Prognostic Value of Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, and Lymphocyte-to-White Blood Cell Ratio in Colorectal Cancer Patients Who Received Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Background: The objective of this study was to assess the prognostic value of pretreatment platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and lymphocyte-to-white blood cell ratio (LWR) of CRC patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: We analyzed the peripheral blood routine parameters and other clinical data of 145 patients with colorectal cancer who had undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy between January 2011 and February 2014. Pretreatment blood parameters of 145 patients were collected, and PLR, NLR, and LWR were calculated. The utility of PLR, NLR, and LWR in predicting treatment efficacy and patient survival was statistically evaluated using the chi-square test, log-rank test, Kaplan-Meier curves and logistic regression models, and Cox regression models. Results: Receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the best cutoff values of PLR, NLR, and LWR were 154.31, 3.01, and 0.22, respectively. In univariate analysis, tumor location (P = 0.044), differentiation degree (P = 0.001), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.020), and high PLR (P = 0.042) were significantly correlated with a lower overall response rate (ORR). In addition, clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, and high PLR were correlated with short OS (P < 0.01) and DFS (P < 0.01). Moreover, WBC count was correlated with a short OS. Multivariate analysis showed that tumor location (P = 0.013), differentiation degree (P = 0.001), and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.033) were independent predictors of ORR. In addition, lymph node metastasis independently predicted a shorter OS (P = 0.011). Lymph node metastasis (P = 0.013) and high PLR (P = 0.022) were independent prognostic factors for short DFS. Conclusions: For CRC patients who received NAC, clinical pathological stage and lymph node metastasis were correlated with lower ORR and survival, while a high PLR that may be of prognostic relevance in CRC patients receiving NAC.