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Predictive value of immune-modified Glasgow prognostic score in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2025

Toshimitsu Ohashi Open the ORCID record for Toshimitsu Ohashi [Opens in a new window] ,
Nansei Yamada ,
Kosuke Terazawa ,
Hirofumi Shibata ,
Masato Takiwaki ,
Takanori Wakaoka ,
Shigeaki Tanahasi ,
Hiroki Takahashi ,
Bunya Kuze  and
Masami Ohnishi
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Toshimitsu Ohashi*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan Department of Head and Neck Surgery-Otorhinolaryngology, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, Ogaki, Japan
Nansei Yamada
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center, Gifu, Japan
Kosuke Terazawa
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
Hirofumi Shibata
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
Masato Takiwaki
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Chuno Kosei Hospital, Seki, Japan
Takanori Wakaoka
Affiliation:
Department of Head and Neck Surgery-Otorhinolaryngology, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, Ogaki, Japan Department of Otolaryngology, Chuno Kosei Hospital, Seki, Japan
Shigeaki Tanahasi
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Gifu Municipal Hospital, Gifu, Japan
Hiroki Takahashi
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Japanese Red Cross Takayama Hospital, Takayama, Japan
Bunya Kuze
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Central Japan International Medical Center, Minokamo, Japan
Masami Ohnishi
Affiliation:
Department of Head and Neck Surgery-Otorhinolaryngology, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, Ogaki, Japan
Hiromichi Shirato
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Gifu Municipal Hospital, Gifu, Japan Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, JA Gifu Kouseiren Seino Kosei Hospital, Ibi, Japan
Keisuke Mizuta
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ichinomiyanishi Hospital, Ichinomiya, Japan
Takenori Ogawa
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
*
Corresponding author: Toshimitsu Ohashi; Email: tohashi@omh.ogaki.gifu.jp
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Abstract

Objectives

The immune-modified Glasgow Prognostic Score, encompassing C-reactive protein, serum albumin, and lymphocyte count, is a valuable prognostic tool for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. We aimed to assess the utility of immune-modified Glasgow Prognostic Score in predicting the treatment response to nivolumab in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

Seventy-six patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab were included in this study. The imGPS was assessed before the initial nivolumab dose and four weeks after immune-modified Glasgow Prognostic Score.

Results

Multivariable analysis identified four weeks after immune-modified Glasgow Prognostic Score as an adverse prognostic factor for progression-free and overall survival. The best overall response was significantly associated with four weeks after immune-modified Glasgow Prognostic Score. Remarkably, all patients with four weeks after immune-modified Glasgow Prognostic Score = 3 and 8 (80.0%) of 10 patients with four weeks after immune-modified Glasgow Prognostic Score = 2 experienced progressive disease.

Conclusion

The immune-modified Glasgow Prognostic Score proves valuable for predicting prognosis in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma undergoing nivolumab treatment, particularly excelling in identifying individuals unlikely to respond to nivolumab.

Keywords

drug response biomarkershead and neck squamous cell carcinomaimmune checkpoint inhibitornivolumabsurvival analyses

Information

Type
Main Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 139 , Issue 10 , October 2025 , pp. 934 - 940
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED.

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Footnotes

Toshimitsu Ohashi takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

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