Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39547932›Full record

ArticleCancer control : journal of the Moffitt Cancer Center

Factors Influencing Immunotherapy Outcomes in Cancer: Sarcopenia and Systemic Inflammation.

Enes Ucgul, Deniz Can Guven, Aybala Nur Ucgul, Yakup Ozbay, Mehmet Ruhi Onur, Serkan Akin

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Article in Cancer control : journal of the Moffitt Cancer Center. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

20 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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  9. Serum alkaline phosphatase elevation as a preoperative sarcopenic biomarker in digestive cancer: a retrospective cohort study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Enes UcgulDivision of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Etlik City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0002-6858-751X
Deniz Can GuvenDepartment of Medical Oncology, Elazığ Fethi Sekin City Hospital, Elazığ, Turkey.
Aybala Nur UcgulDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Gulhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Yakup OzbayDepartment of Radiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Mehmet Ruhi OnurDepartment of Radiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Serkan AkinDepartment of Medical Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Ankara, Turkey.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundImmunotherapy has shown promise in treating various subtypes of metastatic cancers, but many patients are frail and may have compromised immune systems, which can influence treatment outcomes. Sarcopenia, a condition characterized by loss of muscle mass and systemic inflammation, is a potential factor that may negatively impact the response to immunotherapy. However, more data must be collected on the extent of its influence. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of sarcopenia, systemic inflammation, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) on the response to immunotherapy.

methodsWe enrolled 100 patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors between 2015 and 2021 who underwent computed tomography of the abdomen before the first immunotherapy dose. This study was conducted retrospectively. Gender-specific thresholds were used for the diagnosis of sarcopenia. C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), albumin, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were used as markers of systemic inflammation. Systemic inflammatory markers and sarcopenia were assessed using univariable and multivariable analyses for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).

resultsSarcopenia was found to be a significant prognostic factor associated with poor PFS (HR, 2.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45-3.74;

conclusionsCloser monitoring and prevention of sarcopenia may enhance both OS and PFS. Additionally, our composite model may assist oncologists in predicting responses to immunotherapy more accurately. However, further prospective studies are needed to validate these findings.

Indexed as

ImmunotherapyInflammationNeoplasmsSarcopeniaAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsECOG PShypoalbuminemiaimmunotherapyinflammationoverall survivalsarcopenia

Identifiers

PMID39547932
PMCPMC11569492

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.