Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate whether monocyte-lymphocyte-ratio (MLR) had a potential role as a biomarker of prostate cancer (PCa).
Methods: For patients who underwent a prostate biopsy between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021, age, hemogram parameters, free-total PSA values, and pathology results were recorded. Patients with a pathology result of PCa and those with a Gleason score of 3+4 and above were defined as having clinically significant PCa (csPCa), while other PCa cases were defined as having clinically non-significant PCa (non-csPCa).
Results: The pathology result was reported as PCa in 164 of the 510 patients included in the study and non-PCa in 346. The monocyte count was found to be higher in the PCa group than in the non-PCa group (0.61±0.33 and 0.53±0.19, respectively; p=0.002). MLR was also significantly higher in the PCa group (0.35±0.29 and 0.26±0.13, respectively; p<0.001). Of 164 patients whose pathology was reported as PCa, 69 (39%) had csPCa and 95 (61%) had non-csPCa. When these PCa subgroups were analyzed, age at diagnosis, free PSA, and total PSA were found to be statistically significantly higher in the csPCa group, while the f/tPSA value was statistically significantly lower in this group. There was no statistically significant difference between the csPCa and non-csPCa groups in terms of the lymphocyte and monocyte counts, and MLR.
Conclusions: In patients undergoing a biopsy, an MLR value above 0.3 can predict the pathology result being reported as PCa at a sensitivity of 27.4% and specificity of 85.3%.