Pei-Hung Chang1,2, Jason Chia-Hsun Hsieh3, Kun-Yun Yeh1,2, Eric Yen-Chao Chen4, Shih-Wei Yang5, Jen-Seng Huang1, Chien-Hong Lai1, Tsung-Han Wu1, Yen-Min Huang1, Yueh-Shih Chang1, Wen-Chi Chou3, Cheng-Hsu Wang6,2. 1. Division of Hemato-oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Taiwan. 2. Cancer Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan. 3. Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 4. Departments of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Taiwan. 5. Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Taiwan. 6. Division of Hemato-oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Taiwan. ph555chang@cgmh.org.tw.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on treatment-related toxicities and tolerance in patients with advanced head and neck cancers who were undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively analyzed and compared the clinical characteristic, toxicities and survival of 143 patients with stage III, IVA, and IVB head and neck cancer who were treated with CCRT according to their PNI between 2007 and 2010. RESULTS: Low PNI was correlated with T classification and advanced tumor stage. Patients with low PNI were less likely to tolerate CCRT, required tube feeding support more frequently and had higher percentages of grade 3/4 hematological toxicities, sepsis and toxic death. CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment PNI predicts treatment-tolerance and toxicity in patients with advanced head and neck cancer undergoing CCRT.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on treatment-related toxicities and tolerance in patients with advanced head and neck cancers who were undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively analyzed and compared the clinical characteristic, toxicities and survival of 143 patients with stage III, IVA, and IVB head and neck cancer who were treated with CCRT according to their PNI between 2007 and 2010. RESULTS: Low PNI was correlated with T classification and advanced tumor stage. Patients with low PNI were less likely to tolerate CCRT, required tube feeding support more frequently and had higher percentages of grade 3/4 hematological toxicities, sepsis and toxic death. CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment PNI predicts treatment-tolerance and toxicity in patients with advanced head and neck cancer undergoing CCRT.