Pretreatment neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic factor in cervical carcinoma

Abstract

Aim: This study was designed to investigate the prognostic value of the neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in cervical cancer. Patients and Methods: Patients with clinically staged cervical carcinoma (IB to IVA) at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, from 1996 to 2007 were retrospectively enrolled. Results: We enrolled 1061 patients with cervical cancer. The median NLR was 1.9, with a range of 0.3-27.0. When the cohort was divided according to the median NLR, poorer survival outcomes were observed in the group with higher NLR (≥1.9) than in the lower NLR group (<1.9). Patients of the higher NLR group (≥1.9) were younger in age and had more advanced staged disease when compared with those of the lower NLR group (<1.9). In multivariable analysis, higher pretreatment NLR was identified as being an independent poor prognostic factor for survival. Conclusion: Pretreatment NLR may be a cost-effective biomarker to stratify risk of recurrence and death in patients with cervical cancer.