Correlation Between Hemoglobin Levels and the Prognosis of First-Line Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study evaluated the prognostic significance of hemoglobin (Hb) levels in patients (pts) with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer who have not previously received chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We screened 249 pts with advanced gastric cancer, who were categorized into four groups, namely, non-anemia (normal Hb levels), mild (10 g/dl to normal), moderate (8–10 g/dl), and severe anemia groups (<8 g/dl), to study the prognostic significance of Hb levels. We also examined the correlation between changes in Hb levels and treatment effects via imaging during the treatment course. RESULTS: The objective response rate (ORR) was 47.4% for pts with anemia versus 43.4% for pts without anemia (P=0.536). Hemoglobin levels were reduced by 0.51 ± 1.86 and 1.93 ± 1.33 g/dl after chemotherapy versus before chemotherapy in the disease control group and progressive groups, respectively (P=0.002). The median progression-free survival (mPFS) of first-line chemotherapy in all pts was 6.3 months. Specifically, the mPFS was 5.7 months in pts with severe anemia, compared with 6.4 months for pts with non-severe anemia (Hb≥8g/dl). The median overall survival (mOS) of all pts was 14.0 months. In particular, the mOS was 15.0 months for pts with non-anemia and mild anemia (Hb≥10g/dl) versus 11.5 months for pts with moderate or severe anemia. In multivariate analysis, ascites and decreased Hb post-chemotherapy were identified as independent prognostic indicators for PFS and OS. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that Hb levels are associated with the prognosis in the first-line chemotherapy for pts with advanced gastric cancer. Pts with progressive disease experience a larger decrease in Hb levels, and those with baseline Hb levels ≥10 g/dl experience longer OS.