“…IRF refers to the proportion of young reticulocytes, which reflects erythropoietic activity and is the first sign of blood recovery [ 35 , 36 ]. The quantitative and morphological characteristics of reticulocytes are associated with the aggressiveness of the tumor and the more severe clinical status of the patient [ 37 ]. Although the mechanism by which IMR or RET are associated with cancer patient survival is unclear, one possible explanation is that it is related to the production of red blood cells.…”