Meta‐analysis of the prognostic value of the neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background A number of studies have assessed the prognostic value of the neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio ( NLR ) in oral squamous cell carcinoma ( OSCC ), but their results regarding the predictive value of NLR in OSCC are inconsistent. We therefore performed a meta‐analysis to clarify the association between NLR and clinical outcome in OSCC . Methods We searched the MEDLINE and Web of Science to identify potential studies investigating the association between NLR and survival in OSCC . Results A total of 10 studies, enrolling 2135 patients with OSCC , were included. A higher NLR was a negative predictor for both disease‐specific survival (hazard ratio [ HR ] = 1.93, 95% CI : 1.47‐2.54) and overall survival ( HR  = 1.56, 95% CI : 1.28‐1.90). Conclusion This suggests a higher NLR is predictive of a poorer prognosis in OSCC . Because determination of NLR is non‐invasive and cost‐effective, it could be widely used for predicting prognosis in OSCC .