Meta-analysis of the prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: A number of studies have assessed the prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but their results regarding the predictive value of NLR in OSCC are inconsistent. We therefore performed a meta-analysis to clarify the association between NLR and clinical outcome in OSCC. METHODS: We searched the MEDLINE and Web of Science to identify potential studies investigating the association between NLR and survival in OSCC. RESULTS: A total of 10 studies, enrolling 2135 patients with OSCC, were included. A higher NLR was a negative predictor for both disease-specific survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.47-2.54) and overall survival (HR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.28-1.90). CONCLUSION: This suggests a higher NLR is predictive of a poorer prognosis in OSCC. Because determination of NLR is non-invasive and cost-effective, it could be widely used for predicting prognosis in OSCC.