Background: The lung immune prognostic index (LIPI) is a marker that combines the derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level and is a recently reported prognostic factor of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, there are no reports regarding the prognostic value of LIPI in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 171 patients diagnosed with SCLC and treated at Shinshu University School of Medicine between January 2003 and November 2019. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared according to LIPI, and we investigated whether LIPI could be a prognostic factor in SCLC using the Kaplan-Meier method and univariate and multivariate Cox models. Results: The median OS of the LIPI 0 group was significantly longer than that of the LIPI 1 plus 2 group (21.0 vs. 11.6 months, P < 0.001). The multivariate analysis associated with OS indicated that LIPI 1 plus 2 was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor in addition to poor performance status (2-3), old age (≥ 75 years) and stage (extensive disease [ED]). However, PFS of the LIPI 0 group was not significantly different from that of the LIPI 1 plus 2 group. In ED-SCLC patients, the median PFS and OS of the LIPI 0 group were significantly longer than those of the LIPI 2 group (6.6 vs. 4.0 months, P = 0.006 and 17.1 vs. 5.9 months, P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: We confirmed the prognostic value of LIPI in SCLC, especially ED-SCLC. Key points• Significant findings of the study: The present study is the first to demonstrate that pretreatment lung immune prognostic index is an independent prognostic factor associated with overall survival for small cell lung cancer. • What this study adds: The utility of the lung immune prognostic index as a prognostic factor for small cell lung cancer.

Background Nivolumab is a second‐line chemotherapy for non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study explored the impact of clinical biomarkers such as neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (NLR), C‐reactive protein:albumin ratio (CAR), and modified Glasgow prognostic score on the efficacy and outcome of nivolumab monotherapy in previously treated NSCLC patients. Methods We retrospectively analyzed advanced or postoperative recurrence of NSCLC in 113 patients in two Japanese facilities from January 2015 to December 2019. Optimal cutoff values of NLR and CAR were assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves predicting death events to conduct regression analysis. Baseline values and values collected eight weeks after nivolumab treatment were measured to investigate time‐series changes of these markers. Results The patients showed median overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) of 14.0 months and 2.3 months, respectively, with both being significantly longer in patients with partial response (PR) than in patients with progressive disease (PD). Optimal cutoff levels for NLR and CAR were 5.8 and 0.83, with significant decrease in CAR (P = 0.002) from baseline levels in PR patients and significant increase in PD patients. Baseline CAR ≥0.83 was significantly associated with one‐year mortality events and overall survival (OS), and multivariate analysis showed significant association of age ≤70 years, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 2 or 3, and a baseline CAR ≥0.83 with inferior OS. Conclusions For second‐line nivolumab therapy, evaluation of baseline CAR and subsequent changes in CAR may be predictive of therapeutic response to nivolumab and long‐term survival in NSCLC patients. Key points Significant findings of the study The baseline value of C‐reactive protein:albumin ratio was significantly associated with one‐year mortality and overall survival in non‐small cell lung cancer patients treated with nivolumab. What this study adds Time‐series change of C‐reactive protein:albumin ratio may be useful for predicting the treatment efficacy in patients treated with nivolumab.

Background The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) is a simple and useful marker for predicting prognosis and treatment efficacy among patients with various cancers. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no previous reports regarding the prognostic value of GNRI among patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Methods We retrospectively evaluated 85 patients with previously treated advanced NSCLC who were administered ICIs at Shinshu University Hospital between February 2016 and October 2020. Progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between groups with high (≥89.5) and low (<89.5) GNRI values. We used univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses to identify prognostic factors that were associated with PFS and OS. Results The high and low GNRI groups included 61 and 24 patients, respectively. Relative to the low GNRI group, the high GNRI group had significantly longer median PFS (3.7 vs. 2.4 months, p = 0.041) and significantly longer median OS (14.2 vs. 6.1 months, p = 0.008). Multivariate analyses revealed that independent predictors of favorable OS were high GNRI, performance status of 0–1, and age of ≥70 years. The high GNRI group was significantly more likely to undergo subsequent therapy after immunotherapy (68.6 vs. 33.3%, p = 0.008). Conclusions The present study revealed that high GNRI was associated with good outcomes among patients with previously treated NSCLC who were treated with ICIs.

Introduction: Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a very chemosensitive solid tumor but is characterized by rapid progression. The modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) has been shown to be an independent prognostic factor in various tumors. However, there have been few reports regarding the prognostic value of mGPS in extensive disease (ED)-SCLC. Objective: This study was designed to clarify the clinical significance of mGPS focusing on its usefulness as a prognostic indicator for the survival and serial administrations of chemotherapies in patients with ED-SCLC. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical records of ED-SCLC patients diagnosed and treated at Shinshu University School of Medicine between January 2005 and December 2018. Overall survival (OS) was compared according to mGPS and we examined whether mGPS could be a prognostic factor in ED-SCLC using the Kaplan-Meier method and univariate and multivariate Cox hazard analyses. Results: Eighty-three patients were enrolled in this study. The median OS of mGPS 0, mGPS 1, and mGPS 2 groups were 13.6, 9.2, and 5.7 months, respectively. The OS of the mGPS 0 group was significantly longer than those of mGPS 1 and mGPS 2 groups (log-rank, p = 0.025 and 0.008, respectively). The rates of second-line chemotherapy administration in mGPS 0, mGPS 1, and mGPS 2 groups were 79.4, 61.9, and 33.3%, respectively. The rate in the mGPS 0 group was significantly higher than that in the mGPS 2 group (p = 0.003). Multivariate analyses indicated that mGPS 2 was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor in addition to old age (≥75 years), poor performance status (2–3), and elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase level (≥223 IU/L). Conclusion: In ED-SCLC patients, mGPS was useful as a prognostic indicator for OS.

Purpose: The development of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in patients undergoing immunotherapy has been reported to be a favorable prognostic factor in several studies. We aimed to examine the correlation between irAEs and prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and further reveal the patient characteristics associated with response to immunotherapy among treatment responders who developed irAEs. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 80 patients with NSCLC who received immunotherapy at Shinshu University Hospital between February 2016 and February 2020. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between patients with and those without irAEs. We examined the prognostic factors associated with PFS and OS using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards models. We further analyzed the patients who developed irAEs by classifying them into responders and non-responders. Results: Twenty-five patients developed irAEs. The median PFS and OS of the patients with irAEs were significantly longer than those of the patients without irAEs (6.8 vs. 1.9 months, p < 0.001, and 37.8 vs. 8.1 months, p < 0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis associated with PFS and OS indicated that the development of irAEs was an independent favorable prognostic factor. Among the patients developing irAEs, the responder group had a significantly higher incidence of multiple irAEs than the non-responder group (41.7 vs. 0.0%, p = 0.009). Conclusion: Our findings revealed that the development of irAEs was associated with clinical benefits in NSCLC patients who received immunotherapy. In particular, patients with multiple irAEs might have good prognoses.