Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio can predict overall survival in patients with stage II to III colorectal cancer

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a prognostic inflammatory marker in colorectal cancer (CRC), however, little is known for its prognostic role in stage II to III CRC patients underwent curative resection. This study was aimed to investigate prognostic role of NLR in stage II to III CRC patients underwent surgery. Medical records of 1378 newly diagnosed CRC patients between June 2006 and March 2020 were reviewed. Data were collected by using electronic medical record software. Survival rate were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The cutoff values of NLR in stage II to III CRC patients were defined by maximally selected log-rank statistics. Multivariable cox proportional-hazard models were performed to find risk factors associated with overall survival (OS) in stage II to III CRC patients underwent surgery. Among 1378 CRC patients enrolled, 910 patients underwent surgery. In entire surgical cohort, age, body mass index (BMI), CEA, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), lymphatic invasion, NLR, and albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) were found to be risk factors associated with OS (all P < .05). In stage II to III CRC patients underwent curative resection (n = 623), age, BMI, lymphatic invasion, AGR, and NLR were found to be risk factors associated with OS (all P < .05). In the multivariable analysis, CA 19-9 and lymphatic invasion were independent risk factors for OS in entire surgical cohort. In the multivariable analysis for the stage II to III CRC patients, age, BMI, lymphatic invasion and NLR (Hazard ratio = 2.41, 95% confidential interval [CI]: 1.04-5.595, P = .041) were independent risk factors for OS. NLR can be used as a clinically simple and useful parameter for predicting OS in stage II to III CRC patients undergoing curative resection, however, its optimal cutoff value should be further evaluated.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate the prognostic role of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in stage II to III colorectal cancer (CRC) patients who underwent surgery. The results showed that NLR was significantly associated with overall survival (OS) and could be used as a simple and useful parameter for predicting OS in these patients.