Assessment of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio in relation to presentation and prognosis of diffuse large B-cell nonhodgkin lymphoma

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is representing 30%–40% of all lymphomas. It is an aggressive lymphoma with heterogeneous clinicopathological features. Inflammatory processes have been identified to play an important role in the pathogenesis of lymphoma including the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NL ratio) was associated with a poor prognosis. AIM OF STUDY: The aim of this study is to assess neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratio in relation to clinical presentation, and other prognosticators in DLBCL, and to study the effect of these markers with response rate and early outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a cohort prospective study with data obtained from May 2018 to November 2019. Data collected from multiple hematological centers in Baghdad, Iraq. A total of 58 adult patients who are newly diagnosed with DLBCL were enrolled. In addition to demographic features, international prognostic index (IPI) score, complete blood parameters (white blood cell count, N/L ratio, had assessed. RESULTS: The mean age was 53.54 ± 14.95 years. Twenty-two (45.83%) had extranodal involvement at the presentation. Advanced stage was reported in 34 (70.83%). Median N/L ratio was 3.39 with cut-off values 4.41. There was no significant association with the N/L ratio neither with progression-free survival (PFS) nor with the advanced stage presentation (P = 0.238, 0.343, respectively). It is found also that higher median N/L ratio was significantly associated with high and high-intermediate IPI score (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The NL ratio has a significant association with the IPI score, but not with the disease PFS.

Keywords

• lymphocyte
• neutrophil
• nonhodgkin lymphoma
• prognosis