title: Clinical significance of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in venous thromboembolism patients with lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been identified as a potentially useful marker for predicting clinical outcome in patients with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and various malignancies. The aim of this study was to determine whether NLR at the time of venous thromboembolism (VTE) diagnosis is a prognostic factor for the response to anticoagulation and survival in lung cancer patients treated with anticoagulation for VTE.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, and NLR in 114 lung cancer patients newly diagnosed with VTE, among 991 patients pathologically confirmed for lung cancer between July 2008 and August 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High NLR was significantly associated with high hematocrit (p=0.028), high C-reactive protein (p=0.002), and low albumin (p=0.001). Compared with the low NLR group, stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the time of VTE diagnosis (55.6 vs. 74.6%, p=0.055), central nervous system metastasis (5.8 vs. 25.8%, p=0.004), and cancer progression (14.3 vs. 38.8%, p=0.008) at the time of VTE diagnosis were also significant in the high NLR group. Moreover, the poor response to anticoagulation was statistically correlated with patients with NSCLC (p=0.037), high NLR (p=0.004), and low albumin (p=0.029).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrate that the NLR at the time of VTE diagnosis could be a useful biomarker for predicting the response and prognosis following anticoagulation in patients with lung cancer and VTE.
authors: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea.
authors: Se-Il
authors: SI
authors: Go
authors: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Lee
authors: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea.
authors: Un Seok
authors: US
authors: Lee
authors: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hye Jung
authors: HJ
authors: Choi
authors: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea.
authors: Myung Hee
authors: MH
authors: Kang
authors: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jung-Hun
authors: JH
authors: Kang
authors: Department of Radiology, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea.
authors: Kyung Nyeo
authors: KN
authors: Jeon
authors: Department of Radiology, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea.
authors: Mi Jung
authors: MJ
authors: Park
authors: Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Republic of Korea.
authors: Seok-Hyun
authors: SH
authors: Kim
authors: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea; Gyeongsang Institute of Health Science. Electronic address: brightree24@gmail.com.
authors: Gyeong-Won
authors: GW
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009504:Neutrophils; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Deep vein thrombosis; Lung Neoplasms; Lymphocytes; Neutrophils; Pulmonary thromboembolism