title: Elevated levels of preoperative circulating CD44⁺ lymphocytes and neutrophils predict poor survival for non-small cell lung cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Certain circulating cells have been shown to predict the clinical outcome of several cancers. The objective of this study was to identify clinical, hematological and immunological predictors of prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study on a prevalent cohort of 225 NSCLC patients hospitalized at the Zhejiang Province Cancer Hospital (ZPCH) was conducted from August 1, 2006 to April 15, 2008. Circulating lymphocytes were measured by flow cytometry. WBC count and classification in peripheral blood were measured with a Coulter counter. We calculated the proportion of patients surviving after first hospital admission and hazard ratios (HR) using the Cox proportional hazards model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated levels of preoperative circulating CD44(+) lymphocytes, WBCs and neutrophils indicated low cumulative survival. Clinical stage (HR: 2.292; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.34-3.91, P=0.002), neutrophils (HR: 1.877; 95% CI: 1.34-2.62, P<0.001) and CD44(+) lymphocytes (HR: 1.018; 95% CI: 1.00-1.03, P=0.002) are independent predictors of survival in NSCLC patients, respectively. Elevated levels of CD44(+) lymphocytes and neutrophils correlated with distant metastasis and prognosis in NSCLC patients with stage III/IV, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD44(+) lymphocytes along with neutrophils could serve as an independent prognostic marker for NSCLC patients.
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Cancer Research Institute, Zhejiang Province Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang Cancer Center, No. 38 Guangji Rd., Banshanqiao District, Hangzhou 310022, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shi-Zhou
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Cancer Research Institute, Zhejiang Province Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang Cancer Center, No. 38 Guangji Rd., Banshanqiao District, Hangzhou 310022, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wen-Hao
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Cancer Research Institute, Zhejiang Province Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang Cancer Center, No. 38 Guangji Rd., Banshanqiao District, Hangzhou 310022, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei-Min
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Cancer Research Institute, Zhejiang Province Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang Cancer Center, No. 38 Guangji Rd., Banshanqiao District, Hangzhou 310022, P.R. China. Electronic address: lingzq@zjcc.org.cn.
authors.forename: Zhi-Qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors
keywords: CD44+ lymphocytes; Neutrophils; Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); Peripheral blood; Prognosis