Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for the prediction of soft tissue sarcomas response to pre-operative radiation therapy

• Published in: Radiotherapy and oncology 2024-06, Vol.195, p.110239, Article 110239
• Main Authors: Martinez, Constanza, Asso, Rie N., Rastogi, Neelabh, Freeman, Carolyn R., Cury, Fabio L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; Prediction; Soft tissue sarcomas
• ISSN: 0167-8140; 1879-0887; 1879-0887
• DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2024.110239

•Our investigation focused on the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a prognostic biomarker in response to radiotherapy.•Our observations revealed a significant association between a post-RT NLR > 4 and a higher incidence of recurrence and distant metastasis.•NLR in soft tissue sarcomas did not impact overall survival.•This is the first study focusing on the influence of NLR measured at the time of curative treatment involving surgery and RT.•The results presented in our manuscript underscore the necessity of gaining a deeper understanding of the immunobiological effects of radiation therapy. This study aims to assess the prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in soft tissue sarcomas (STS) treated with pre-operative hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT). This retrospective analysis included patients treated with pre-operative HFRT of 30 Gy in 5 fractions between 2016 and 2023. Clinical, demographic, and complete blood count (CBC) data were collected. NLR was calculated by dividing the absolute neutrophil count by the absolute lymphocyte count. Only patients with CBCs conducted within 6 months after radiotherapy were included. Cox proportional-hazard regression models were used to assess the impact of NLR and different variables on outcomes. Kaplan Meier were used to illustrate survival curves. A p-value