Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is a complex disease, and prognostic scores are inadequate for identifying high-risk patients. Recently, leukocyte indices, like the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, have become a marker of prognosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of this marker as a risk predictor in adult patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study, calculated the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and its performance as a predictor for 2-year progression-free survival. Patients were divided into two groups; patients with high ratios in Group One and patients with low ratios in Group Two. Both groups were followed for at least 24 months from diagnosis. RESULTS: The cohort comprised 198 patients with a median age at diagnosis of 61 years. A neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio cutoff point of 6.2 was calculated. Patients with ratios higher than 6.2 (n = 45) were placed in Group One, and the patients with ratios below 6.2 (n = 153) in Group Two. The median follow-up time was 45 months. The 24-month progression-free survivals were 55.2 % (95 % confidence interval: 42.3-71.9 %) and 73.2 % (95 % confidence interval: 66.2-81.0 %) for high and low ratios, respectively (Hazard ratio 0.62; 95 % confidence interval: 0.44-0.89; p-value = 0.009). The 24-month overall survivals were 70.7 %; (95 % confidence interval: 58.5 - 85.5 %) and 80.4 %; (95 % confidence interval: 66.2-87.3 %), respectively. CONCLUSION: A neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio with a cutoff point at ≥6.2 could differentiate a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma population with an unfavorable prognosis for progression-free survival.