatment with docetaxel in advanced thymic carcinoma has not been well studied. Therefore, we conducted a review of the efficacy of docetaxel-based chemotherapy as a second-line regimen for advanced thymic carcinoma. Fifteen patients with advanced thymic carcinoma who received second-line chemotherapy with docetaxel singlet or docetaxel/platinum combination chemotherapy regimens were retrospectively reviewed. There were 11 males and four females, with a median age of 53 years. Squamous cell carcinoma was most common (n = 10), followed by undifferentiated carcinoma (n = 4), and small cell carcinoma (n = 1). Eight patients received docetaxel/platinum combination chemotherapy and seven docetaxel monotherapy. Four patients showed partial responses, representing a response rate of 26.7%. The median progression-free survival and overall survival in the 15 patients were 4.0 (2.8-5.2) and 22.0 (14.6-29.4) months, respectively. There was no difference in progression-free survival between the docetaxel singlet or docetaxel/ platinum combination chemotherapy (3.5 months vs. 4.0 months, P = 0.889). A docetaxel-based regimen could be a potential therapeutic option as a second-line chemotherapy for advanced thymic carcinoma.