CRP-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) Index Is an Independent Prognostic Factor for the Esophageal Cancer Patients Who Received Curative Treatment

Background/Aim: Perioperative inflammation and the nutritional status affect both short- and long-term oncological outcomes in various malignancies. We clarified the clinical impacts of the CRP-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index in patients with esophageal cancer who received curative treatment. Patients and Methods: The present study included 180 patients who underwent curative treatment for esophageal cancer between 2005 and 2020. The prognosis and clinicopathological parameters were compared between a high-fibrinogen group and a low-fibrinogen group. Results: The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 50.0% and 42.6%, respectively, in the CALLY index-low group, and 75.9% and 66.6% in the CALLY index-high group. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (p<0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that the CALLY index was an independent prognostic factor [hazard ratio=2.310, 95% confidence interval=1.416-3.767, p<0.001]. Similar results were observed in recurrence-free survival. When comparing the details of postoperative surgical complications, there was a significant difference in the incidence of anastomotic leakage. The incidence of anastomotic leakage was 40.2% in the CALLY index-low group, while it was 27.5% in the CALLY index-high group (p=0.030). Conclusion: The pretreatment CALLY index is one of the independent prognostic factors for esophageal cancer. The CALLY index might become a promising biomarker for the treatment and management of esophageal cancer.