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Predictive value of peripheral blood markers in soft tissue sarcoma patients treated with eribulin
Shin Ishihara1, Koichi Ogura1, Aiko Maejima2
1Department of Musculoskeletal Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Objective:
eribulin, an anticancer agent that inhibits microtubule growth, along with trabectedin and pazopanib, has been approved for the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS). However, there has been no consensus on the optimal second-line therapy among these three agents following treatment failure with doxorubicin. Recently, the effects of eribulin on the tumor microenvironment and immunity have been reported in breast cancer, and peripheral blood immune markers have also been reported to be a predictor of eribulin efficacy, though this remains unverified in STS. We aimed to evaluate the predictive value of various peripheral blood immune markers in STS patients treated with eribulin.
Methods:
we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of STS patients treated with eribulin and examined whether peripheral blood immune markers at different time points could be prognostic factors for STS patients treated with eribulin.
Results:
several peripheral blood immune markers were significantly associated with progression-free survival (PFS), specifically neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) prestart (NLR before the initial administration of eribulin) (P = 0.019) and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC)8D (ALC on Day 8 of the first administration of eribulin) (P = 0.037). NLR prestart (P = 0.001) was significantly associated with overall survival. The combination of NLR prestart and ALC8D determined the PFS of STS patients treated with eribulin.
Conclusions:
the combined indicator of low NLR prestart and high ALC8D predicted the survival of patients treated with eribulin as well as the histology of L-sarcoma. Though further validation was needed, this finding would provide valuable prognostic factor that help treatment decision in the absence of consensus on the optimal second-line therapy following doxorubicin treatment in STS patients.
Insights
Peripheral blood immune markers, specifically neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), can predict survival in advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients treated with eribulin.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Sarcoma Research
Background:
- Eribulin is an approved anticancer agent for advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS).
- Optimal second-line therapy post-doxorubicin failure in STS remains debated.
- Eribulin's impact on tumor microenvironment and immunity suggests potential predictive biomarkers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the predictive value of peripheral blood immune markers in STS patients receiving eribulin.
- To identify prognostic factors for eribulin efficacy in advanced STS.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical records for STS patients treated with eribulin.
- Analysis of peripheral blood immune markers at various time points as prognostic factors.
Main Results:
- Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) pre-treatment and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) on Day 8 were associated with progression-free survival (PFS).
- Pre-treatment NLR significantly predicted overall survival.
- Combined NLR and ALC8D determined PFS in STS patients treated with eribulin.
Conclusions:
- Low pre-treatment NLR and high ALC8D are predictive of survival in eribulin-treated STS patients.
- These immune markers, along with L-sarcoma histology, aid in prognostic assessment.
- Findings offer a valuable prognostic factor to guide treatment decisions for STS.

