Is neutrophile to lymphocyte ratio a predictor of Gleason score upgrading according to risk classifications in patients with prostate cancer.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the parameters that predict Gleason Score (GS) upgrading in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) and especially the ability of neutrophile to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting the upgrading. METHODS: Patients who underwent RARP for prostate cancer in our clinic between January 2013 and January 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients' demographic data, preoperative and postoperative parameters were all recorded in the database. NLR was calculated by dividing the absolute neutrophil count (NC) by the absolute lymphocyte count (LC). Patients were classified as low, moderate and high risk according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCNN) Guidelines. Any increase in GS between biopsy results and radical prostatectomy specimens were consideredas an GS upgrading. RESULTS: After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 571 patients, 205 patients without GS upgrading (Group 1) and 366 patients with GS upgrading (Group 2), were included. The mean preoperative PSA values and prostate volumes were 10.8 ± 8 ng/dL and 45 ± 18.8 ml, respectively. Group 2 had a significantly high NC and NLR, significantly low platelet count (PC) and LC, (p=0.0001, 0.0001, 0.001 and0.002, respectively). Group 2 was found to have significantly higher positive surgical margin (PSM), extraprostatic extension (EPE) and seminal vesical invasion (SVI) (p<0.001). There was no significant correlation between the parameters of NLR and PSM, EPE, SVI, and lymph node invasion (LNI). Binomial logistic regression showed patients with increased NLR had 1.68 times higher odds to exhibit an upgrade in GS in the post-surgical histopathological analysis. CONCLUSIONS: NLR calculated preoperatively is an easy diagnostic method that can predict GS upgrading in patients scheduled for radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.