Introduction: In order to optimize clinical and therapeutic approaches for patients with brain metastasis (BM), prognostic markers need to be widely available and simple to execute. Objective: Considering that a Complete-Blood-Count is usually obtained at the initial routine work-up of almost all oncologic patients, the aim of this study was to determine the utility of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio (NLR) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte-ratio (PLR) as prognostic markers for BM. Results: A total of 550 patients with systemic cancer were included. Median age at the time of cancer diagnosis was 49 years and median age at the time of BM was 51 years. Median followup time was 11.2 months. Employing NLR cutoff values at BM diagnosis, patients were divided into groups I to III (I: <3, II: 3-4.49, III: >4.5), and median overall survival (MOS) was calculated for each one (I: 20 months, II: 13.9 months, and III: 7.5 months). Groups divided by a PLR cutoff (I: 250, II: ≥250) also differed in MOS (13.9 vs. 9.3 months). After multivariable analysis, only NLR was a significant independent predictor of MOS [I vs. II: 1.5 Odds Ratio (OR); I vs. III: 1.9 OR], meaning that NLR obtained at the time of BM diagnosis was inversely associated with MOS. Conclusion: The NLR, but not the PLR, is predictive of outcome in cancer patients with BM, therefore, NLR might serve as a complement to the already known prognostic scales.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.