High neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios indicate poor cancer outcomes

In a study involving 2,742 stage III colorectal cancer patients, high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (NLR) both before and after surgery were linked to significantly worse disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Specifically, patients with consistently high NLR levels faced a 30% increased risk of worse DFS and a 36% increased risk of worse OS compared to those with low NLR levels. These findings highlight NLR as a potential prognostic indicator for patient management.