Inflammatory Markers in Glioma Prognosis
Summary
Gliomas, and in particular glioblastomas, display a complex interplay between tumour cells and the host immune system. Inflammatory markers drawn from peripheral blood and tumour tissue have emerged as practical prognostic indicators, offering insights into patient outcome beyond conventional histopathology. Ratios such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) summarise systemic immune shifts, whereas cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and cytokine profiles (for example interleukin-6 and interleukin-8) capture active paracrine signalling in the tumour microenvironment. The density and phenotype of infiltrating immune cells—neutrophils, tumour-associated macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells—further stratify glioma subtypes and correlate with molecular features such as isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status. Recent work underscores the dynamic nature of these markers, with changes evident at diagnosis, during therapy and at recurrence. By integrating inflammatory indices with genetic and epigenetic subclassification, clinicians can refine risk stratification, personalise treatment plans and monitor therapeutic response in real time.
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Inflammatory Markers in Glioma Prognosis publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in inflammatory markers in glioma prognosis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR): A measure of systemic inflammation calculated by dividing the absolute neutrophil count by the absolute lymphocyte count in peripheral blood.
Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR): A prognostic index reflecting the balance between thrombocytic and lymphocytic components of the immune response.
Lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR): A marker of antitumour immune competence derived from the ratio of lymphocyte count to monocyte count.
Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII): An integrative index combining neutrophil, lymphocyte and platelet counts to reflect the systemic inflammatory state.
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA): Fragments of tumour-derived DNA circulating in the bloodstream, indicative of tumour burden and cell turnover.
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs): Heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells that suppress T-cell activation and promote tumour progression.
Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH): Enzyme whose mutations define distinct glioma subgroups with differing biology, treatment responses and prognoses.
References
- Prognostic value of pretreatment lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio in patients with glioma: a meta-analysis. BMC Medicine (2023).
- Prognostic Values of Systemic Inflammatory Immunological Markers in Glioblastoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cancers (2023).
- Systemic and local immunosuppression in glioblastoma and its prognostic significance. Frontiers in Immunology (2024).
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