The Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Biomarker in Cutaneous Oncology: A Systematic Review of Evidence beyond Malignant Melanoma

Simple Summary This systematic review concludes that a higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a robust indicator of adverse prognosis across the common metastatic cancers including malignant melanoma, is also a promising biomarker of tumor aggressiveness in all advanced stage non-melanoma skin cancers. A distinct exception with still inconclusive evidence is the cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, although there are some data indicating that higher NLR may predict poorer prognosis in patients with earlier stages mycosis fungoides. Finally, given the promising data concerning the impact of NLR as a prognosticator of the outcome of the treatment with the current immunotherapies, there is presently a need for studies focusing on the role of NLR in the framework of the treatment of advanced non-melanoma skin cancer.Abstract With the ongoing progress of basic research along with the introduction of new pharmaceutical options spanning almost all therapeutic areas, the need for biomarkers that will be implemented into the personalized medical approach is higher than ever. Their use can be incorporated into clinical practice and can be applied to the classification of disorders and the evaluation of disease severity but also to the monitoring of the progress of therapeutic/pharmaceutical interventions. This systematic review collects the findings of hematologic biomarkers in various cutaneous malignancies, excluding malignant melanoma, to support their potential use in the prognosis but also in the assessment of therapeutic strategies for the specific category of skin disorders.