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ObjectiveThe lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein (LCR) ratio, an immune-inflammatory marker, shows prognostic potential in various cancers. However, its utility in gastrointestinal malignancies remains uncertain due to inconsistent findings. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizes recent evidence to elucidate the association between LCR and prognosis in gastrointestinal cancer patients, aiming to clarify LCR’s potential role as a prognostic biomarker.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases up to May 2024 to evaluate the association between LCR and prognosis in gastrointestinal cancer patients. The main outcomes included overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and disease-free survival (DFS). We also analyzed secondary parameters such as geographical region, study duration, sample size, LCR threshold, and patient characteristics (age, gender, tumor location, and TNM stage).ResultsThis meta-analysis of 21 cohort studies (n=9,131) finds a significant association between reduced LCR levels and poor prognosis in gastrointestinal cancer. Lower LCR levels were associated with worse overall survival (HR=2.01, 95% CI=1.75-2.31, P |