Prognostic Role of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
Feride Yılmaz1, Serkan Yaşar2, Fırat Şirvan3, Naciye Güdük Şirvan3, Fatih Kuş4, Hasan Çğrı Yıldırım5, Zafer Arık41Department of Medical Oncology, Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Samsun, Türkiye, 2Department of Medical Oncology, Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye, 3Department of Internal Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye, 4Department of Medical Oncology, Hacettepe University, Institute of Cancer, Ankara, Türkiye, 5Department of Medical Oncology, Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Türkiye
Objectives: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been suggested as a prognostic biomarker in various malignancies, including ovarian cancer. However, its role in recurrent ovarian cancer remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic significance of NLR in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Methods: This retrospective study included 101 patients diagnosed with recurrent ovarian cancer between 2009 and 2021. Patients' demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics were collected from electronic medical records. Survival outcomes, including progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), were analyzed using Kaplan- Meier curves and Cox regression models. Results: Among the 101 patients, 32 had an elevated NLR at diagnosis. Higher NLR levels were associated with significantly worse OS. Although the univariate analysis for PFS did not reach statistical significance, multivariate analysis confirmed that elevated NLR was an independent prognostic factor for both PFS and OS. Furthermore, the presence of bone and liver metastases negatively impacted survival outcomes. Conclusion: NLR is a simple, cost-effective, and independent prognostic biomarker in recurrent ovarian cancer. Higher NLR levels correlate with worse survival outcomes, emphasizing its potential utility in clinical decision-making. Given the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of NLR measurement, our findings support its integration into clinical prognostic assessment in recurrent ovarian cancer. Keywords: Ovarian cancer, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, recurrence, survival
Cite This Article
Yılmaz F, Yaşar S, Şirvan F, Güdük Şirvan N, Kuş F, Yıldırım H, Arık Z. Prognostic Role of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer. EJMI. 2025; 9(3): 182-187
Corresponding Author: Feride Yılmaz