In this study, the researchers looked at the association between a high platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in the blood and the prognosis of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Data from 1,505 patients with metastatic RCC were retrospectively analysed. There were 921 patients with a high platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and and 584 patients with a low ratio. The patients with a high ratio had an advanced stage of disease and significantly shorter overall survival and cancer-specific survival than those with a low platelet-lymphocyte ratio. The study showed a significant association between platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio with survival outcomes in the subgroup with clear cell RCC but not in the patients with non-clear cell RCC.

In conclusion, the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio predicted survival outcomes in patients with metastatic RCC, but this was only significant for patients with clear cell RCC.

Read more in Investigative and Clinical Urology here