Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Can ID Risk in Localized Melanoma
NLR level >4.8 associated with increased risk for melanoma-specific death and developing distant metastases
By Dermsquared Editorial Team | July 18, 2025
WEDNESDAY, July 16, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- A neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) level >4.8 can distinguish patients with localized melanoma who have an increased risk for melanoma-specific death and developing distant metastases, according to a study published online July 8 in the International Journal of Dermatology.
Irina Ciobotariu, from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome, and colleagues conducted a retrospective, longitudinal, observational study of 988 patients with localized melanoma with NLR levels obtained at baseline. The prognostic value of NLR was evaluated by dividing patients into two groups: >4.8 versus ≤4.8. The association between increased NLR levels and clinical and pathological variables was analyzed.
The researchers observed associations for NLR >4.8 with male sex, melanoma located on the head or neck, a mitotic index >5 mitoses/mm2, ulceration, worse melanoma-specific survival (hazard ratio, 3.2), and an elevated probability of developing distant metastases (hazard ratio, 2.0).
"These findings reinforce and complement existing evidence suggesting that NLR, a low-cost, simple, highly reliable, and routinely available marker of systemic inflammation, may have prognostic value in patients with localized melanoma," the authors write. "Identifying patients at higher risk allows for more precise tailoring of follow-up strategies, enabling more efficient allocation of health care resources."