Preoperative neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic predictor after curative resection for non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Background: The prognostic impact of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was examined using patients with a follow-up period more than 5 years.

Patients and methods: Two hundred and eighty four consecutive resected NSCLC patients were reviewed retrospectively. In this study, patients who were treated with a follow-up period less than 5 years were omitted,

Results: The mean value of NLR was 2.44±2.22 (range: 0.56-29.44). The 5-year survival of the patients with a high NLR (≥2.5) was significantly worse than that of the patients with a low NLR (47.06% vs. 67.84%, p<0.0001). Univariate analysis of the clinicopathological factors affecting survival revealed that age, gender, histology, pT status, pN status, high serum CEA level, positive findings of pleural lavage cytology and high NLR were significant risk factors for reduced survival. On multivariate analysis, a high NLR was an independent risk factor for reduced survival.

Conclusion: A high preoperative NLR may be a convenient biomarker to identify patients with a poor prognosis after resection for NSCLC.