Prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in renal cell carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) not only indicates the inflammatory response within the tumor microenvironment but may also correlate with tumor biological behavior (such as aggressiveness). The present study aimed to systematically review and conduct a meta-analysis on the impact of the NLR on the prognosis of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). To this aim, a comprehensive search of multiple relevant databases, including PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library, was conducted to identify literature related to NLR and RCC prognosis. Following rigorous literature screening and quality assessment, a systematic quantitative analysis was ultimately performed on several studies that met the inclusion criteria. The results indicated a significant association between elevated NLR levels and poor prognosis in patients with RCC, suggesting that high NLR levels may serve as an independent predictor of unfavorable outcomes. Therefore, the present study provides important evidence for clinical decision-making, further demonstrating that NLR can serve as an independent prognostic indicator for patients with RCC, aiding healthcare professionals in making more precise judgments in patient management and treatment strategy formulation.