Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39817619›Full record

ArticleJournal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle2025

Weight and Blood-Based Markers of Cachexia Predict Disability, Hospitalization and Worse Survival in Cancer Immunotherapy Patients.

Steven D Tran, Noah J Forrest, Vijeeth Guggilla, Geovanni M Perottino, Jodi L Johnson, Jeffrey Sosman, Ishan Roy, Theresa L Walunas

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–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

8 citing papers in PubMed.

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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

8 authors.

Steven D TranCenter for Health Information Partnerships, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7273-2348
Noah J ForrestCenter for Health Information Partnerships, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Vijeeth GuggillaCenter for Health Information Partnerships, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Geovanni M PerottinoFeinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Jodi L JohnsonRobert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Jeffrey SosmanRobert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Ishan RoyRobert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Theresa L WalunasCenter for Health Information Partnerships, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7653-3650

Funding

Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Science Institute (NUCATS)UL1TR001422 · NCATS · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AT CHICAGO · PI D'AQUILA, RICHARD · 2015 to 2023
$56.8M
NUCATS CTSA UM1 at Northwestern UniversityUM1TR005121 · NCATS · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AT CHICAGO · PI Sara Becker, Richard D'Aquila · 2024 to 2026
$23.4M
Muscle Fibrosis in CachexiaK08AR081391 · NIAMS · REHABILITATION INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO D/B/A SHIRLEY RYAN ABILITYLAB · PI Ishan Roy · 2022 to 2026
$846k
An In Silico, Medical Record-based Model for Understanding the INitiation of Autoimmune Events (IMMUNE)R61AR076824 · NIAMS · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AT CHICAGO · PI KHO, ABEL N., WALUNAS, THERESA L · 2019 to 2019
$395k
AE2Vec: Medical concept embedding and time-series analysis for automated adverse event detectionF31LM014201 · NLM · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AT CHICAGO · PI TRAN, STEVEN DUC · 2023 to 2024
$95k
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001422NCATS NIH HHS UM1 TR005121NIAMS NIH HHS K08 AR081391NIAMS NIH HHS K08AR081391NIAMS NIH HHS R61 AR076824NIAMS NIH HHS R61-AR076824NLM NIH HHS 1F31LM014201NLM NIH HHS F31 LM014201Northwestern Medicine Enterprise Data Warehouse UL1 TR001422-09Translational Bridge Grant from the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center and the H Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer-associated cachexia can inhibit immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy efficacy. Cachexia's effect on ICI therapy has not been studied in large cohorts of cancer patients aside from lung cancer. We studied associations between real-world routinely collected clinical cachexia markers and disability-free, hospitalization-free and overall survival of cancer patients.

methodsA retrospective study was conducted of electronic health records (EHR) of patients with lung, renal cell, melanoma and other cancers treated with ICI therapy at Northwestern Medicine of Chicago, IL, United States, between March 2011 and January 2022. Weight, body mass index, absolute neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, albumin and C-reactive protein (CRP) measures were analysed to calculate the Fearon consensus criteria for cachexia, weight loss grading system (WLGS) score, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) and modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) at ICI therapy initiation. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to determine associations between these metrics and disability-free, hospitalization-free and overall survival.

resultsEHR analysis uncovered 3285 cancer patients on ICI therapy (54% > 65 years of age, 50.7% male, 77.7% White). At ICI therapy initiation, 1282 (39.0%) patients had cachexia (consensus criteria), 1641 (50.0%) had a WLGS score ≥ 2, 1806 (55.0%) had an NLR > 3, 1087 (33.1%) had albumin < 3.5 g/dL and 1318 (40.1%) had a PNI < 44. Missing measurements included CRP missing for 98.2% and mGPS missing for 98.6% of patients. Disability-free (n = 1373), hospitalization-free (n = 2374) and overall survival (n = 1599) events were analysed with 1-year rates of 65% (64%-67%), 35% (34%-37%) and 65% (63%-66%), respectively. Multivariate Cox model analyses showed hazard ratios (HR) for cachexia at 1.58 (95% CI 1.38-1.80), 1.47 (95% CI 1.33-1.63) and 1.97 (95% CI 1.75-2.23) for disability, hospitalization and death, respectively. HRs for WLGS ≥ 2 were 1.45 (95% CI 1.28-1.66), 1.37 (95% CI 1.24-1.51) and 1.91 (95% CI 1.69-2.17). HRs for NLR > 3 were 1.57 (95% CI 1.35-1.83), 1.40 (95% CI 1.25-1.58) and 1.95 (95% CI 1.67-2.27). HRs for albumin < 3.5 g/dL were 1.33 (95% CI 1.15-1.54), 1.67 (95% CI 1.50-1.86) and 2.09 (95% CI 1.84-2.36). HRs for PNI < 44 were 1.60 (95% CI 1.39-1.84), 1.46 (95% CI 1.31-1.63) and 2.07 (95% CI 1.80-2.37).

conclusionsFearon consensus criteria, WLGS, NLR, albumin and PNI were routinely collected at ICI initiation in regular clinical practice and predictive of worse disability-free, hospitalization-free and overall survival in cancer patients receiving ICI therapy. These routine clinical measures may aid prognostication and decision-making in cancer patients with cachexia.

Indexed as

BiomarkersBody WeightCachexiaHospitalizationImmunotherapyNeoplasmsAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisRetrospective StudiesBiomarkerscancer‐associated cachexiaelectronic health record dataimmune checkpoint inhibitorssurvival analysis

Identifiers

PMID39817619
PMCPMC11736629

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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.