Prognostic impact of the hemoglobin-albumin-lymphocyte-platelet score in patients with oral cavity cancer undergoing surgery.

BACKGROUND

We aimed to probe the hemoglobin-albumin-lymphocyte-platelet (HALP) score's prognostic value in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

METHODS

Medical data of 350 patients with primary operated OSCC were retrospectively reviewed. We derived the optimal HALP cutoff by executing receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, and patients were then grouped based on this cutoff value. Cox proportional hazards model were used to discover survival outcome-associated factors.

RESULTS

We derived the optimal HALP cutoff as 35.4. A low HALP score (<35.4) predicted poorer overall and disease-free survival (hazard ratio: 2.29 and 1.92, respectively; both p < 0.001) and was significantly associated with OSCC aggressiveness. We established a HALP-based nomogram that accurately predicted overall survival (concordance index: 0.784).

CONCLUSION

The HALP score may be a useful prognostic biomarker in patients with OSCC undergoing surgery, and the HALP-based nomogram can be a promising prognostic tool in clinical setting.