*3.2.3. TNM stage*

In patients diagnosed with resectable gastric cancer, high PLR correlated with higher stage [16]. The association between high PLR and higher stage was confirmed in a multicentre study of 245 gastric cancer patients [61]. When a meta-analysis of 8 studies was performed comprising data on 4513 patients with gastric cancer, elevated PLR showed association with advanced cancer stage (III–IV). The relevant odds ratios was 1.99 (95% CI 1.60–2.46) as reported by Xu et al. [85].

Generally, PLR can accurately reflect tumour burden. In the study carried out by Cetinkunar et al., the 228 cases were classified as early vs. advanced and non-metastatic vs. metastatic ones. PLR could discriminate the groups in both models. The mean PLR values were 160.3 in early and 231.6 in advanced gastric cancer; 192.7 in non-metastatic and 251.0 in metastatic cases [88].
