Neutrophils as a prognostic factor in the systemic treatment of Ovarian Cancer

abstract

Background and Aims: The role of the immune system regarding development and treatment of cancer has a very high interest in modern cancer research. Research in ovarian cancer immunology is sparse compared to other tumour types. Neutrophils have been shown to possess both tumor promoting and tumor limiting properties. In this context we aimed at evaluating the prognostic value of neutrophils in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Methods: Retrospective evaluation of blood values was performed in 176 ovarian cancer patients treated with first line chemotherapy from July 2006 to January 2011 in a translational research protocol. Performance status (PS), FIGO stage, tumour grade, residual tumour, baseline neutrophils, first nadir neutrophils and LDH were analysed in comparison to overall survival (OS).

Results: Patients with low vs medium vs high level of baseline neutrophils (cut-offs: 4.7 and 6.5) showed median OS of 64.8 months vs 34.2 months vs 27.5 months respectively. There was no significant prognostic value of the level of nadir neutrophils after the first cycle of chemotherapy. Baseline neutrophils showed to be an independent prognostic marker in multivariate analysis comparing low vs high baseline neutrophils (HR: 1.97). Other independent prognostic markers were FIGO stage, residual tumour and performance status.

Conclusions: Baseline neutrophil blood count was found to be an independent prognostic marker in ovarian cancer. This shows ovarian cancer as a disease where immunology plays a role and with a potential role of the immune system as a target for treatment.

Type: Conference poster Language: English Main Research Area: Medical science Review type: Peer Review Conference: 16th Biennial Meeting of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society, 2016