AIM: To investigate whether an elevated preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) can predict poor survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 526 patients with HCC who underwent surgery between 2004 and 2011. RESULTS: Preoperative NLR ≥ 2.81 was an independent predictor of poor disease-free survival (DFS, P < 0.001) and overall survival (OS, P = 0.044). Compared with patients who showed a preoperative NLR < 2.81 and postoperative increase, patients who showed preoperative NLR ≥ 2.81 and postoperative decrease had worse survival (DFS, P < 0.001; OS, P < 0.001). Among patients with preoperative NLR ≥ 2.81, survival was significantly higher among those showing a postoperative decrease in NLR than among those showing an increase (DFS, P < 0.001; OS, P < 0.001). When elevated, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) provided no prognostic information, and so preoperative NLR ≥ 2.81 may be a good complementary indicator of poor OS whenever AFP levels are low or high. CONCLUSION: Preoperative NLR ≥ 2.81 may be an indicator of poor DFS and OS in patients with HCC undergoing surgery. Preoperative NLR ≥ 2.81 may be a good complementary indicator of poor OS when elevated AFP levels provide no prognostic information.
AIM: To investigate whether an elevated preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) can predict poor survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 526 patients with HCC who underwent surgery between 2004 and 2011. RESULTS: Preoperative NLR ≥ 2.81 was an independent predictor of poor disease-free survival (DFS, P < 0.001) and overall survival (OS, P = 0.044). Compared with patients who showed a preoperative NLR < 2.81 and postoperative increase, patients who showed preoperative NLR ≥ 2.81 and postoperative decrease had worse survival (DFS, P < 0.001; OS, P < 0.001). Among patients with preoperative NLR ≥ 2.81, survival was significantly higher among those showing a postoperative decrease in NLR than among those showing an increase (DFS, P < 0.001; OS, P < 0.001). When elevated, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) provided no prognostic information, and so preoperative NLR ≥ 2.81 may be a good complementary indicator of poor OS whenever AFP levels are low or high. CONCLUSION: Preoperative NLR ≥ 2.81 may be an indicator of poor DFS and OS in patients with HCC undergoing surgery. Preoperative NLR ≥ 2.81 may be a good complementary indicator of poor OS when elevated AFP levels provide no prognostic information.
Authors: Vernon T Phan; Xiumin Wu; Jason H Cheng; Rebecca X Sheng; Alicia S Chung; Guanglei Zhuang; Christopher Tran; Qinghua Song; Marcin Kowanetz; Amy Sambrone; Martha Tan; Y Gloria Meng; Erica L Jackson; Franklin V Peale; Melissa R Junttila; Napoleone Ferrara Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2013-03-25 Impact factor: 11.205