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Prognostic Value of Pretreatment Inflammatory Markers in Patients Receiving Radical Cystectomy for Urothelial Bladder Cancer: Does Age Matter?

Introduction: Biomarkers are known predictors for survival after radical cystectomy (RC) and can improve patient stratification. Yet, it remains unclear how age influences their prognostic value. The current study aimed to assess the impact of age on standard prognostic biomarkers in different age-groups. Materials and Methods: Overall, 1,014 patients undergoing RC for bladder cancer were included. Patients were divided into age-groups (I – <60, II – 60–69, III – 70–79, and IV – ≥80). C-reactive protein (CRP), hemoglobin (Hb), thrombocytes, and leucocytes prior to RC were used as biomarkers. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to compare overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). For independent predictors of survival, multivariate models were applied. Results: Absolute levels of biomarkers except CRP revealed a significant decrease with increasing age. We found low Hb to be associated with impaired CSS in groups II (2.05 [1.32–3.17]; p = 0.001), III (2.83 [2.01–4.00]; p < 0.001), and IV (1.79 [1.12–2.84]; p = 0.014). Thrombocytes above the cutoff were associated with impaired CSS and OS in groups II, III, and IV for CSS and OS. Leukocytes were associated with impaired CSS and OS in group II (2.11 [1.38–3.23]; p < 0.001 and 1.99 [1.36–2.90]; p < 0.001) and III (1.70 [1.08–2.67]; p = 0.021 and 1.80 [1.25–2.58]; p = 0.002). Elevated CRP was associated with impaired CSS and OS across all groups. Conclusion: Biomarkers are predictors for survival after RC. Yet, their impact on survival is less in the oldest patient group. Therefore, careful patient stratification and treatment administration should be considered in elderly patients. Further investigations are needed to fully understand the underlying mechanisms.