Cancer Res Treat.  2022 Oct;54(4):1017-1029. 10.4143/crt.2021.1007.

The Role of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Predicting Pathological Response for Resectable Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Combined with PD-1 Checkpoint Inhibitors

• Sun X
• Feng Y
• Zhang B
• Huang W
• Zhao X
• Zhang H
• Yue D
• Wang C

• KMID: 2534181
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2021.1007

Abstract

Purpose
The aim of our study was to investigate the value of baseline and preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting the pathological response and disease-free survival (DFS) of neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone or combined with programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) checkpoint inhibitors in patients with resectable non‒small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Materials and Methods
Resectable NSCLC patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone or combined with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors between January 2018 and January 2020 were included. Peripheral venous blood samples of the patients were collected within 3 days prior to the first neoadjuvant treatment and within 3 days prior to surgery.
Results
A total of 79 patients in neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors group and 89 patients in neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone group were included. Thirty-five point four percent of the patients achieved pathological complete response (pCR) in neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors group, whereas only 9.0% reached pCR in the group of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. High NLR level were correlated with poor pathological response and DFS in neoadjuvant chemotherapy or combined with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors group. Multivariate analysis revealed that baseline NLR could independently predict pathological response and DFS in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors group.
Conclusion
High NLR level were correlated with poor pathological response and shorter DFS in patients with NSCLC undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy or combined with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors. Meanwhile, baseline NLR could independently predict response to pathological response and DFS, revealing its potential as a screening tool in NSCLC patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors.

Keyword

Non/small cell lung neoplasm; Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio; PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors; Neoadjuvant chemotherapy; Pathological response