Pre-treatment neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and platelet/lymphocyte ratio are prognostic of progression in early stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

To determine whether pre-treatment neutrophil/lymphocyte (NLR) or platelet/lymphocyte ratios (PLR) are predictive for progression in early-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), we derived NLR and PLR values for 338 stage I/II cHL patients and appropriate cut-off point values to define progression. Two-year freedom from progression (FFP) for patients with NLR >= 6.4 was 82.2% vs. 95.7% with NLR < 6. 4 (P < 0.001). Similarly, 2-year FFP was 84.3% for patients with PLR >= 266.2 vs. 96.1% with PLR < 266.2 (P = 0.003). On univariate analysis, both NLR and PLR were significantly associated with worse FFP (P = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, PLR remained a significant, independent prognostic factor (P < 0.001).