Construction and validation of a novel tumor morphology immune inflammatory nutritional score (TIIN score) for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a multicenter study.

Tumor morphology, immune function, inflammatory levels, and nutritional status play critical roles in the progression of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). This multicenter study aimed to investigate the association between markers related to tumor morphology, immune function, inflammatory levels, and nutritional status with the prognosis of ICC patients. Additionally, a novel tumor morphology immune inflammatory nutritional score (TIIN score), integrating these factors was constructed. A retrospective analysis was performed on 418 patients who underwent radical surgical resection and had postoperative pathological confirmation of ICC between January 2016 and January 2020 at three medical centers. The cohort was divided into a training set (n = 272) and a validation set (n = 146). The prognostic significance of 16 relevant markers was assessed, and the TIIN score was derived using LASSO regression. Subsequently, the TIIN-nomogram models for OS and RFS were developed based on the TIIN score and the results of multivariate analysis. The predictive performance of the TIIN-nomogram models was evaluated using ROC survival curves, calibration curves, and clinical decision curve analysis (DCA). The TIIN score, derived from albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR), albumin-globulin ratio (AGR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and tumor burden score (TBS), effectively categorized patients into high-risk and low-risk groups using the optimal cutoff value. Compared to individual metrics, the TIIN score demonstrated superior predictive value for both OS and RFS. Furthermore, the TIIN score exhibited strong associations with clinical indicators including obstructive jaundice, CEA, CA19-9, Child-pugh grade, perineural invasion, and 8th edition AJCC N stage. Univariate and multivariate analysis confirmed the TIIN score as an independent risk factor for postoperative OS and RFS in ICC patients (p < 0.05). Notably, the TIIN-nomogram models for OS and RFS, constructed based on the multivariate analysis and incorporating the TIIN score, demonstrated excellent predictive ability for postoperative survival in ICC patients. The development and validation of the TIIN score, a comprehensive composite index incorporating tumor morphology, immune function, inflammatory level, and nutritional status, significantly contribute to the prognostic assessment of ICC patients. Furthermore, the successful application of the TIIN-nomogram prediction model underscores its potential as a valuable tool in guiding individualized treatment strategies for ICC patients. These findings emphasize the importance of personalized approaches in improving the clinical management and outcomes of ICC.

Zhang H ，Huang G ，Li Q ，Wang Y ，Yang Z ，Chen P ，Yuan H ，Chen K ，Meng B ，Yu H ... -  《BMC CANCER》

Development and validation of a new prognostic immune-inflammatory-nutritional score for predicting outcomes after curative resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A multicenter study.

Immune function, nutrition status, and inflammation influence tumor initiation and progression. This was a retrospective multicenter cohort study that investigated the prognostic value and clinical relevance of immune-, inflammatory-, and nutritional-related biomarkers to develop a novel prognostic immune-inflammatory-nutritional score (PIIN score) for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). The clinical data of 571 patients (406 in the training set and 165 in the validation set) were collected from four large hepato-pancreatico-biliary centers of patients with ICC who underwent surgical resection between January 2011 and September 2017. Twelve blood biomarkers were collected to develop the PIIN score using the LASSO Cox regression model. The predictive value was further assessed using validation datasets. Afterward, nomograms combining the PIIN score and other clinicopathological parameters were developed and validated based on the calibration curve, time-dependent AUC curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). The primary outcomes evaluated were overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) from the day of primary resection of ICC. Based on the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, neutrophil- to- lymphocyte ratio (NLR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and systemic immune- inflammation index (SII) biomarkers, the PIIN score that classified patients into high-risk and low-risk groups could be calculated. Patients with high-risk scores had shorter OS (training set, p < 0.001; validation set, p = 0.003) and RFS (training set, p < 0.001; validation set, p = 0.002) than patients with low-risk scores. The high PIIN score was also associated with larger tumors (≥5 cm), lymph node metastasis (N1 stage), multiple tumors, and high tumor grade or TNM (tumor (T), nodes (N), and metastases (M)) stage. Furthermore, the high PIIN score was a significant independent prognostic factor of OS and RFS in both the training (p < 0.001) and validation (p = 0.003) cohorts, respectively. A PIIN-nomogram for individualized prognostic prediction was constructed by integrating the PIIN score with the clinicopathological variables that yielded better predictive performance than the TNM stage. The PIIN score, a novel immune-inflammatory-nutritional-related prognostic biomarker, predicts the prognosis in patients with resected ICC and can be a reliable tool for ICC prognosis prediction after surgery. Our study findings provide novel insights into the role of cancer-related immune disorders, inflammation, and malnutrition.

Zhu J ，Wang D ，Liu C ，Huang R ，Gao F ，Feng X ，Lan T ，Li H ，Wu H ... -  《Frontiers in Immunology》

Predictive value of HTS grade in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma undergoing radical resection: a multicenter study from China.

Huang G ，Zhang H ，Yang Z ，Li Q ，Yuan H ，Chen P ，Xie C ，Meng B ，Zhang X ，Chen K ，Yu H ... -  《World Journal of Surgical Oncology》

The prognostic value of sarcopenia combined with preoperative fibrinogen-albumin ratio in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after surgery: A multicenter, prospective study.

To explore the prognostic value of the fibrinogen-albumin ratio (FAR) combined with sarcopenia in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients after surgery and to develop a nomogram for predicting the survival of ICC patients. In this prospective cohort study, 116 ICC patients who underwent radical surgery were enrolled as the discovery cohort and another independent cohort of 68 ICC patients was used as the validation cohort. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze prognosis. The independent predictor of overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was evaluated by univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses, then developing nomograms. The performance of nomograms was evaluated by concordance index (C-index), calibration curve, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis (ROC), and decision curve analysis (DCA). Patients with high FAR had lower OS and RFS. FAR and sarcopenia were effective predictors of OS and RFS. Patients with high FAR and sarcopenia had a poorer prognosis than other patients. OS nomogram was constructed based on age, FAR, and sarcopenia. RFS nomogram was constructed based on FAR and sarcopenia. C-index for the nomograms of OS and RFS was 0.713 and 0.686. Calibration curves revealed great consistency between actual survival and nomogram prediction. The area under ROC curve (AUC) for the nomograms of OS and RFS was 0.796 and 0.791 in the discovery cohort, 0.823 and 0.726 in the validation cohort. The clinical value of nomograms was confirmed by the DCA. ICC patients with high FAR and sarcopenia had a poor prognosis, the nomograms developed based on these two factors were accurate and clinically useful in ICC patients who underwent radical resection.

Yu H ，Wang M ，Wang Y ，Yang J ，Deng L ，Bao W ，He B ，Lin Z ，Chen Z ，Chen K ，Zhang B ，Liu F ，Yu Z ，Ye L ，Jin B ，Chen G ... -  《Cancer Medicine》

Tumour burden score combined with albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio predicts prognosis in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Tumour morphology (tumour burden score (TBS)) and liver function (albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR)) have been shown to correlate with outcomes in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). This study aimed to evaluate the combined predictive effect of TBS and AAPR on survival outcomes in ICC patients. We conducted a retrospective analysis using a multicentre database of ICC patients who underwent curative surgery from 2011 to 2018. The Kaplan-Meier method was employed to examine the relationship between a new index (combining TBS and AAPR) and long-term outcomes. The predictive efficacy of this index was compared to other conventional indicators. A total of 560 patients were included in the study. Based on TBS and AAPR stratification, patients were classified into three groups. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated that 124 patients with low TBS and high AAPR had the best overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS), while 170 patients with high TBS and low AAPR had the worst outcomes (log-rank p < 0.001). Multivariate analyses identified the combined index as an independent predictor of OS and RFS. Furthermore, the index showed superior accuracy in predicting OS and RFS compared to other conventional indicators. Collectively, this study demonstrated that the combination of liver function and tumour morphology provides a synergistic effect in evaluating the prognosis of ICC patients. The novel index combining TBS and AAPR effectively stratified postoperative survival outcomes in ICC patients undergoing curative resection.

Wang S ，Liu M ，Xiang L ，Qiu H ，Cheng L ，Huang Z ，Wen T ，Xie W ，Li S ，Zhang C ，Wang G ，Li H ，Li D ... -  《-》