Lymph node ratio is a prognostic indicator for locally advanced gastric cancer after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy

Abstract Objective The efficacy of lymph node ratio (LNR) as a prognostic indicator in locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) patients underwent radical resection after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (NICT) remains to be demonstrated. The objective of the current retrospective study is to investigate the relationship between LNR and survival in patients with LAGC who underwent radical resection after NICT. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 121 cases of LAGC in patients underwent radical resection after NICT between July 2020 and October 2023. The LNR values of the patients were divided into two groups using X-tile software. The first group, designated the low LNR group, comprised patients with LNR values of ≤ 33%. The second group, designated the high LNR group, comprised patients with LNR values of > 33%. The correlation between patient survival rates and a range of clinical and pathological variables was examined. Results Overall, 121 patients were enrolled: 108 with low-LNR (LNR ≤ 33%) and 13 with high-LNR (LNR > 33%). A better 2-year overall survival (OS) (88.5% vs. 32.6%; p