Evidence mapPaperPMID 39865253Full record

SynthesisBMC urology2025

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic factor in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with docetaxel-based chemotherapy: a meta-analysis.

Ying Zhang, Xiao Zhou, Ran Xu, Guangcheng Luo, Xinjun Wang

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC urology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Observational
  3. Review
  4. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Ying ZhangThe School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350122, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-2334-3885
Xiao ZhouDepartment of Urology, School of Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian Province, 361004, China.
Ran XuDepartment of Urology, School of Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian Province, 361004, China.
Guangcheng LuoThe School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350122, China.
Xinjun WangThe School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350122, China. wxj@xmu.edu.cn.

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province 2023J01121380the Project of Science and Technology Bureau of Xiamen 3502Z202373098the Young/Middle-aged Talent Cultivation Project funded by Fujian Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission and Xiamen Health and Family planning Commission 2021GGB028
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn recent years, many studies have illustrated that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a prognostic factor of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), but their conclusions are controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of the NLR in patients with mCRPC treated with docetaxel-based chemotherapy.

methodsDatabase searches were conducted in PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library to retrieve relevant published English-language literature up to 20 February 2023. RevMan 5.4.1 was used to summarize the hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) with subgroup analysis. Finally, Stata software was adopted for sensitivity analysis, and Egger's test was used to calculate the results of stability to determine whether there was publication bias.

resultsA total of 1,983 mCRPC patients from 14 retrospective cohort studies were included in this meta-analysis. The combined results showed that elevated NLR was significantly associated with worse OS (HR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.55-2.23, P < 0.00001) and PFS (HR = 1.96 (95% CI: 1.52-2.53), P < 0.00001) in patients with mCRPC treated with docetaxel-based therapy. For subgroup analysis of high NLR, studies performed in Asia and cutoff value > 3 were associated with poorer OS, while cutoff values > 3 were associated with poorer PFS.

conclusionOur results suggest that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio may be a prognostic factor in patients with mCPRC with docetaxel-based chemotherapy.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsDocetaxelLymphocytesNeutrophilsProstatic Neoplasms, Castration-ResistantHumansLymphocyte CountMalePrognosisAntineoplastic AgentsDocetaxelDocetaxelmCPRCNeutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratioPrognosis

Identifiers

PMID39865253
PMCPMC11770999

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.