Baseline splenic volume as a biomarker for clinical outcome and circulating lymphocyte count in gastric cancer

Abstract

BackgroundThe spleen is the largest peripheral lymphoid organ in the body. Studies have implicated the spleen in the development of cancer. However, it is unknown whether splenic volume (SV) is associated with the clinical outcome of gastric cancer.MethodsData of gastric cancer patients treated with surgical resection were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups: underweight, normal-weight and overweight. Overall survival was compared in patients with high and low splenic volume. The correlation between splenic volume and peripheral immune cells were analyzed.ResultsOf 541 patients, 71.2% were male and the median age was 60. Underweight, normal-weight and overweight patients accounted for 5.4%, 62.3% and 32.3%, respectively. High splenic volume was associated with unfavorable prognosis across the three groups. In addition, the increase of splenic volume during neoadjuvant chemotherapy was not associated with prognosis. The baseline splenic volume was negatively correlated with lymphocytes (r=-0.21, p<0.001) and positively correlated with NLR (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio) (r=0.24, p<0.001). In a group of patients (n=56), splenic volume was found to have negative correlation with CD4+T cells (r=-0.27, p=0.041) and NK cells (r=-0.30, p=0.025).ConclusionsThe presence of high splenic volume is a biomarker of unfavorable prognosis and reduced circulating lymphocytes in gastric cancer.

The role of spleen radiomics model for predicting prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving definitive radiotherapy

“…6 Zeng et al found baseline splenic volume to be correlated with peripheral immune cells (lymphocytes, NLR, CD4 + T cells, and natural killer cells) in patients with gastric cancer. 30 In addition, the spleen of patients with tumor develops differently after receiving diverse treatments. Recently, numerous studies have revealed that radiotherapy can cause changes in both the immune environment and splenic volume.…”

“…Early hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in the spleen of a homozygous host are functionally altered and thus committed to the production of immunosuppressive myeloid cells 6 . Zeng et al found baseline splenic volume to be correlated with peripheral immune cells (lymphocytes, NLR, CD4 + T cells, and natural killer cells) in patients with gastric cancer 30 . In addition, the spleen of patients with tumor develops differently after receiving diverse treatments.…”