Neutrophils and lymphocytes in various stages of carcinoma breast

Abstract

Introduction: Neutrophil and lymphocytes are the main inflammatory cells of our body which act as line of defense against various infections.Breast cancer being one of the most common type of cancer in Indian women, is more prevalent in elderly. Its progression and prognosis are influenced by the inflammatory response of the patient in the surrounding tumor microenvironment. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) provides a surrogate marker for prognosis of carcinoma breast. Aims and objectives: To compare various stages of carcinoma breast with different ranges of NLR and draw a correlation. Methodology: A descriptive study was done at JSS Hospital over a period of two years for 100 patients presenting with clinically palpable breast nodules which were malignant and results were drawn. All demographic data was summarized as proportion, median, standard deviation and the inferential statistics were obtained using Chi-square and Cramer’s V tests. Results: If NLR is less than median (2.03) majority of the cases of carcinoma breast were found to be Stage I i.e.14.8 percent being less than NLR- 1.5 and 22.2 percent between NLR -1.51 to 2.0 respectively) or Stage I i.e. 55.5 being less than NLR-1.5 and 44.4 percent between NLR 1.51 to 2.0 respectively), however if NLR was more than median the propensity of Stage III carcinoma breast increases progressively. Conclusion: Increase in neutrophils points towards advanced malignancy as corroborated by higher NLR, thereby making neutrophils and lymphocytes as significant indicators of malignancy in a clinically palpable breast nodule.