Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratios as Prognostic Biomarkers in Limited-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: The role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) as prognostic markers in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) remains controversial. Methods: Using pooled hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CIs, we assessed the correlation of pre-treatment NLR and PLR with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in LS-SCLC. Publication bias was assessed by Begg’s and Egger’s tests. Results: Ten studies were enrolled in our meta-analysis. Pooled analyses showed that pre-treatment high NLR was significantly associated with poor OS (HR: 1.80) and PFS (HR: 1.69) in LS-SCLC patients. High pre-treatment PLR was also associated with shorter OS (HR: 1.52) and PFS (HR: 1.39) in LS-SCLC patients. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis suggests that high pre-treatment NLR or PLR may be negatively related to OS and PFS in LS-SCLC.

Keywords::

• limited-stage small-cell lung cancer
• meta-analysis
• neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio
• platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio
• prognostic markers

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/fon-2022-0523

Author contributions

All authors had full access to the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Conceptualization: Y Cheng; methodology: S Zhang and Y Wang; formal analysis: S Zhang, Y Wang and Y Cheng; writing – original draft preparation: Y Cheng and S Zhang; writing – review and editing: S Zhang, Y Wang and Y Cheng.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

Additional information

Funding

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.