Prognostic Impact of Using Combined Plasma Fibrinogen Level and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Resectable Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: Both plasma fibrinogen level and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are associated with malignant potential in different cancer types. The current study evaluated the use of combined plasma fibrinogen level and NLR (F-NLR) as a prognostic predictor in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Data collected from 279 patients with resectable NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into three groups based on the F-NLR score: score 2, high fibrinogen level (≥350 mg/dL) and high NLR (≥2.5); score 1, either high fibrinogen level or high NLR; and score 0, neither abnormal. Overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess prognostic factors.

Results: Numbers of patients with F-NLR score of 0, 1, and 2 were 122 (43.7%), 105 (37.6%), and 52 (18.6%), respectively. The F-NLR was found to be significantly associated with age, male sex, heavy smoking history, high pT status and pathological stage, and nonadenocarcinoma. Moreover, the OS and RFS significantly differed according to the F-NLR score (P < 0.001, P = 0.003). A multivariate analysis revealed that a high F-NLR score (≥1) was an independent poor prognostic factor for OS (P = 0.027). In subgroup analyses, an adverse prognostic impact of the F-NLR score on OS was identified regardless of nodal involvement or pathological stage.

Conclusions: The F-NLR score, which is based on histological inflammation and coagulability, could be a potential prognostic indicator in patients with resectable NSCLC.