Esophageal cancer: a twenty-four-year experience at a tertiary care center with an evaluation of the prognostic significance of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio

Abstract

Background

A high neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be associated with worse survival in esophageal cancer (EC). Our aims were to describe the demographic and clinical data of EC in a tertiary referral center in Lebanon and to determine the prognostic value of NLR.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study based on chart review of patients diagnosed with EC was conducted at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). The demographic characteristics, clinical presentation and outcomes were described and compared between squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC) and adenocarcinomas (EAC). Data about esophageal cancer incidence were obtained from the National Cancer Registry, the Ministry of Public Health and GLOBOCAN 2020. Cox regression analysis was performed to determine whether the NLR is an independent predictor of survival, using variables based on clinical knowledge and previously established data.

Results

110 patients were diagnosed with EC, which was the least common among other gastrointestinal malignancies. Our follow up rates reached 86.4%. The median survival was 9 months (IQR 3–25.5.) and was comparable between ESCC (median of 7 months, IQR 2–25) and EAC (median of 9 months, IQR 3–26.3), p = 0.803. Advanced stage was associated with a worse prognosis (p = 0.037). The mean NLR(±SD) was 5.20 ± 6.8, with no significant difference between EAC and ESCC (4.5 ± 3.4 vs. 5.9 ± 9.2, p = 0.420) or between early or advanced stages (5.4 ± 8.1 vs. 4.7 ± 6.8, p = 0.732). The area under the curve for the NLR was 0.560 (95% CI: 0.374–0.746, p = 0.488). After adjusting for age, gender, TNM staging and grading, cox regression analysis showed that an increased NLR was a significant predictor of mortality, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.095 (p = 0.011).

Conclusion

EC is quite uncommon in Lebanon despite a high prevalence of smoking and obesity. Advanced stage and high NLR were associated with a negative prognostic value.