Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio helps select metastatic pancreatic cancer patients benefitting from oxaliplatin

BACKGROUND: High Neutrophil/Lymphocyte ratio (NLR), as a measure of enhanced inflammatory response, has been negatively associated with prognosis in patients with localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we aimed at investigating the prognostic value of NLR in two homogeneous groups of chemotherapy-na've metastatic PDA patients. Patients were treated with either gemcitabine (GEM) or gemcitabine/ oxaliplatin (GEMOXA). We also assessed whether NLR could identify patients benefiting from the use of oxaliplatin. METHODS: Consecutive PDA patients treated at the Medical Oncology Unit of Tor Vergata University Hospital of Rome with either GEM or GEMOXA wer…