Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 25, 2026
Neutrophil Isolation and Analysis to Determine their Role in Lymphoma Cell Sensitivity to Therapeutic Agents
Published on: March 25, 2016
Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts Survival in Terminal Cancer Patients
Hee Kyung Ahn1, In Cheol Hwang2, Ji Sung Lee3
11 Department of Internal Medicine, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University , Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Background:
Neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio (NLR) is a prognostic factor in cancer, although its prognostic significance in terminally ill cancer patients is not clear.
Objective:
We investigated the association of NLR with survival in patients with terminal cancer.
Methods:
We retrospectively investigated 205 consecutive patients with terminal cancer admitted to a palliative care unit during 2014.
Results:
The median value of NLR was 9.7. In univariable analysis, NLR of 10 or more was significantly associated with shorter survival and NLR further discriminated survival of each palliative prognostic index (PPI) group. In multivariable analysis, increased NLR (≥10) was associated with shorter survival (hazards ratio [HR] 1.54, p<0.005), along with poor performance status (HR 1.55, p < 0.011), high PPI score (HR 1.59, p<0.003), and hyperbilirubinemia (HR 1.84, p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
Our results suggest that elevated NLR was an independent prognostic factor for poor survival in patients with terminal cancer.
