Prognostic value of systemic immune-inflammation index/ albumin for transcatheter arterial chemoembolization treatment

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In the process of tumor occurrence, evolution and development, immune, inflammation and nutrition are principal elements. The purpose of this study was to assess the prognostic value of systemic immune-inflammation index/albumin (SII/ALB) for patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). METHODS: A total of 125 HBV-related HCC patients met inclusion criteria and were all enrolled in this research. The survminer R package. was used to calculate the best SII/ALB cutoff values. Chi-square test was used to analyze the relationship between SII/ALB and clinicopathological parameters. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the effect of SII/ALB on overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The cutoff value of SII/ALB was 2.992. In the derivation cohort, the patients were divided into SII/ALB-low (SII/ALB≤2.992) and SII/ALB-high (SII/ALB >2.992) groups. SII/ALB-high was found in patients with tumor size ≥3 (cm), white blood cell ≥3.5 (10(9)/L), platelet ≥100 (10(9)/L), neutrophils ≥1.8 (10(9)/L), PT ≥ 14(s), SII ≥100, NLR ≥1.50 and PLR ≥60, (P < 0.05). The Kaplan–Meier curves showed that elevated SII/ALB were associated with decreased OS. OS rate of SII/ALB-low and SII/ALB-high groups at 1 and 2 years were 96.6% vs. 70.3% and 87.8% vs. 48.5%, respectively (C(2) = 9.804, P = 0.002). The BCLC stage, tumor number, tumor size, vascular invasion, AST, SII/ALB, SII, NLR and PNI were all significant prognostic indicators of OS. The SII/ALB (HR: 17.98; 95%CI: 1.82–177.32) and tumor size (HR: 3.26; 95%CI: 1.27–8.35) were all independent prognostic factors for OS, (p < 0.05). Conclusion: we found that SII/ALB could be an important prognostic parameter for HBV-related HCC patients after TACE treatment.