Pretreatment Fibrinogen-Albumin Ratio (FAR) Associated with Treatment Response and Survival in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated with First-Line Anti-PD-1 Therapy Plus Platinum-Based Combination Chemotherapy

Purpose: PD-1 inhibitors have been routinely used to treat advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and have significantly improved clinical outcomes. In this study, we aimed to explore the influence of pretreatment fibrinogen-albumin ratio (FAR) on treatment response and survival in advanced NSCLC patients treated with first-line anti-PD-1 therapy plus platinum-based combination chemotherapy.

Patients and methods: A total of 91 patients with advanced NSCLC were included in the study. All patients received at least two cycles of systemic first-line anti-PD-1 therapy plus platinum-based combination chemotherapy. Receiver operating characteristics analysis was performed to determine the optimal cutoff values of FAR. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify independent prognostic factors, and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival curves.

Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that N stage (N2-3) and high FAR (≥0.175, optimal cutoff value) were independent predictors for objective response rate (P = 0.0002, P = 0.0005, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis of progression-free survival and overall survival showed that high FAR (≥0.145) was independent prognostic factors (P = 0.0061, P = 0.0024, respectively). Progression-free survival and overall survival were significantly shorter in the high FAR (≥0.145) group than those in the low FAR (<0.145) group (P = 0.0024, P = 0.0024, respectively).

Conclusion: Pretreatment FAR was an independent predictor for treatment response and independent prognostic factors in advanced NSCLC patients treated with first-line anti-PD-1 therapy plus platinum-based combination chemotherapy.