Background: Lung cancer (LC) is still the primary cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and late diagnosis is a major obstacle to improving lung cancer outcomes. Recently, elevated preoperative or pretreatment neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and mean platelet volume (MPV) detected in peripheral blood were identified as independent prognostic factors associated with poor survival with various cancers, including colon cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer and breast cancer. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine whether MPV, NLR and PLR could be useful inflammatory markers to differentiate lung cancer patients from healthy controls. An investigation was also made of the relationship between these markers and other prognostic factors and histopathological subgroups. Materials and Methods: Retrospectively eighty-one lung cancer patients and 81 age-sexes matched healthy subjects included into the study. Patients with hypertension, hematological and renal disease, heart failure, chronic infection, hepatic disorder and other cancer were excluded from the study. The preoperative or pretreatment blood count data was obtained from the recorded computerized database. Results: NLR and PLR values were significantly higher in the LC patients compared to the healthy subjects.( NLR: 4.42 vs 2.45 p=0.001, PLR: 245.1 vs 148.2 p=0.002) MPV values were similar in both groups (7.7 vs 7.8). No statistically significant relationship was determined between these markers (MPV, NLR and PLR) and histopathological subgroups and TNM stages. Conclusions: NLR and PLR can be useful biomarkers in LC patients before treatment. Larger prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.

New studies show that inflammatory markers and blood cells may be related to epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). We aimed to examine whether mean platelet volume would be a useful marker for EOC patients to predict tumour burden and prognosis, and investigate the difference in MPV values between EOC patients and healthy controls. We retrospectively investigated 113 ovarian cancer patients who underwent surgery between January 2008 and July 2012 and 90 healthy subjects. MPV levels were significantly higher in preoperative EOC patients compared with healthy subjects (8.26 fl vs 7.71 fl; p = 0.004). Also NLR and PLR values were significantly higher in EOC patients (NLR, 3.48 vs 2.37; p = 0.000; PLR, 241 vs 148; p = 0.000). Surgical tumour resection resulted in a significant decrease in MPV levels (8.26 fl vs 7.61 fl; p = 0.001). NLR values also decreased after tumour resection significantly similar to CA125 (NLR, 3.48 vs 2.49; p = 0.000). Our data suggests that MPV could be a promising and easily available biomarker for monitoring EOC patients.

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BackgroundThe importance of cell-cell junction proteins (including armadillo proteins) in tumor biology is known, but limited with regard to plakophilins. We explored the relationship between plakophilins (PKP1, PKP2, PKP3) to gastric cancer via immunohistochemical techniques.MethodsWe compared the immunohistochemistry of PKPs in 34 gastric adenocarcinomas and 20 normal gastric tissues.ResultsIn gastric cancer, PKP1 expression was unchanged but PKP2 and PKP3 were significantly decreased as compared to normal controls. There was no observable clinical association with PKP1 or PKP2 expression; however, low PKP3 level and poor prognosis appeared to correlate with regards to node number and tumor stage. The mean disease-free survival (DFS) was 38 ± 3 months (range: 32 - 44) and mean overall survival (OS) 42 ± 4 months (range: 38 - 50). Decreased PKP2 appeared to negatively impact DFS.ConclusionDecreased PKP2 and PKP3 may be early prognostic markers and loss of PKP3 expression during gastric carcinoma progression may indicate an invasive phenotype.

The results of the current study revealed the potential predicitve role of RDW in patients with postmenopausal bleeding. Significant associations were also determined between RDW and clinicopathological characteristics in EC patients.