Despite advances in diagnostic imaging, the potential of hematological biomarkers in canine splenic hemangiosarcoma remains understudied. This retrospective study investigated complete blood count parameters—including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), neutrophil-to-red blood cell ratio (NRR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR)—in dogs undergoing splenectomy between 2018 and 2022.
The goal was to assess their diagnostic and prognostic utility in differentiating HSA from benign splenic lesions and predicting outcomes. Results demonstrated that dogs with histopathologically confirmed HSA had significantly higher NRR and lower PLR values compared to those with non-malignant lesions. Moreover, elevated NRR and reduced PLR were associated with an increased risk of tumor relapse and shorter overall survival, suggesting these ratios may serve as practical prognostic indicators.
The study’s findings align with the established role of inflammation in tumor progression. Neutrophils, in particular, contribute to angiogenesis and immune suppression, facilitating tumor dissemination. Elevated white blood cell and neutrophil counts were significantly correlated with both HSA diagnosis and poorer survival outcomes, mirroring observations in human oncology where high NLR and PLR often predict aggressive disease. Tumor hypoxia may further exacerbate these effects by reducing erythrocyte counts while promoting neutrophilia, creating a pro-tumoral microenvironment. This mechanistic link could explain the association between higher NRR and adverse prognosis in canine HSA.
While hematological ratios should not replace gold-standard diagnostics like histopathology, they offer a rapid, cost-effective tool for presurgical risk assessment and postoperative monitoring, particularly in settings with limited access to advanced imaging.
The study highlights the need for future research to establish standardized cutoff values for NRR and PLR, validate their reproducibility across diverse populations, and evaluate their integration with existing diagnostic and prognostic markers. Such efforts could enhance early detection and risk stratification for canine splenic HSA, ultimately improving clinical decision-making.
