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. 2016 Jul 27:9:4653-60.
doi: 10.2147/OTT.S106017. eCollection 2016.

Usefulness of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer

Chao Liu  1 , Zhou Huang  2 , Qiusheng Wang  2 , Bing Sun  2 , Lijuan Ding  2 , Xiangying Meng  2 , Shikai Wu  1
Affiliations

Usefulness of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer

Chao Liu et al. Onco Targets Ther. .

Abstract

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the relationship between pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)/platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and the estimation of hormone-receptor-negative (HR-) breast cancer patients' survival in a Chinese cohort.

Patients and methods: Of 434 consecutive HR- nonmetastatic breast cancer patients treated between 2004 and 2010 in the Affiliated Hospital of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, 318 eligible cases with complete data were included in the present study. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to determine the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to test the usefulness of NLR and PLR.

Results: Univariate analysis indicated that both elevated NLR and PLR (both P<0.001) were associated with poor OS. The utility of NLR remained in the multivariate analysis (P<0.001), but not PLR (P=0.104). The analysis results for DFS were almost the same as OS. Subgroup analysis revealed a significant association between increased NLR and PLR (P<0.001 and P=0.011) and poor survival in triple-negative breast cancer. However, for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer, only NLR was significantly associated with OS in the multivariate analysis (P=0.001).

Conclusion: The present study indicates that both increased NLR and PLR are associated with poor survival in HR-breast cancer patients. Meanwhile, NLR is independently correlated with OS and DFS, but PLR is not.

Keywords: breast cancer; inflammatory markers; survival.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
ROC analysis to discriminate high and low OS by NLR. Note: The value of area under the curve is 0.70. Abbreviations: ROC, receiver operatingcurve; OS, overall survival; NLR, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.
Figure 2
Figure 2
ROC analysis to discriminate high and low OS by PLR. Note: The value of area under the curve is 0.67. Abbreviations: ROC, receiver operating curve; OS, overall survival; PLR, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio.
Figure 3
Figure 3
OS rate by low and high NLR (P<0.001). Abbreviations: OS, overall survival; NLR, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.
Figure 4
Figure 4
DFS rate by low and high NLR (P<0.001). Abbreviations: DFS, disease-free survival; NLR, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.
Figure 5
Figure 5
OS rate by low and high PLR (P<0.001). Abbreviations: OS, overall survival; PLR, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio.
Figure 6
Figure 6
DFS rate by low and high PLR (P<0.001). Abbreviations: DFS, disease-free survival; PLR, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio.
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