Abstract
PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the potential prognostic value of fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) in patients with neuroblastoma (NB). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study with 257 patients with NB included as the training group, and 78 patients included as the validation group. The associations between NB and clinicopathological categorical variables based on FAR were assessed. Survival time and the corresponding survival curve were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were utilized to identify potential prognostic factors. A prognostic nomogram was constructed. The predictive performance of the nomogram was evaluated using calibration curves. RESULTS: Based on the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the optimal cutoff value for FAR was found to be 0.0734. Both univariate and multivariate models demonstrated that FAR is a potential prognostic factor for overall survival in NB patients. Furthermore, the development of a nomogram based on the identified potential prognostic factors was predictive of the 3- and 5-year overall survival probabilities in both the training group and the validation group. CONCLUSION: FAR, a routinely performed test known for its simplicity, objectivity, and cost-effectiveness, has emerged as a promising prognostic factor in NB. Its potential applicability in clinical practice holds great promise.