Can Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio be a Predictor for Bone Metastases of Solid Tumors?

Cancer-associated inflammation has been receiving increased attention due to its role in cancer development. It is known that tumors can cause an inflammatory reaction and inflammatory cells play an important role in neoplastic growth. In this study, we aimed to investigate any relationship between bone metastases and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Patients who were referred for bone scintigraphy to investigate bone metastasis were enrolled in the study. Patients' hematological parameters were obtained from the hospital database retrospectively. Patients with a nonmetastatic bone scan were categorized as Group A (N = 171), patients who had metastatic bone disease without any other organ metastases were categorized as group B (N = 25), and patients who had metastatic bone disease with the other organ metastases were categorized as Group C (N = 48). The median NLR of the patients in Group A was 2.55 (range: 0.38-20.7), in Group B was 2.83 (range: 1.56-31.8), and in Group C was 4.12 (range: 1.79-38). NLR was significantly higher in Group C patients compared to Group A and B patients (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the NLR is significantly associated with the other organ metastases but has no significant correlation with bone metastases.