Neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio predicts mortality in bladder cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy

Aim: To investigate the prognostic role of neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and radical cystectomy (RC). Patients & methods: 213 patients were included. Inclusion criteria: Nonmetastatic, MIBC (cT2-T4aN0M0), at least three cycles of NAC, undergone RC and with blood count within 30 days before NAC. Results: Five-years overall survival (OS) with NPAR >18 was 34.06% (95% CI: 18.3–50.5) and 65.37% (95% CI: 52.4–75.6) with NPAR 18 was 42.9% (95% CI: 23.9–60.7) and 74.5% (95% CI: 62.6–83.1) with NPAR
Lay abstract This research demonstrated that presence of a high neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer prior neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radical cystectomy is associated with worse outcomes and reduced overall and cancer-specific survival. Thus, neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio could be a useful biological marker in clinical practice to help predict outcomes for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.