Is the Pretreatment Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio an Important Prognostic Parameter in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma?

In this study, we have undertaken a retrospective review of 100 patient charts to investigate whether neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is associated with progression-free survival (PFS) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients treated with second-line vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) after failure of interferon-alpha. We have shown that NLR at diagnosis is an independent predictor of survival in mRCC patients. Investigation of therapies which harness the immune response are warranted in this disease. Background: Tyrosine kinase inhibitor is a standard treatment for mRCC. The NLR, an index of systemic inflammation, is associated with outcome in several cancer types. To study the association of pretreatment NLR with PFS and overall survival (OS) of patients treated with VEGF-targeted therapy. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively studied an unselected cohort of patients with mRCC, who were treated with TKIs. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank analyses were employed on PFS and OS and multivariate Cox proportional hazard model analyzed clinical parameters for their prognostic relevance. Results: A total of 100 patients with mRCC who had early progressed after first-line therapy with interferon-alpha were included in this retrospective multicenter study conducted at 4 centers between February 2008 and December 2011. The median of the NLR was 3.04 and patients were divided into 2 higher and lower NLR groups according to median of NLR. Median PFS was 9 versus 11 months in patients with baseline NLR > 3.04 versus <= 3.04 (P = .009). The median OS was 16 months versus 29 months, in patients with NLR > 3.04 versus <= 3.04, respectively (P = .004). In the whole group OS was independently associated with higher NLR (hazard ratio [HR], 2.406; P = .004), PFS more than 6 months (HR, 4.081; P = .0001), and sex (HR, 2.342; P = .040). On the other hand in the higher NLR group (HR, 1.107; P = .009) Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center score (HR, 3.398; P = .0001) was associated with PFS. Conclusion: In patients with mRCC treated with VEGF-targeted therapy, pretreatment NLR, the duration of PFS might be associated with OS. This should be investigated prospectively. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.