The importance of the glucose-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with sorafenib

Aim: To show the prognostic significance of the glucose-to-lymphocyte ratio (GLR) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients & methods: A total of 150 patients with advanced HCC who were treated with sorafenib in our center between January 2011 and December 2019 were included in the study retrospectively. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, systemic immune-inflammation index, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, prognostic nutritional index and GLR were analyzed to assess their prognostic value using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis before and after propensity score matching (PSM). Results: In univariate analysis before and after PSM, albumin-bilirubin grade, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, systemic immune-inflammation index, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, prognostic nutritional index, AFP level and GLR were found to be significantly associated with both progression-free and overall survival. In multivariate analysis before and after PSM, GLR, albumin-bilirubin grade and AFP were determined to be independent prognostic factors for progression-free and overall survival. Conclusion: The GLR prior to sorafenib treatment is a new prognostic biomarker that may predict survival in advanced HCC.