Diagnostic and prognostic role of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio in patients with osteosarcoma

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) values in patients with osteosarcoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 172 patients (111 males, 61 females; mean age: 24.3±15.3 years; range, 7 to 82 years) diagnosed with osteosarcoma in our institution between January 2002 and December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 165 healthy individuals (115 males, 50 females; mean age: 20.2±9.2 years; range, 10 to 65 years) who did not have infectious, rheumatological or hematological diseases or any pathological finding were assigned as the control group. The clinical, laboratory, and demographic findings of the patients were obtained from hospital records. Pre-treatment NLR, PLR, and LMR values were calculated in all patients. Diagnostic and prognostic values of pre-treatment NLR, PLR and LMR were assessed using receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. RESULTS: For diagnostic approach, the highest significance in area under the curve (AUC) values was obtained for NLR (AUC=0.763). The AUC for PLR and LMR was statistically significant, while the statistical power was weak compared to NLR (AUC=0.681 and 0.603). The NLR, PLR, and LMR were found to be predictors of mortality. The cut-off value was found to be 3.28 for NLR, 128 for PLR, and 4.22 for LMR. The prognostic value of NLR for mortality was higher than (AUC=0.749) PLR (AUC=0.688) and LMR (AUC=0.609). The NLR, PLR, and LMR were associated with overall survival (OS). There was a significant difference in the median OS time among the NLR, PLR, and LMR values (log-rank test order p<0.001, p=0.001, and p=0.004, respectively). CONCLUSION: Based on our study results, pre-treatment NLR, PLR and MLR have diagnostic and prognostic values in osteosarcoma.