Optimization of prostate cancer patient lymph node staging via the integration of neutrophil–lymphocyte ratios, platelet–lymphocyte ratios, and 68 Ga‐PSMA‐PET‐derived SUVmax values

BACKGROUNDAt present, standardized parameters for quantitatively evaluating 68 Ga-PSMA-PET/CT outcomes when diagnosing lymph node metastasis in prostate cancer patients are lacking. Inflammatory hematological biomarkers offer value as robust predictors of certain cancer-related outcomes. The present study was thus developed to explore approaches to improving the utility of 68 Ga-PSMA-PET/CT for diagnosing lymph node metastasis through the combined evaluation of inflammatory hematological markers in prostate cancer patients. METHODSPretreatment patient details including age, initial TPSA levels, hematological findings, biopsy pathology results (Gleason score and ISUP grouping), radical pathology results, and imaging details were collected. Optimal cutoff values for each predictor then being determined based upon Youden's index, with univariate and multivariate analyses were then used to identify independent predictors of lymph node metastasis and used to construct a nomogram. RESULTIndependent predictors of lymph node metastasis in this patient cohort included SUVmax (odds ratio [OR]: 30.549, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.855-85.973, p