Can Hemogram Parameters Be Used as a Biomarker for Thyroid Carcinomas?

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Thyroid malignancies require reliable diagnostic and follow-up parameters.
• Previous studies on mean platelet volume (MPV), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR) have yielded varied results.
• A comprehensive evaluation of these hematological parameters as biomarkers for thyroid cancer is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of MPV, NLR, PLR, and LMR as diagnostic biomarkers for thyroid carcinomas.
• To determine if these parameters differ based on tumor type and size in thyroid cancer patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 242 patients (aged 18-79) who underwent thyroidectomy.
• Evaluation of preoperative complete blood count parameters: MPV, NLR, PLR, and LMR.
• Comparison of these parameters between patients with benign (n=160) and malignant (n=82) thyroid pathologies.

Main Results:

• NLR and PLR were significantly higher in patients with malignant thyroid pathologies compared to benign ones (p=0.042 and p=0.003, respectively).
• Optimal cut-off values were identified: NLR >1.503 (Sensitivity 67.07%, Specificity 48.75%, AUC 0.580) and PLR >111.429 (Sensitivity 48.78%, Specificity 70.62%, AUC 0.615).
• A significant positive correlation was found between NLR and PLR in tumors ≥10 mm (r=0.548, p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• NLR and PLR show promise as predictive biomarkers for thyroid malignancies.
• Elevated NLR (>1.503) and PLR (>111.429) may be considered risk factors for thyroid cancer.
• These findings support the utility of NLR and PLR in the clinical assessment of thyroid cancer.