Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35027011›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2022

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic factor for patients with metastatic or recurrent breast cancer treated using capecitabine: a retrospective study.

Shigemasa Takamizawa, Tatsunori Shimoi, Natsuko Satomi-Tsushita, Shu Yazaki, Toshihiro Okuya, Yuki Kojima, Hitomi Sumiyoshi-Okuma, Tadaaki Nishikawa, Maki Tanioka, Kazuki Sudo and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
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

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is associated with accelerometer-measured physical activity levels in breast cancer survivors.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. The prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio inAnnals of translational medicine · 2023
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. 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

12 authors at 1 institution in 2 countries.

Shigemasa TakamizawaDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
Tatsunori ShimoiDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan. tshimoi@ncc.go.jp.
Natsuko Satomi-TsushitaDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
Shu YazakiDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
Toshihiro OkuyaDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
Yuki KojimaDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
Hitomi Sumiyoshi-OkumaDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
Tadaaki NishikawaDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
Maki TaniokaDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
Kazuki SudoDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
Emi NoguchiDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
Kan YonemoriDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
National Cancer Centre Japan · JP

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEribulin or capecitabine monotherapy is the next cytotoxic chemotherapy option for patients with metastatic or recurrent breast cancer who have previously received an anthracycline or a taxane. However, it is unclear what factors can guide the selection of eribulin or capecitabine in this setting, and prognostic factors are needed to guide appropriate treatment selection. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a prognostic factor for eribulin-treated patients, although it is unclear whether it is a prognostic factor for capecitabine-treated patients. Therefore, we analysed the ability of the NLR to predict oncological outcomes among patients who received capecitabine after previous anthracycline or taxane treatment for breast cancer.

methodsWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with metastatic or recurrent breast cancer who had previously received anthracycline or taxane treatment at the National Cancer Center Hospital between 2007 and 2015. Patients were included if they received eribulin or capecitabine monotherapy as first-line, second-line, or third-line chemotherapy. Analyses of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were performed according to various factors.

resultsBetween 2007 and 2015, we identified 125 eligible patients, including 46 patients who received only eribulin, 34 patients who received only capecitabine, and 45 patients who received eribulin and capecitabine. The median follow-up period was 19.1 months. Among eribulin-treated patients, an NLR of <3 independently predicted better OS. Among capecitabine-treated patients, an NLR of <3 independently predicted better PFS but not better OS. In addition, a lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio of ≥5 was associated with better PFS and OS.

conclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate whether the NLR is a prognostic factor for capecitabine-treated patients with metastatic or recurrent breast cancer. However, the NLR only independently predicted PFS in this setting, despite it being a useful prognostic factor for other chemotherapies.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsLeukocyte CountAdultAgedAntineoplastic AgentsBiomarkers, TumorCapecitabineFemaleFuransHumansKetonesMiddle AgedPolyether PolyketidesPrognosisRetrospective StudiesAntineoplastic AgentsBiomarkers, TumorCapecitabineeribulinFuransKetonesPolyether PolyketidesBreast cancerCapecitabineChemotherapyEribulinNeutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratioNLRPrognostic factor

Identifiers

PMID35027011
PMCPMC8759263
OpenAlexW4205779066

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.