Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is a strong predictor of @entity5 recurrence in early XXXX : A propensity score-matched analysis.

@entity1 @entity32 @entity5 @entity1129 @entity694
BACKGROUND: @entity32 and immune response play a crucial role in @entity5 growth, and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be a simple way to assess the host inflammatory response. The NLR has been shown to be a prognostic indicator in many @entity1 @entity5 ; in early @entity694 , it has been evaluated only in a few studies and its role remains controversial. METHODS: We analyzed data from 503 @entity694 @entity1 . The best cutoff value for NLR was defined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. We grouped 276 @entity694 , not receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, into low (<2.36) and high (>2.36) NLR and subjected to further analyses related to disease-free survival (DFS). A propensity score-matched analysis and the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were performed to avoid confounding bias. RESULTS: The NLR correlated with @entity5 stage and oncologic outcome. The best NLR cutoff value was identical in the whole cohort and in @entity1129 /B @entity1 . Low NLR @entity1 had a significantly better DFS rate than high NLR @entity1 (hazard ratio [HR], 0.27; P = .0001); along with elevated carcinoembryonic antigen levels and Dukes B stage, high NLR was an independent prognostic factor of worse prognosis (HR, 2.86; P = .0033). Even in @entity1129 @entity1 , NLR discriminated between relapsing and nonrelapsing @entity1 . Propensity score and IPTW analyses confirmed such results, thus excluding possible misinterpretation. CONCLUSION: Preoperative NLR, an inexpensive and readily available biomarker, can predict @entity5 relapse and should be assessed for implementation of tailored therapy in early stage @entity694 .
