Abstract
Objectives:
The modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) is known to reflect the degree of tumor-associated inflammation and cancer cachexia and is associated with survival in various malignancies. The prognostic value of mGPS in head and neck cancers remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic potential of the mGPS in patients with advanced head and neck cancer.
Methods:
Patients with advanced head and neck cancer treated at the University of Tsukuba Hospital between January 2002 and December 2011 were retrospectively evaluated. They were divided according to their mGPS. The mGPS was calculated based on the admission data as follows: patients with an elevated level of C-reactive protein (>1.0 mg/dL) and hypoabuminemia (<3.5 g/dL) were allocated a score of 2, patients with elevated C-reactive protein serum levels without hypoalbuminaemia were allocated a score of 1, and patients with neither of these abnormalities were allocated a score of 0. The utility of the mGPS as a prognostic indicator was evaluated.
Results:
A total of 210 patients enrolled. Patients with an mGPS of 0 had better overall survival and disease-free survival than did those with an mGPS of 1 or 2. Multivariate analysis revealed that the mGPS was a significant risk factor for overall survival and disease-free survival.
Conclusions:
The results that patients with a raised mGPS had a significantly higher risk of death suggest that the mGPS is useful for predicting outcome in patients with advanced head and neck cancer and should be included in their routine clinical assessment.
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