Evaluation of the utility of different laboratory test-related sarcopenia indices as predictors of lung cancer mortality

Abstract Objectives We evaluated the utility of routine laboratory test-related sarcopenia indices as predictors of mortality in older patients with primary lung cancer undergoing the first chemotherapy course. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting West China Hospital, Chengdu, China. Participa...

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Main Authors: Xiaoyan Chen, Shuyue Luo, Lisha Hou, Ming Yang, Qiukui Hao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:BMC Geriatrics
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-05951-4
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author Xiaoyan Chen
Shuyue Luo
Lisha Hou
Ming Yang
Qiukui Hao
author_facet Xiaoyan Chen
Shuyue Luo
Lisha Hou
Ming Yang
Qiukui Hao
author_sort Xiaoyan Chen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objectives We evaluated the utility of routine laboratory test-related sarcopenia indices as predictors of mortality in older patients with primary lung cancer undergoing the first chemotherapy course. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting West China Hospital, Chengdu, China. Participants This study enrolled primary lung cancer patients ≥ 60 years of age undergoing their first chemotherapy course. Measurements Data on individual patients were obtained from the medical records, while information on survival outcomes was gathered through telephone-based follow-up or local government databases. Using available routine hematological and biochemical test results, this study calculated three sarcopenia-related indices for each patient. These indices included the AST/ALT ratio, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). We assessed the relationships between these indices and death using Cox proportional hazards models. Results The study included 926 primary lung cancer patients (71.5% male; median age: 65 years) who underwent their first course of chemotherapy. During the follow-up period (median: 28 months), 563 patients (60.8%) died. In the overall population, there was a significantly higher likelihood of all-cause mortality in patients with an NLR ≥ 2.88 (HR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.36–1.90, P < 0.001) or a PLR ≥ 125.11 (HR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.17–1.64, P < 0.001) compared to those with values below these thresholds. However, after adjustment for potential confounding factors, no association was found between NLR or PLR and mortality. After stratification by sex, it was found that both NLR and PLR values were associated with an increased risk of mortality among women (NLR: HR = 2.1, P < 0.001; PLR: HR = 2.42, P < 0.001). Conclusions NLR and PLR, are indicators of sarcopenia and can be easily derived from routine laboratory testing data. These indices can significantly predict mortality in older female patients with primary lung cancer at the start of chemotherapy. Therefore, there is potential practical value in using these indices for assessing patient risk prior to chemotherapy.
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spelling doaj-art-70822869614b481ea8d7f8741c26f34b2025-08-20T03:08:44ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182025-05-012511910.1186/s12877-025-05951-4Evaluation of the utility of different laboratory test-related sarcopenia indices as predictors of lung cancer mortalityXiaoyan Chen0Shuyue Luo1Lisha Hou2Ming Yang3Qiukui Hao4Department of Geriatric, The Zigong Affliated Hospital, SouthwestMedical UniversityWest China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan UniversityWest China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan UniversityWest China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan UniversityWest China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan UniversityAbstract Objectives We evaluated the utility of routine laboratory test-related sarcopenia indices as predictors of mortality in older patients with primary lung cancer undergoing the first chemotherapy course. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting West China Hospital, Chengdu, China. Participants This study enrolled primary lung cancer patients ≥ 60 years of age undergoing their first chemotherapy course. Measurements Data on individual patients were obtained from the medical records, while information on survival outcomes was gathered through telephone-based follow-up or local government databases. Using available routine hematological and biochemical test results, this study calculated three sarcopenia-related indices for each patient. These indices included the AST/ALT ratio, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). We assessed the relationships between these indices and death using Cox proportional hazards models. Results The study included 926 primary lung cancer patients (71.5% male; median age: 65 years) who underwent their first course of chemotherapy. During the follow-up period (median: 28 months), 563 patients (60.8%) died. In the overall population, there was a significantly higher likelihood of all-cause mortality in patients with an NLR ≥ 2.88 (HR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.36–1.90, P < 0.001) or a PLR ≥ 125.11 (HR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.17–1.64, P < 0.001) compared to those with values below these thresholds. However, after adjustment for potential confounding factors, no association was found between NLR or PLR and mortality. After stratification by sex, it was found that both NLR and PLR values were associated with an increased risk of mortality among women (NLR: HR = 2.1, P < 0.001; PLR: HR = 2.42, P < 0.001). Conclusions NLR and PLR, are indicators of sarcopenia and can be easily derived from routine laboratory testing data. These indices can significantly predict mortality in older female patients with primary lung cancer at the start of chemotherapy. Therefore, there is potential practical value in using these indices for assessing patient risk prior to chemotherapy.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-05951-4Sarcopenia indexPrognosisOlder patientsLung cancer
spellingShingle Xiaoyan Chen
Shuyue Luo
Lisha Hou
Ming Yang
Qiukui Hao
Evaluation of the utility of different laboratory test-related sarcopenia indices as predictors of lung cancer mortality
BMC Geriatrics
Sarcopenia index
Prognosis
Older patients
Lung cancer
title Evaluation of the utility of different laboratory test-related sarcopenia indices as predictors of lung cancer mortality
title_full Evaluation of the utility of different laboratory test-related sarcopenia indices as predictors of lung cancer mortality
title_fullStr Evaluation of the utility of different laboratory test-related sarcopenia indices as predictors of lung cancer mortality
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of the utility of different laboratory test-related sarcopenia indices as predictors of lung cancer mortality
title_short Evaluation of the utility of different laboratory test-related sarcopenia indices as predictors of lung cancer mortality
title_sort evaluation of the utility of different laboratory test related sarcopenia indices as predictors of lung cancer mortality
topic Sarcopenia index
Prognosis
Older patients
Lung cancer
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-05951-4
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