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Objective: The present study evaluated the clinical relevance of an integrative preoperative assessment of inflammation-, nutrition-, and muscle-based markers for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) undergoing curative radical cystectomy (RC). Methods: The analysis enrolled 117 patients and the variables included age, body mass index (BMI), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), Controlling Nutritional Status score, psoas muscle index (PMI), and peak expiratory flow (PEF). The correlations among the variables were evaluated and their prognostic values after RC were tested. Results: Three inflammation markers (ratios of blood cell counts) were positively correlated (p < 0.0001). The PNI and the BMI were positively correlated (p = 0.04), although they were inversely correlated with the three inflammation markers (p < 0.0001). Age was not significantly correlated with the inflammation markers and PMI, although older age was associated with lower PNI and lower PEF. The disease-specific survival was independently predicted by T4 tumor, positive N status, and decreased PNI. Overall survival was independently predicted by T4 tumor, mGPS, and pretreatment sarcopenia status. Conclusions: The inflammation-, nutrition-, and muscle-based markers would be useful risk assessment tools for MIBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prognostic factors for low-grade astrocytomas have been proposed, but optimal treatment remains controversial. Eighty-eight consecutive adult patients with supratentorial low-grade astrocytomas were retrospectively reviewed to determine specific factors influencing outcome. All underwent craniotomy (43 radical resections, 45 nonradical resections). Sex, age at diagnosis, preoperative Karnofsky performance status (KPS), tumor location, estimated extent of resection, radiation, chemotherapy, histological type, p53 status, MIB-1 staining and the apoptotic index were assessed as parameters for prognostic significance. KPS (p = 0.03), tumor location (p < 0.001), extent of surgical resection (p < 0.001) and radiotherapy (p = 0.01) were significantly assoicated with longer survival rates by univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis also showed a significant correlation between radiation therapy after surgical removal and survival time (p < 0.001). p53 status was not of importance in determining the necessity for radiotherapy. Radical surgical removal is the most important factor in the management of low-grade astrocytomas. Radiation therapy appears to be effective in improving the prognosis regardless of the extent of surgical resection or the p53 status.Copyright © 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]