title: Clinical significance of preoperative inflammatory parameters in gastric cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic inflammation induces cancer and cancer induces local tissue damage with systemic inflammation. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the potential relationship between the severity of inflammation and prognosis in cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study enrolled 220 patients from January 2002 to December 2006 who underwent gastric surgery. We evaluated the relationship between preoperative inflammatory parameters (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio) and other clinicopathological factors. Survival outcomes were compared according to the extent of inflammation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant elevation of erythrocyte sedimentation rate was related with old age, increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, decreased hemoglobin, increased carcinoembryonic antigen, increased tumor size and advanced TNM stage. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was significantly correlated with old age, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and advanced TNM stage. In the univariate analysis, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio had significantly poorer survival than those without elevation (all P<0.05). However, the multivariate analysis failed to prove erythrocyte sedimentation rate and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as independent prognostic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The elevation of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were correlated with poor prognosis in the univariate analysis and there was a strong correlation between inflammatory parameters (erythrocyte sedimentation rate and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio) and tumor progression. Thus, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio are considered useful as follow-up factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Deuk Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seong Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Yeo Goo
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Woo Yong
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Byungmo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Blood sedimentation; Inflammation; Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; Stomach neoplasms