Sarcopenia and platelet-lymphocyte ratio of prognostic value in patients of head neck cancer

Numerous complex mechanisms lead to sarcopenia, including neurodegeneration, impaired signaling, inflammation, disuse, and declined nutrient intake. Sarcopenia has been shown to be prevalent in adults with cancer due to the increasing prevalence of disease with age . Furthermore, inflammation and malnutrition associated with cancer may worsen muscles.Although both sarcopenia and systemic inflammation affect the outcomes of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, the association between sarcopenia and systemic inflammation and the combined prognostic effect of these factors in HNC patients remain unknown. This recent study aimed to evaluate the effect of sarcopenia with systemic inflammation on survival and disease control in HNC patients.

For the study design,the team retrospectively reviewed medical records of HNC patients treated between 2009 and 2016. The skeletal muscle area was measured using a single computed tomography image slice at the level of the third cervical vertebra. A prognostic score (SPLR) was developed based on sarcopenia and the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and its prognostic value was evaluated.

Data analysis revealed the following key results.

• Overall, 164 patients were enrolled. In the multivariate analysis, sarcopenia was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) (p < 0.01).
• However, neither sarcopenia nor a high PLR was an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival (DFS) or locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS). A high PLR was an independent predictor for sarcopenia (p < 0.01).
• A high SPLR was associated with older age, lower serum hemoglobin, and lower body mass index (all p < 0.05).
• Multivariate analysis revealed that SPLR was a significant independent predictor of OS, DFS, and LRFS (all p < 0.05).

For full article follow the link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anl.2021.03.021

Primary source: Auris Nasus Larynx