Pre‐Treatment Serum Prognostic Scores and Survival in Curatively Treated Laryngeal Cancer

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Laryngeal squamous cell cancer (LSCC) is a common head and neck cancer subtype, primarily linked to smoking and alcohol use. Despite declining incidence, survival outcomes have not improved. Prognostic scores, derived from blood‐based markers like neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte‐to‐monocyte ratio (LMR), and systemic immune‐inflammation index (SIII), are increasingly recognized for their potential to predict survival outcomes and guide patient management. Methods A retrospective analysis of 473 LSCC patients diagnosed in the West of Scotland (2014–2020) assessed the association of prognostic scores with overall survival (OS), cancer‐specific survival (CSS), and recurrence‐free survival (RFS). Patients were categorized into high‐ and low‐risk groups based on combined scores. Results Low LMR and high‐risk scores were significantly associated with worse OS, CSS, and RFS. Nodal status and disease stage remained strong predictors. Combining clinicopathological variables with prognostic scores improved survival prediction. Conclusion Prognostic scores are valuable tools for survival prediction in LSCC and, when combined with clinicopathological factors, may guide patient management. Further validation is warranted.

Keywords

• cancer outcomes
• head and neck cancer
• laryngeal cancer