Preoperative lymphocyte count is a favorable prognostic factor of disease-free survival in non-small-cell lung cancer

Abstract

Recently, the prognostic value of cancer-related inflammatory response has been revealed. Previous studies showed that peripheral neutrophils and lymphocytes had significant impact on the prognosis of advanced and early-node-negative non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative lymphocyte and neutrophil counts in patients with NSCLC who underwent lobectomy and lymph node dissection and adjuvant chemotherapy. Retrospective analyses were performed to examine the impact of preoperative peripheral lymphocyte and neutrophil counts on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) and to analyze the relationships of these factors to clinicopathological factors. A total of 142 patients with NSCLC were evaluated of which 57 (40.1 %) patients had local recurrence or metastasis. Multivariate analyses revealed that peripheral lymphocyte count was an independent favorable prognostic factor of DFS (hazard ratio 0.548; 95 % confidence interval 0.351-0.857; P = 0.008) but not OS (P = 0.164). The maximum logrank statistical value was 9.504 (P = 0.002) when the cutoff value of lymphocyte was 1,800 mm(-3). The median DFS was 318.0 days (95 % confidence interval 226.0-410.0) for lymphocyte ≤1,800 mm(-3) group and 669.0 days (95 % confidence interval 0.0-1,431.0) for lymphocyte >1,800 mm(-3) group. Low lymphocyte count was related with lymphatic invasion (P = 0.012) and recurrence of NSCLC (P = 0.022). Peripheral neutrophil count had no impact on DFS or OS when analysis included all the 142 patients. Preoperative peripheral lymphocyte count, which is related with lymphatic invasion, is an independent favorable prognostic factor of DFS in patients with NSCLC who underwent lobectomy and lymph node dissection and adjuvant chemotherapy.

Are Neutrophil/Lymphocyte and Platelet/Lymphocyte Rates in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Associated with Treatment Response and Prognosis?

“…Also, low lymphocyte count was related with lymphatic invasion and recurrence of NSCLC. In contrast, peripheral neutrophil count had no impact on survival (Zhang et al, 2013).…”

“…Also low lymphocyte count was correlated with vascular invasion and recurrence of NSCLC (Kobayashi et al, 2012). Similarly Zhang et al (2013) reported that lowlymphocyte count was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor of disease-free survival in patients with NSCLC. Also, low lymphocyte count was related with lymphatic invasion and recurrence of NSCLC.…”

Prognostic value of combined platelet, fibrinogen, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and platelet to lymphocyte ratio in patients with lung adenosquamous cancer

“…In addition, fibrinogen may protect tumor cells from natural killer cytotoxicity (28). Conversely, lymphocytes suppress tumor growth and invasion through their cytolytic activity (29). Increased NLR may represent increased neutrophil counts, decreased lymphocyte counts, or both.…”

Could the Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio be a Poor Prognostic Factor for Non Small Cell Lung Cancers?

“…It may be associated lymphopenia or increasing numbers of neutrophils and monocytes (Donnem et al, 2010). Lymphocytes play a critical role in cell mediated antitumor immune response in various cancers (Halazun et al, 2008; CD8(+) T cells can control tumor growth by cytotoxic activity and inducing apoptosis of tumor cells (Leitch et al, 2007;Schmidt et al, 2007;Zhang et al, 2013). In the other hand neutrophilia often accompanies the diagnosis of cancer.…”