Blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts survival in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transarterial chemoembolization

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate whether the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) predicts survival in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before and after transarterial chemoembolization treatment.

Materials and methods: Clinical and laboratory data for 145 consecutive patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization for unresectable HCC during 2001-2004 were analyzed retrospectively. The NLR was recorded before and 3 days after treatment.

Results: The pretreatment mean NLR was 3.3; 59 (40.7%) patients had an elevated NLR (≥ 3.3). The median survival of patients with a high NLR was 8 months (range 1-28 months) compared with 12 months (range 2-41 months) for patients with a normal NLR; a significant difference was found in overall survival (log-rank test, P = .001). The NLR was increased in 127 (87.6%) patients after transarterial chemoembolization and was decreased in 18 patients; the increase indicated better outcomes (log-rank test, P = .006). Age (≥ 49 y), high NLR, decreased NLR after treatment, large tumor (≥ 5 cm), vascular invasion, and elevated serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) level all were predictors of poor survival. Multivariate analysis showed that a high NLR (P = .041) and vascular invasion (P = .040) were independent factors for predicting worse survival.

Conclusions: A high NLR independently predicts poor survival in patients with unresectable HCC undergoing transarterial chemoembolization treatment, and an increased NLR indicates a better outcome than a decreased NLR for patients after transarterial chemoembolization.