Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28715474›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2017

Prognostic role of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A meta-analysis.

Yukinori Takenaka, Takahiro Kitamura, Ryohei Oya, Naoki Ashida, Kotaro Shimizu, Kazuya Takemura, Yoshifumi Yamamoto, Atsuhiko Uno

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
28citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

28 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Prognostic Significance of the Pretreatment Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Tumor-Associated Neutrophils in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of oral pathology & medicine : official publication of the International Association of Oral Pathologists and the American Academy of Oral Pathology · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Machine learning prognostication in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a european multicentre analysis of survival and risk of second malignancy.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A "different" head and neck tumour. Part B: treatment, prognostic factors, and outcomes.Acta otorhinolaryngologica Italica : organo ufficiale della Societa italiana di otorinolaringologia e chirurgia cervico-facciale · 2023
    Review
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Yukinori TakenakaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3135-5635
Takahiro KitamuraDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.
Ryohei OyaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.
Naoki AshidaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.
Kotaro ShimizuDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.
Kazuya TakemuraDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.
Yoshifumi YamamotoDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.
Atsuhiko UnoDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInflammatory markers are used to predict prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Previous reports of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and NPC mortality are inconsistent. This study aimed to quantify the prognostic impact of NLR on NPC.

methodsThe primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcomes were disease-specific survival (DSS), progression-free survival (PFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). We systematically searched electronic databases, identified articles reporting an association between NLR and NPC prognosis. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted, and pooled HRs for each outcome were estimated using random effect models.

resultsNine studies enrolling 5397 patients were included in the analyses. NLR greater than the cutoff value was associated with poor overall survival (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.27-1.78), disease-specific survival (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.22-1.71), progression-free survival (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.22-1.90), and distant metastasis-free survival (HR 1.83, 95% CI 1.14-2.95).

conclusionsElevated NLR predicts worse OS, DSS, PFS and DMFS in patients with NPC.

Indexed as

LymphocytesNeutrophilsBiomarkers, TumorCarcinomaHumansLymphocyte CountNasopharyngeal CarcinomaNasopharyngeal NeoplasmsBiomarkers, Tumor

Identifiers

PMID28715474
PMCPMC5513538

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.