title: Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio as a predictive factor for tumor staging in colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the preoperative period, simple methods to identify the tumor stage of colorectal cancer patients are needed. In recent years, the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been used as a predictive parameter for systemic inflammatory response in many different clinical entities. This study aims to determine if the NLR predicts the tumor stage in colorectal cancer patients in the preoperative period.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 206 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and admitted for surgical treatment over a 6-year period were identified from a retrospectively maintained database. NLR was calculated from preoperative full blood counts. NLRs were compared with the tumor stages as determined in histopathological reports and scanning tests to determine the extent of metastasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found NLRs to be statistically higher in patients with T3 and T4 tumors than in patients with T1 and T2 tumors (mean: 5.261 vs. 4.499, respectively, P = 0.010). Similarly, we found statistically higher NLR values in the N1 and N2 groups than in the NO group (mean: 6.597 vs. 4.501, respectively, P < 0.001). Additionally, NLRs were statistically higher in M1 patients than in MO patients (mean: 8.261 vs. 5.158, respectively, P = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the preoperative period, NLR was found to be a valuable predictive parameter for tumor staging in patients with colorectal cancer, thus informing us as to the kind of tumor we will meet when we open the abdomen.
authors.affiliation: Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Giilay
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Özgehan
authors.forename: Şahin
authors.initials: Ş
authors.lastname: Kahramanca
authors.forename: İsmail Oskay
authors.initials: İO
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Köksal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bilgen
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bostanci
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Güzel
authors.forename: Tevfik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Küçükpinar
authors.forename: Hülagü
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kargici
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D055815:Young Adult