Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34429476›Full record

SynthesisScientific reports2021

Pretreatment prognostic nutritional index as a prognostic marker in head and neck cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Chih-Wei Luan, Yao-Te Tsai, Hsin-Yi Yang, Kuan-Yin Chen, Po-Hsien Chen, Hsin-Hsu Chou

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Scientific reports, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 50 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
50citing papers in PubMed, 8 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

50 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Prognostic Value of the Haemoglobin-Albumin-Lymphocyte-Platelet Score in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery · 2026
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  3. Role of nutritional (PNI, CONUT) and inflammatory indices (SII) in predicting lymph node metastasis and prognosis of thyroid cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
    Pooled it
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  9. Weight loss despite nutritional support predicts poor outcomes after postoperative chemoradiotherapy for high-risk head and neck cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
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  12. Prediction and Prognostication of Peripheral Blood Biomarkers in Head and Neck Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma.Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
    Article
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  19. Two-arm study of sarcopenia in geriatric patients with high-grade glial tumors: temporal muscle thickness and prognostic nutritional index.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2025
    Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Chih-Wei LuanDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, LO-Sheng Hospital Ministry of Health and Welfare-Home, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Yao-Te TsaiDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan.
Hsin-Yi YangClinical Medicine Research Center, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan.
Kuan-Yin ChenSchool of Dentistry, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Po-Hsien Chen *Department of Pediatrics, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, 539, Zhongxiao Road, 600, Chiayi, Taiwan. edberg.chou@msa.hinet.net.
Hsin-Hsu Chou *Department of Pediatrics, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, 539, Zhongxiao Road, 600, Chiayi, Taiwan. 03834@cych.org.tw.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The predictive value of the pretreatment prognostic nutritional index (PNI) for head and neck cancer (HNC) remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the predictive value of PNI in HNC patients. A systematic search through internet databases including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library for qualified studies estimating the association of PNI with HNC patient survival was performed. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free survival (DFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) data were collected and evaluated. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled hazard ratios (pHRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 7815 HNC patients from 14 eligible studies were involved. Pooled analysis showed that low pretreatment PNI was correlated with poor OS (pHR: 1.93, 95% CI 1.62-2.30, p < 0.001), PFS (pHR: 1.51, 95% CI 1.19-1.92, p = 0.008), DSS (pHR: 1.98, 95% CI 1.12-3.50, p < 0.001), DFS (pHR: 2.20, 95% CI 1.66-2.91, p < 0.001) and DMFS (pHR: 2.04, 95% CI 1.74-2.38, p < 0.001). Furthermore, low pretreatment PNI was correlated with poor OS despite variations in the cancer site, sample size, PNI cut-off value, analysis method (multivariate analysis or univariate analysis) and treatment modality in subgroup analysis. Elevated pretreatment PNI is correlated with a superior prognosis in HNC patients and could be used as a biomarker in clinical practice for prognosis prediction and treatment stratification.

Indexed as

Nutrition AssessmentHead and Neck NeoplasmsHumansPrognosis

Identifiers

PMID34429476
PMCPMC8385102

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.