Radiat Oncol J.  2022 Jun;40(2):111-119. 10.3857/roj.2021.01060.

Post-radiation neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is a prognostic marker in patients with localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated with anti-PD-1 antibody and stereotactic body radiation therapy

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Radiation Oncology & Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
  • 2Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
  • 3Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
  • 4Department of Radiation Oncology, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, NY, USA

Abstract

Purpose
To investigate the role of pre- and post-stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with localized pancreatic cancer treated with anti-PD-1 (programmed cell death protein-1) antibody and SBRT.
Materials and Methods
This was a retrospective review of 68 patients with borderline resectable or locally advanced pancreatic cancer treated with anti-PD-1 antibody and SBRT after multi-agent chemotherapy. Immunotherapy was administered with 5-fraction SBRT in the neoadjuvant, concurrent, or adjuvant/maintenance setting. Clinical outcomes included overall survival (OS), local progression-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and progression-free survival. Median pre- and post-SBRT peripheral blood markers were compared with the Mann-Whitney U test. Univariate and multivariable analyses (UVA and MVA) were performed to identify variables associated with clinical outcomes. Linear regression was performed to determine correlations between variables and peripheral blood markers.
Results
A total of 68 patients were included in the study. The percent change between median pre- and post-SBRT absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), absolute neutrophil count, and NLR were -36.0% (p < 0.001), -5.6% (p = 0.190), and +35.7% (p = 0.003), respectively. Median OS after SBRT was 22.4 months. On UVA, pre-SBRT CA19-9 (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.001; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.000–1.001; p = 0.031), post-SBRT ALC (HR = 0.33; 95% CI, 0.11–0.91; p = 0.031), and post-SBRT NLR (HR = 1.13; 95% CI, 1.04–1.22; p = 0.009) were associated with OS. On MVA, induction chemotherapy duration (HR = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.57–0.99; p = 0.048) and post-SBRT NLR (HR = 1.14; 95% CI, 1.04–1.23; p = 0.002) predicted for OS. Patients with post-SBRT NLR ≥3.2 had a median OS of 15.6 months versus 27.6 months in patients with post-SBRT NLR <3.2 (p = 0.009). On MVA linear regression, log10CTV had a negative correlation with post-SBRT ALC (regression coefficient = -0.314; 95% CI, -0.626 to -0.003; p = 0.048).
Conclusion
Elevated NLR after SBRT is primarily due to depletion of lymphocytes and associated with worse survival outcomes in localized pancreatic cancer treated with anti-PD-1 antibody. Larger CTVs were associated with decreased post-SBRT ALC.

Keyword

Stereotactic body radiation therapy; Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio; Pancreatic cancer; Immunotherapy; Anti-PD-1 antibody
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