Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33284847›Full record

ArticlePloS one2020

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts early mortality in females with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.

Gabriel de la Cruz-Ku, Diego Chambergo-Michilot, J Smith Torres-Roman, Pamela Rebaza, Joseph Pinto, Jhajaira Araujo, Zaida Morante, Daniel Enriquez, Claudio Flores, Renato Luque and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed, 3 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

15 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Harnessing hematological ratios: prognostic insights for breast cancer management.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2025
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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

14 authors.

Gabriel de la Cruz-KuFacultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina Humana, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú.ORCID 0000-0003-4203-3890
Diego Chambergo-MichilotFacultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina Humana, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú.ORCID 0000-0002-3904-7514
J Smith Torres-RomanFacultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina Humana, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú.
Pamela RebazaDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases, Lima, Peru.
Joseph PintoUnidad de Investigación Básica y Translacional, Oncosalud-AUNA, Lima, Perú.
Jhajaira AraujoEscuela de Medicina Humana, Universidad Privada San Juan Bautista, Lima, Perú.
Zaida MoranteDepartment of Hematology and Medical Oncology, National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases, Lima, Peru.
Daniel EnriquezDepartment of Hematology and Medical Oncology, National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases, Lima, Peru.
Claudio FloresUnidad de Investigación Básica y Translacional, Oncosalud-AUNA, Lima, Perú.
Renato LuqueFacultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina Humana, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú.
Antonella SaavedraFacultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina Humana, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú.
Maria LujanFacultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina Humana, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú.
Henry GomezDepartment of Hematology and Medical Oncology, National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases, Lima, Peru.
Bryan ValcarcelLatin American Network for Cancer Research (LAN-CANCER), Lima, Peru.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe aim of this study was to determine the utility of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a biomarker for predicting early-mortality (<2 years) among females with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC).

methodsWe reviewed 118 medical records of females with mTNBC. The cut-off value for the NLR (<2.5 and ≥2.5) was determined with receiver operating characteristic curves (area under the curve: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.62-0.85). Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the Log-rank test. Multivariate Cox regression was used to identify the risk of mortality at two years. Moreover, we performed sensitivity analyses with different cut-off values and a subgroup analysis in females that only received chemotherapy.

resultsThe median follow-up was 24 months. Females with NLR ≥2.5 had a poor overall survival compared to females with NLR <2.5 (6% vs. 28%, p<0.001) at two years. This outcome remained when we stratified for females that only received chemotherapy (8% vs. 36%, p = 0.001). Multivariate analyses identified NLR ≥2.5 as a poor prognostic risk factor for mortality in the entire population (HR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.32-3.39) and among females that received chemotherapy (HR: 2.68, 95% CI: 1.46-4.92).

conclusionThe NLR is an accessible and reliable biomarker that predicts early mortality among females with mTNBC. Our results suggest that females with high NLR values have poor prognosis despite receiving standard chemotherapy. Health providers should evaluate the possibility to enroll these patients in novel immunotherapy trials.

Indexed as

AdultAntineoplastic AgentsArea Under CurveFemaleHumansKaplan-Meier EstimateLymphocyte CountLymphocytesMiddle AgedNeoplasm GradingNeoplasm MetastasisNeutrophilsPrognosisProportional Hazards ModelsRetrospective StudiesRisk FactorsAntineoplastic Agents

Identifiers

PMID33284847
PMCPMC7721150

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.