Abstract
The modified Glasgow Prognostic Score （mGPS） was announced as a tool for the assessment of cancer cachexia by measuring serum levels of albumin and C-reactive protein （CRP）, which had been reported as risk factors for survival instead of cancer stage.
In this study 74 patients with stage Ⅲ/ⅣA head and neck squamous cell cancers including 29 hypopharyngeal cancer patients, 24 laryngeal cancer patients and 21 oropharyngeal cancer patients, who had primarily undergone concurrent chemoradiotherapy （CCRT） at our hospital, were enrolled. Along with an evaluation of the relationship between cancer cachexia, hypoalbuminemia and survival, the scores were statistically analyzed at two points: at the first visit and at the time of post-CCRT. According to Miki’s classification the scores were classified into four groups: Group A with normal data （Alb≥3.5, CRP＜0.5）, Group B （Alb＜3.5, CRP＜0.5）, Group C （Alb≥3.5, CRP≥0.5）, and Group D with complete cancer cachexia （Alb＜3.5, CRP≥0.5）.
To conclude, mGPS was clarified as a risk factor for survival for HNSCC patients, especially those with stage IVA hypopharyngeal cancer and oropharyngeal cancer. To obtain a better prognosis, cancer cachexia detected at the first visit should be treated immediately, and at the time of post-CCRT hypoalbuminemia also would be improved rapidly regardless of serum level of CRP.
