The article investigates the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) as a prognostic biomarker for overall survival (OS) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The study conducted a meta-analysis of 10 studies involving 2,793 patients to examine the association between pre-treatment GNRI and survival outcomes. The findings indicate that a lower GNRI is significantly linked to worse OS, with an HR of 2.84 (95% CI: 2.07–3.91, p < 0.00001). Additionally, factors such as older age, male sex, advanced tumor stage, and higher tumor-node staging (T/N-stage) were also associated with poorer survival outcomes.
The study concludes that GNRI is a cost-effective and routinely available biomarker that could aid in risk stratification and clinical decision-making for HNC patients. However, limitations such as retrospective study design and publication bias necessitate further research for validation.
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