title: A prospective comparative clinical study of peripheral blood counts and indices in patients with primary brain tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elevation of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been shown to be an indicator of poor prognosis in many malignancies including recurrent glioblastoma multiforme.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was aimed at assessing if the NLR and other leukocyte counts and indices were deranged in treatment-naïve patients with primary brain tumors when compared with an age-matched healthy control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective comparative clinical observational study by design. A healthy control population was compared with treatment-naïve patients diagnosed with intra- and extraaxial brain tumors. Leukocyte counts (neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, and basophil counts) as well as leukocyte ratios such as the NLR and the monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were calculated. We also evaluated if the counts and indices were related to the tumor volume.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all patients with tumors, the platelet and neutrophil counts were elevated when compared to the controls. In contrast, monocyte counts and the MLR were found to be decreased in patients with tumors when compared to the controls. The subset of patients with glioblastoma showed a significant increase in NLR when compared to the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant changes in the neutrophil, monocyte, and platelet counts as well as NLR and MLR were observed. Prospective longitudinal studies are required to determine the prognostic and therapeutic implications of these findings.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Subeikshanan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dutt
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Tejus
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Maurya
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Jawaharlal Institute of Post-graduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India.
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Madhugiri
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D010976:Platelet Count; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers