Prognostic significance of the C-reactive protein-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with cancers.

BACKGROUND: The C-reactive protein-to-lymphocyte ratio (CLR), a novel inflammation-based biomarker, has been reported to be associated with prognosis in various cancers. However, the prognostic significance of CLR remains controversial. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate the prognostic value of CLR in patients with cancers. METHODS: Relevant studies were systematically searched in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science up to March 21, 2026. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the association between CLR and survival outcomes, including overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: A total of 22 studies from 18 articles involving 7220 patients were included. The pooled analysis demonstrated that elevated CLR was significantly associated with poorer OS (HR:1.65, 95% CI: 1.43-1.91), PFS (HR:1.53, 95% CI: 1.15-2.05), and DFS (HR:1.67, 95% CI: 1.41-1.97). Subgroup analysis further confirmed the prognostic value of CLR across country, treatment method, sample size, cancer type and analysis type. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated CLR was significantly associated with unfavorable survival outcomes in cancers and may serve as a promising prognostic biomarker in clinical practice.