The Kaplan-Meier survival curve of NSCLC patients who underwent radical resection (n = 572).

<p>It is analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival model, including 108 cases with blood calcium <2.2, and 464 cases with 2.2< = calcium< = 2.6. Log-rank comparisons revealed that blood calcium decrease(<2.2 µM) was associated with shorter survival (Log-rank; χ² = 26.172, <i>P</i><0.001).</p

Evaluation of Preoperative Hematologic Markers as Prognostic Factors and Establishment of Novel Risk Stratification in Resected pN0 Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

<div><p>Background</p><p>The aims of this study were to investigate whether the preoperative hematologic markers, the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) or the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were prognostic indicators and to develop a novel risk stratification model in pN0 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).</p><p>Methods</p><p>We performed a retrospective analysis of 400 consecutive pN0 NSCLC patients. Prognostic values were evaluated by Cox proportional hazard model analyses and patients were stratified according to relative risks for patients’ survival.</p><p>Results</p><p>During the follow-up, 117 patients had cancer recurrence, and 86 patients died. In univariate analysis, age, gender, smoke status and tumor size as well as WBC, NEU, LYM, PLR and NLR were significantly associated with patients’ prognosis. In multivariate analysis, age, tumor size and NLR were independent predictors for patients’ overall survival (P = 0.024, 0.001, and 0.002 respectively). PLR didn’t associated with patients’ survival in multivariate analysis. Patients were stratified into 3 risk groups and the differences among the groups were significant according to disease free survival and overall survival (P = 0.000 and 0.000 respectively).</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>We confirmed that NLR other than PLR was an independent prognostic factor. Combination of NLR, age and tumor size could stratify pN0 NSCLC patients into 3 risk groups and enabled us to develop a novel risk stratification model.</p></div

Kaplan–Meier curves for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

<p>A: Kaplan–Meier curve of OS for NSCLC; B: Kaplan–Meier curve of DFS for NSCLC.</p

Kaplan-Meier estimates according to low, intermediate and high risk groups on DFS (a) and OS (b).

<p>Kaplan-Meier estimates according to low, intermediate and high risk groups on DFS (a) and OS (b).</p

Clinical characteristic of all 400 lung cancer patients.

<p>Clinical characteristic of all 400 lung cancer patients.</p

Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis for the correlation between calcium levels and clinical characteristics.

☆<p>These variables were significantly correlated with Blood Calcium, which were shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0034264#pone-0034264-t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>;</p>&<p>This variable just included the resected NSCLC cases;</p>▽<p>These cases came from the follow-up of resected NSCLC patients who were not detected bone metastases at primary care;</p><p>OR: Odds Ratio; CI: confidence Intervial; LN: Lymph node.</p

Correlations between LMR and clinicopathological factors.

<p>Abbreviations: LMR, lymphocyte- monocyte ratio; TNM, tumour node metastasis.</p><p>Correlations between LMR and clinicopathological factors.</p

Kaplan–Meier curves for overall lung cancer patients.

<p>A: Kaplan–Meier curve of overall survival (OS) for overall lung cancer patients; B: Kaplan–Meier curve of disease-free survival (DFS) for overall lung cancer patients.</p

Basic characteristics of enrolled patients.

<p>Abbreviations: TNM, tumour node metastasis; NSCLC, non-small-cell lung cancer.</p><p>Basic characteristics of enrolled patients.</p

Multivariate analysis of clinical characteristics affect on 3-year survival using COX regression model.

△<p>These variables were selected from the variables that have effects on 3-year survival using univariate analysis;</p><p>HR: Hazard Ratio; CI: Confidence Interval; LN: Lymph node.</p