Preoperative Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet Lymphocyte Ratio Cannot Predict Lymph Node Metastasis and Prognosis in Patients with Early Gastric Cancer: a Single Institution Investigation in China

In the present study, we aimed at exploring the applied value of preoperative neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in the prediction of lymph node metastasis (LNM) and prognosis in patients with early gastric cancer (EGC). We retrospectively analyzed a total of 248 consecutive patients who underwent curative gastrectomy to be identified T1 stage gastric adenocarcinoma between January 1, 2010 and May 1, 2016 in a single institution. According to median preoperative NLR and PLR value, we divided the patients into four groups: high NLR >= 1.73 and low NLR < 1.73, high PLR >= 117.78 and low PLR < 117.78. Furthermore, to evaluate the relationship between preoperative NLR and PLR values, we categorized patients according to cutoff preoperative NLR-PLR score of 2 [high NLR (>= 1.73) and high PLR (>= 117.78)], 1 [either high NLR or high PLR], and 0 [neither high NLR nor high PLR], Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 20.0 software. The results showed that the preoperative NLR or PLR values, lower or higher, could not predict the LNM in patients with EGC (both P=0.544 > 0.05). The invasive depth of tumor was significantly correlated with LNM of EGC (P<0.001). Kaplan-Meier plots illustrated that preoperative NLR and PLR values were not associated with overall survival (OS) in patients with EGC. It was concluded that the preoperative NLR and PLR may be the predictors for LNM and prognosis in patients with advanced gastric cancer; nevertheless, they cannot predict LNM and prognosis in patients with EGC.