Blood counts after prostate surgery can predict clinical outcomes

This study examined whether the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) before treatment can be used to predict clinical outcomes in localized prostate cancer. Researchers reported poorer outcomes for patients with higher NLR after surgery.

Neutrophils are cells that are involved in inflammation (reaction to injury or infection). Lymphocytes are cells involved in the immune response. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) can be easily calculated from routine blood tests. An elevated NLR before treatment for prostate cancer has previously been associated with poor clinical outcomes. Whether NLR after treatment for prostate cancer can predict clinical outcomes has not been fully studied.

The aim of this study was to examine whether NLR after prostate surgery can predict clinical outcomes.

The records of 2,032 men treated with prostate surgery were analyzed. All men had localized (confined) prostate cancer. NLR was measured on average 78 days after prostate surgery. The average NLR after surgery was 2.3. Patients were divided into two groups depending on whether their NLR was high (above 3.5) or low (3.5 or lower). Patients were followed for an average of 78 months.

77.7% of men had low NLR and 22.3% of men had high NLR after surgery. High NLR after surgery was found to be a significant predictor of disease progression and poorer survival.

31.3% of men with low NLR and 37.5% of men with high NLR experienced disease recurrence. At 5 years, 67.4% of men with low NLR after surgery were progression-free. This was 62.4% for men with high NLR after surgery.

Overall survival (time from treatment until death from any cause) was significantly worse for men with high NLR compared to men with low NLR. 6.5% of men in the low NLR group died (from any cause). 12.6% of men in the high NLR group died during the study period. The 5-year overall survival rate was 95.4% for the low NLR group and 92.5% for the high NLR group.

Cancer markers in the blood or prostate tissue, tumor stage, cancer spread, and the patient’s age were also found to be significant predictors of disease progression and survival.

Researchers concluded that NLR after surgery is a predictor of disease progression and survival for men with localized prostate cancer.