Table 2 Grading of evidence

Strong (N = 18)

P < 10–6* with random effects; > 1000 individuals included; > 3 studies included; largest study significant at P < 0.05; Q test significant at P < 0.10; I² less than 50%, prediction interval does not include null value (HR = 1); small study effects not detected; excess significance not detected

Bladder (UTR)—RFS [NLR], Breast—OS [NLR], Breast (SR) —OS [NLR], CLM—OS [NLR], CLM (SR) —OS [NLR], Endometrial—OS [NLR], Gastric (SR)—OS [NLR], Immunotherapy (Immune checkpoint inhibitors)—OS [NLR], Melanoma (Immune checkpoint inhibitors)—OS [NLR], Nasopharyngeal—OS [NLR], Nasopharyngeal—PFS [NLR], Non-muscle-invasive bladder—PFS [NLR], NSCLC (PD-1 inhibitor)—OS [NLR], Prostate CR—OS [NLR], Renal (TKI)—OS [NLR], STS—DFS [NLR]

Upgraded to “strong” from “highly suggestive” if HR > 2, lower 95%CI > 1.6

Advanced Cancer (Anti-VEGFR)—OS [NLR], Composite endpoints—DFS [NLR], Bladder (UTR)—RFS [NLR], Breast—OS [NLR], Breast (SR)—OS [NLR], CLM—OS [NLR], CLM (SR)—OS [NLR], Endometrial—OS [NLR], Gastric (SR)—OS [NLR], Immunotherapy (Immune checkpoint inhibitors)—OS [NLR], Melanoma (Immune checkpoint inhibitors)—OS [NLR], Nasopharyngeal—OS [NLR], Nasopharyngeal—PFS [NLR], Non muscle Invasive Bladder—PFS [NLR], NSCLC (PD-1 inhibitor)—OS [NLR], Prostate CR—OS [NLR], Renal (TKI)—OS [NLR]

Highly suggestive (N = 42)

P < 10–6* with random effects; > 1000 individuals included; largest study significant at P < 0.05

Advanced Cancer (Immunotherapy)—PFS [NLR], Composite endpoints—PFS [NLR], Biliary Tract—OS [NLR], Bladder—RFS [NLR], Breast (Metastasis)—DFS [NLR], Breast (Triple Negative and Her2 Positive)—DFS [NLR], Colorectal—OS [NLR], CLM—RFS [NLR], Gastric—OS [NLR], Gynaecologic—OS [NLR], Head and Neck—OS [NLR], Hepatocellular—OS [NLR], Hepatocellular—DFS [NLR], Hepatocellular—RFS [NLR], Hepatocellular (Sorfenib)—OS [NLR], Hepatocellular (SR)—RFS [NLR], Hepatocellular (SR)—OS [NLR], Hepatocellular (SR)—DFS [NLR], Hepatocellular (TACE)—OS [NLR], Advanced Cancer (Immunotherapy)—OS [NLR], Immunotherapy (Immune checkpoint inhibitors)—PFS [NLR], Lung (both)—OS [NLR], NAC—OS [NLR], NSCLC—PFS [NLR], NSCLC (PD-1 inhibitor)—PFS [NLR], NSCLC (ST)—PFS [NLR], Oesophageal—OS [NLR], Oesophageal (DCRT)—OS [NLR], Oesophageal (Surgery)—OS [NLR], Oesophageal (Surgery+/−Chemo)—OS [NLR], Oesophageal SCC—OS [NLR], Oral cavity—OS [NLR], Oral cavity—DFS [NLR], Pancreatic—OS [NLR], Pancreatic (SR)—OS [NLR], Prostate—PFS [NLR], Prostate (Metastatic)—OS [NLR], Prostate CR (Enzalutamide)—OS [NLR], Renal—OS [NLR], Renal Advanced—OS [NLR], STS—OS [NLR], Urothelial (Chemotherapy)—OS [NLR]

Suggestive (N = 51)

P < 10–4* with random effects; > 1000 individuals included

Composite endpoints—OS [NLR], Composite endpoints—OS [IN], Composite endpoints Operable—OS [NLR], Composite endpoints Operable—CSS [NLR], Bladder—OS [NLR], Bladder (UTR)—PFS [NLR], Bladder and Upper Urinary—PFS [NLR], Bladder and Upper Urinary—CSS [NLR], Breast—DFS [NLR], Breast (SR)—DFS [NLR], Breast (Triple Negative and Her2 Positive)—OS [NLR], Cervical—OS [NLR], Cervical—PFS [NLR], Colorectal—DFS [NLR], Colorectal—PFS [NLR], Colorectal (SR)—OS [NLR], CLM (Non-surgical)—OS [NLR], Endometrial—PFS [NLR], Glioma—OS [NLR], Head and neck—DFS [NLR], Head and Neck (No Surgery)—OS [NLR], Head and Neck (SCC)—CSS [NLR], Head and Neck (SCC)—OS [NLR], Head and Neck (SCC)—DFS [NLR], Hepatocellular (Transplant)—OS [NLR], Larynx—DFS [NLR], Larynx—OS [NLR], Lung (Surgery)—OS [NLR], Melanoma—OS [NLR], Multiple Myeloma—OS [NLR], Nasopharyngeal—CSS [NLR], Non muscle Invasive Bladder—RFS [NLR], NSCLC—OS [NLR], NSCLC (Chemotherapy)—OS [NLR], NSCLC (Immunotherapy)—OS [NLR], NSCLC (ST)—OS [NLR], Oesophageal (No Surgery)—OS [NLR], Oral SCC—OS [NLR], Ovarian—PFS [NLR], Ovarian—OS [NLR], Prostate—OS [NLR], Prostate CR—PFS [NLR], Prostate CR (Abitaterone)—OS [NLR], Rectal—OS [NLR], Renal—PFS [NLR], Urinary—OS [NLR], Urothelial (Nephroureterectomy)—OS [NLR], Urothelial (Nephroureterectomy)—PFS [NLR], Urothelial (Radical Cystectomy)—CSS [NLR], UTUC (Nephroureterectomy)—CSS [NLR], UTUC (Radical Cystectomy)—CSS [NLR],

Weak (N = 77)

P < 0.05* with random effects

Composite endpoints—CSS [IN], Biliary Tract—RFS [NLR], Bladder (Metastasis)—OS [NLR], Bladder (Radical Cystectomy)—OS [NLR], Breast—CSS [NLR], Breast (Metastasis)—OS [NLR], Breast (SR)—RFS [NLR], Breast (Triple-negative)—OS [NLR], Breast (Triple-negative)—DFS [NLR], Colorectal (PC)—DFS [NLR], Colorectal (SR)—DFS [NLR], Colorectal (SR)—RFS [NLR], CLM (Non-surgical)—RFS [NLR], CLM (SR)—RFS [NLR], Gastric—DFS [NLR], Gastric—PFS [NLR], Gastric (SR)—DFS [NLR], GNT—OS [NLR], GNT—RFS [NLR], Head and Neck—RFS [NLR], Head and neck—PFS [NLR], Head and Neck—OS [IN], Head and Neck (SCC)—PFS [NLR], Head and Neck (SR)—OS [NLR], Hepatocellular (MT)—OS [NLR], Hepatocellular (RFA)—OS [NLR], Hepatocellular (Transplant)—RFS [NLR], Hepatocellular and ICC—OS [IN], Hypopharynx—OS [NLR], Ipilimumuab—OS [NLR], Ipilimumuab—PFS [NLR], Large B—OS [NLR], Large B—PFS [NLR], Lung (both)—PFS [NLR], Melanoma—PFS [NLR], Melanoma (Immune checkpoint inhibitors)—PFS [NLR], MPM—OS [NLR], Multiple Myeloma—PFS [NLR], NAC—RFS [NLR], NAC—CSS [NLR], Nivolumab—OS [NLR], Nivolumab—PFS [NLR], Non muscle Invasive Bladder (High Risk)—RFS [NLR], Non muscle Invasive Bladder (High Risk)—PFS [NLR], NSCLC (Chemotherapy)—PFS [NLR], NSCLC (Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors)—PFS [NLR], NSCLC (Nivoumab)—OS [NLR], NSCLC (Nivoumab)—PFS [NLR], NSCLC (TT)—OS [NLR], NSCLC (TT)—PFS [NLR], Oesophageal—CSS [NLR], Oesophageal—RFS [NLR], Oesophageal—DFS [NLR], Oesophageal—PFS [NLR], Oesophageal (Neo + Surgery)—OS [NLR], Oral SCC—DFS [NLR], Oropharynx—DFS [NLR], Pancreatic—DFS [NLR], Pancreatic—CSS [NLR], Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumour—OS [NLR], Pancreatic NeuroendocrineTumour—RFS [NLR], Rectal—DFS [NLR], Rectal—RFS [NLR], Renal—RFS [NLR], Renal—OS [IN], Renal (TKI)—PFS [NLR], Renal Advanced—PFS [NLR], Renal Localised—RFS [NLR], STS (Synovial Sarcoma)—OS [NLR], STS (Liposarcoma)—OS [NLR], Upper Urinary—RFS [NLR], Urothelial—OS [NLR], Urothelial—RFS [NLR], Urothelial (Chemotherapy)—PFS [NLR], Urothelial (Radical Cystectomy)—OS [NLR], Urothelial (Radical Cystectomy)—PFS [NLR], Prostate Localised—RFS [NLR]

Uncertain (N = 16)

Not significant at P < 0.05* with random effects

Composite endpoints—OS [PN], Composite endpoints—OS [SN], Bladder (Radical Cystectomy and NAC)—OS [NLR], Breast (No Metastasis)—OS [NLR], Breast (No Metastasis)—DFS [NLR], Gastric—OS [IN], Gastrointestinal Stromal—OS [NLR], Hepatocellular (RFA)—DFS [NLR], NSCLC—OS [IN], Prostate Localised—OS [NLR], Prostate CR (Abitaterone)—PFS [NLR], Prostate CR (Enzalutamide)—PFS [NLR], Renal—CSS [NLR], Renal Localised—OS [NLR], Thyroid—DFS [NLR], Urothelial—DFS [NLR]