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A Novel Prognostic Model Using Pan-Immune-Inflammation Value and Programmed Death Ligand 1 in Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Retrospective Multicenter Analysis

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Abstract

Background

Little is known regarding the prognostication of the Pan-Immune-Inflammation Value (PIV) in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC).

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the prognostic role of PIV in patients with R/M HNSCC receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI).

Patients and Methods

Patients who were diagnosed to have R/M HNSCC and treated with ICI were reviewed retrospectively. The cutoff value of PIV was set at the median. Patients were stratified into high PIV and low PIV. Kaplan–Meier curves were estimated for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results

A total of 192 patients were included in our study for oncologic outcomes evaluation. For the total population, the median PFS was 5.5 months and OS was 18.2 months. After stratification by PIV, median PFS was 11.7 months in the low PIV and 2.8 months in the high PIV groups (p < 0.001). The median OS was 21.8 months in the low PIV and 11.5 months in the high PIV groups (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that PIV and PD-L1 were independent predictors associated with survival. A prognostic model using both PIV and PD-L1 was constructed. The median PFS was 12.2, 6.4, and 3.0 months for patients with risk scores of 0, 1, and 2, respectively (p < 0.001). The median OS was 23.7, 18.1, and 11.4 months for patients with risk scores of 0, 1, and 2, respectively (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

PIV is a prognostic biomarker in patients with R/M HNSCC treated with ICI. A prognostic model using PIV and PD-L1 could provide outcome prediction and risk stratification.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from E-Da Cancer Hospital (Grant no. EDCHP109012).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

    Ming-Yu Lien & Ching-Yun Hsieh

  2. School and Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Ming-Yu Lien & Ching-Yun Hsieh

  3. Department of Otolaryngology, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Tzer-Zen Hwang, Chih-Chun Wang, Chuan-Chien Yang, Chien-Chung Wang & Ching-Feng Lien

  4. College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Tzer-Zen Hwang, Chih-Chun Wang, Chuan-Chien Yang, Chien-Chung Wang, Ching-Feng Lien, Yu-Chen Shih, Shyh-An Yeh & Meng-Che Hsieh

  5. Department of Otolaryngology, E-Da Cancer Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Yu-Chen Shih

  6. Department of Radiation Oncology, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Shyh-An Yeh

  7. Department of Hematology-Oncology, College of Medicine, E-Da Cancer Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Meng-Che Hsieh

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Correspondence to Meng-Che Hsieh.

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Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Conflict of interest/Competing interests

Ming-Yu Lien, Tzer-Zen Hwang, Chih-Chun Wang, Ching-Yun Hsieh, Chuan-Chien Yang, Chien-Chung Wang, Ching-Feng Lien, Yu-Chen Shih, Shyh-An Yeh, and Meng-Che Hsieh declare that they have no conflicts of interest that might be relevant to the contents of this manuscript.

Author contributions

MYL, TZH, CCW (Chih-Chun Wang) and MCH developed the study design. CYH, CCY, and CCW (Chien-Chung Wang) collected data. All authors critically reviewed and approved final draft and are accountable for accuracy and integrity.

Data availability

The datasets that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding (M.C.H.) upon reasonable request.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the E-Da Hospital Institutional Review Board (EMRP70110N) and was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

Consent to participate

Written informed consent was waived because this is a retrospective study.

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All authors provided consent for publication.

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Lien, MY., Hwang, TZ., Wang, CC. et al. A Novel Prognostic Model Using Pan-Immune-Inflammation Value and Programmed Death Ligand 1 in Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Retrospective Multicenter Analysis. Targ Oncol 19, 71–79 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11523-023-01018-9

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