ObjectiveTo evaluate prognostic value of change of immune status in locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) patients. Methods We retrospective collected 210 LAGC patients who underwent treatment in our department from January 2013 to December 2018, then we collected lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and cLMR (change of lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, cLMR) before operation and after three cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. We had developed a new immune state change score (ICS) based on preoperative LMR (pLMR) and cLMR, and explored its prognostic value. The definition of ICS in this study was: ICS=1, pLMR≤4.53 and cLMR≤1; ICS=2, pLMR≤4.53 and cLMR>1, or pLMR>4.53 and cLMR≤1; ICS=3, pLMR>4.53 and cLMR>1. Results The results of multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model showed that ICS was an influencing factor for overall survival [ICS=2, RR=0.397, 95%CI (0.260, 0.608), P<0.001; ICS=3, RR=0.080, 95%CI (0.040, 0.162), P<0.001), patients with ICS scores of 2 and 3 had better overall survival. In addition, the prognostic accuracy of ICS was superior to pLMR and Clmr, and the C-index of ICS [0.806, 95%CI (0.746, 0.865)] was higher than that of pLMR [0.717, 95%CI (0.635, 0.799), P=0.003)] and cLMR [0.723, 95%CI (0.641, 0.806), P=0.005)]. Based on this, a Nomogram model included ICS, CEA, and pTNM staging was constructed to predict the 3-year and 5-year survival rates of patients. The calibration curve and C-index [0.821, 95%CI (0.783, 0.859)] showed high discrimination and accuracy of Nomogram, and decision curve analysis confirmed that the model had good clinical application value. Conclusions The dynamic changes in the patient’s immune status before and after adjuvant therapy are related to the overall survival of LAGC patients. As an evaluating system which combined the cLMR and pLMR, ICS can better predict the prognosis of LAGC patients.
The treatment strategy for locally advanced gastric cancer is at a critical juncture, transitioning from traditional perioperative chemotherapy to a paradigm of immuno-combination therapy. Low pathological complete response rate, high postoperative recurrence rate, treatment intolerances of some patients under neoadjuvant chemotherapy model are key points. In recent years, the successful application of immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced gastric cancer has driven their shift into the perioperative setting. This article summarizes the latest clinical trial data on perioperative immunotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer and integrates advances in both domestic and international research, and further explores precision treatment strategies based on molecular subtypes such as programmed death ligand 1, microsatellite instability-high/deficient mismatch repair, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and Claudin 18.2, as well as the prospects of “chemotherapy-free” and “surgery-free” approaches for microsatellite instability-high patients. The aim is to provide a comprehensive, evidence-based reference for safety challenges of perioperative immunotherapy within clinical practice and future research directions.