Pretreatment Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Salivary Gland Tumors Is Associated with Malignancy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess pretreatment levels in the counts and percentages of leukocytes and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in benign and malignant salivary gland tumors (SGTs) while investigating whether NLR is an inflammatory marker for distinguishing low- from high-grade parotid gland tumors. STUDY DESIGN: Case series with chart review. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study was performed on 182 patients with SGTs (age range: 16-87 years; 93 male and 89 female) who were treated between January 2010 and May 2015. Pretreatment counts and percentages of leukocytes and NLR were measured preoperatively in benign and malignant tumors. RESULTS: Mean neutrophil percentage (63.50% +/- 12.11% vs 58.76% +/- 8.20%, P = .008) and NLR (3.29 +/- 3.13 vs 2.13 +/- 1.26, P = .008) were significantly higher in patients with malignant SGTs than in patients with benign SGTs. Mean lymphocyte count (2.42 +/- 0.72 10(3)/mm(3) vs 1.97 +/- 0.87 10(3)/mm(3), P < .001) and percentage (30.67% +/- 7.68% vs 26.86% +/- 10.15%, P = .011) were lower in patients with malignant SGTs than in patients with benign SGTs. Mean lymphocyte percentage and NLR were significantly different between low- and high-grade malignant parotid gland tumors (P = .026 and P = .030, respectively). CONCLUSION: Elevated NLR could be an inflammatory marker to distinguish low- from high-grade malignant parotid gland tumors.