The Importance of White Blood Parameters in Detecting Inflammation and Prognosis in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Aim: This study aims to investigate whether there is a relationship between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and inflammation using hemogram parameters. It is also planned to examine whether there is a correlation between these parameters and prognostic indices for DLBCL.

Methods: This retrospective study compared 84 patients diagnosed with DLBCL between January 2012 and October 2020 and 39 healthy individuals. Hemoglobin, leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte and platelet counts were obtained from patient files, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to- lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) were calculated. The existence of correlation between these parameters and Revised-International Prognostic Index and National Comprehensive Cancer Network-International Prognostic Index was investigated. In addition, these parameters were compared for 56 patients with primary nodal DLBCL and 28 patients with primary extranodal DLBCL.

Results: NLR, PLR, LMR and SII values were statistically different between patient and healthy groups (p<0.001). When these parameters were compared for patients with primary nodal and primary extranodal DLBCL, no significant difference was found. No parameters correlated with prognostic indices.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that white blood parameters may have significant discriminative perfomance in demonstrating inflammation in DLBCL. In adition, it was concluded that these parameters weren't useful in showing prognosis. More studies are needed to support these findings.