Comparison of efficacy between high NLR and low NLR groups
A total of 127 treated metastatic advanced colorectal cancer patients were enrolled in this study, among which 65 patients received immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Peripheral blood of 65 patients was tested within one week before receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, and NLR was defined as the ratio of the neutrophil count to the lymphocyte count of the peripheral blood, and NLR <3 was classified as the low NLR group; NLR ≥3 was classified as the high NLR group. The results showed that of the 24 patients in the high NLR group, 13 patients with PD, 10 patients with SD, 1 patient with PR, 1 patient met the criteria for objective response, and 11 patients met the criteria for disease control, while of the 41 patients in the low NLR group, 8 patients with PD, 30 patients with SD, 3 patients with PR, 3 patients met the criteria for objective response, and 33 patients met the criteria for disease control. The results of different evaluations of the two groups of patients were statistically analysed separately, and the results using the Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were as follows: in the case of PD or not, there was a statistical difference between the two groups, P =0.004; in the case of SD or not, there was a statistical difference between the two groups, P =0.012; in the case of PR or not, there was no statistical difference between the two groups, P =0.610; in the case of objective response or not, there is no statistical difference between the two groups,P =0.610; in the case of disease control or not, there is a statistical difference between the two groups, P =0.004, as shown in Table 4. In summary, among patients with advanced colorectal cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, there were statistically significant differences between patients in the high NLR group and those in the low NLR group with respect to PD, SD, and disease control. The NLR level is associated with the efficacy of treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with treated metastatic advanced colorectal cancer.
Table 4 Comparison of efficacy between high NLR and low NLR groups