Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Simple methods to identify colorectal cancer patients at risk of recurrence are needed. This study aimed to determine if neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) predicts survival in colorectal cancer patients.


METHODS
Two-hundred thirty patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer over a two-year period were identified from a prospectively maintained colorectal cancer database. NLR was calculated from pre-operative full blood counts. In the case of patients who did not undergo surgery, the full blood count from their out-patient visit was used. Known prognostic factors were recorded. Overall and cancer-specific survival were calculated.


RESULTS
Pre-operative NLR greater than 5 correlated with overall and cancer-specific survival in univariate analyses. NLR was not independent of Dukes stage.


CONCLUSIONS
Pre-operative NLR may represent a simple method of identifying colorectal cancer patients with a poor prognosis pre-operatively.
Walsh
S R
SR
Department of Colorectal Surgery, West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust, UK. srwalsh@doctors.org.uk
Cook
E J
EJ
Goulder
F
F
Justin
T A
TA
Keeling
N J
NJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009504:Neutrophils; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015996:Survival Rate; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology