Neutrophils and Inflammation Predict Survival in Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer is the fourth most frequent malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality (Herszenyi et al., 2010). Since the early stages of the disease are often asymptomatic, diagnosis is frequently made at an advanced stage (Maconi et al., 2008). Palliative chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic disease can improve survival and quality of life in patients with gastric cancer (Murad et al., 1993; Pyrhonen et al., 1995; Glimelius et al., 1997). Risk-directed treatment strategies are widely employed in the management of patients with cancer. Advanced stage, immature differentiation, low KPS score, and associated tumor-related factors are the primary factors in treatment consideration. However, the true benefit of chemotherapy remains unclear, with median overall survival often less than 1 year together with significant side effects (Oba et al., 2013). Therefore, there is continuing interest in prognostic factors to permit more accurate