Prognostic Value of 18F-FDG PET/CT-Derived Secondary Lymphoid Organ Ratios and Hematologic Inflammation Markers in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Nivolumab

TL;DR

This study found that blood-based inflammation markers, but not PET/CT lymphoid ratios, predict survival in lung cancer patients treated with nivolumab.

Contribution

Shows that hematological markers like NLR are better prognostic indicators than PET/CT ratios in nivolumab-treated NSCLC patients.

Findings

High NLR and SII levels were significantly linked to shorter survival in patients.

PET/CT-derived SLR, BLR, and ILR ratios were not significantly associated with survival outcomes.

Liver metastases and high NLR were identified as independent adverse prognostic factors.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT-based secondary lymphoid organ metabolic ratios—spleen/liver (SLR), bone marrow/liver (BLR), and ileocecal region/liver (ILR)—and hematological inflammation markers (neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio [NLR] and systemic immune-inflammation index [SII]) obtained before nivolumab treatment in relation to survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 79 advanced NSCLC patients who were treated with nivolumab monotherapy at Marmara University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between 2022 and 2024. Pretreatment SLR, BLR, and ILR ratios were calculated from 18F-FDG PET/CT examinations; NLR and SII values were obtained from hematological data. Survival outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method, and prognostic factors were assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. In a subset of patients, an exploratory longitudinal analysis was performed using early follow-up PET/CT to assess follow-up-to-baseline changes in immune-organ metabolic ratios in relation to overall survival. Results: High NLR and SII levels were significantly associated with shorter progression-free survival and overall survival. In contrast, no significant associations were observed between PET/CT-derived metabolic ratios (SLR, BLR, and ILR) and survival. Multivariate analysis identified the presence of liver metastases and a high NLR as independent adverse prognostic factors for overall survival. Conclusions: In this homogeneous real-world cohort treated exclusively with single-agent nivolumab, PET/CT-derived secondary lymphoid organ metabolic ratios showed limited prognostic value at baseline and during early on-treatment assessment. In contrast, hematological inflammation markers, especially high NLR levels, are strong prognostic indicators of survival and may complement established clinical factors in risk stratification.

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