The prognostic-nutritional index in HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with upfront surgery: a multi-institutional series

Prognostic nutritional index (PNI) correlates with survival in head and neck cancer patients more precisely than other nutritional markers - real world data

PURPOSE

The survival benefit with higher body mass index (BMI) of patients suffering from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is documented as BMI paradox. As the early re-nourishment of high-risk patients determine survival, we searched for a nutritional status marker suitable for everyday screening. Grouping patients based on the 8th Edition of TNM Classification, we investigated for the first time the candidate nutritional status markers among TNM8 subgroups, including the newly introduced p16 positive oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (OPSCC) patients.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study enrolling 661 patients and collecting anthropometric indices, laboratory parameters, clinical scores, nutritional risk scores. To discover the best one for screening survival analyses and correlation tests were executed.

RESULTS

By performing univariate Cox regression, we found three nutritional markers significantly correlating with overall survival (OS) and cancer specific survival (CSS): BMI at diagnosis, percent of weight loss over six months and prognostic nutritional index (PNI). The latter proved to be independent of tumor stage. p16 negative OPSCC patient's OS and CSS did not correlate with BMI, but it did correlate with PNI and percent of weight loss. BMI was the only marker correlating with OS, only in stage 4 hypopharyngeal cancer patients. All three markers significantly correlated with survival among p16 positive oropharyngeal and glottic cancer patients.

CONCLUSION

We found BMI, percent of weight loss and PNI good candidate markers for malnutrition. PNI proved to be superior in every aspect, enabling the treating physicians to discover high-risk patients in need of aggressive re-nourishment. The survival of supraglottic laryngeal squamous cancer patients seemed to be independent of these nutritional status markers, which observation should be a subject of further investigations.

Host-related indexes in head and neck cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Peripheral blood host-related indexes have been widely studied in cancer patients. Several authors have shown the prognostic capacity of these indexes in head and neck cancer. Therefore, there has been an increasing interest in this topic recently.

RECENT FINDINGS

The main variables analyzed and used to create these host-related indexes are peripheral blood leukocytes - including neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes - albumin and hemoglobin levels. Other factors with proven prognostic capacity in some studies are: platelets, C-reactive protein, and BMI. Among all the combined indexes, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio has been the most accepted and used worldwide. Nonetheless, there are other indexes which group multiple of these factors that have shown better prognostic capacity, and are promising in the near future.

SUMMARY

Host-related indexes are ideal biomarkers to be used on our daily-basis. There is enough evidence to start considering them when assessing patients with head and neck cancer.