Salivary Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Prognostic Predictor of Oral Premalignant and Malignant Disorders: A Prospective Study.

Introduction: Inflammation is a definitive characteristic of carcinogenesis. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an easy and efficient indicator of inflammation and a valuable marker in individuals with malignancies. The present study was performed to ascertain NLR values in salivary samples collected from individuals with oral premalignant disorders (OPMDs) and to assess the prognostic significance of NLR in distinguishing OPMDs from oral malignancies.