Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41632468›Full record

Observational studyBiomolecules & biomedicine2026

HALP score outperforms systemic inflammatory biomarkers for prognosis in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Peipei Shen, Tiantian Yang, Yawen Cong, Bin Zhang, Yu Xu, Benjie Xu, Shengjun Ji, Yutian Zhao, Yong Mao

Abstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Biomolecules & biomedicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. 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

9 authors.

Peipei ShenDepartment of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Tiantian YangWuxi Medical College, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Yawen CongWuxi Medical College, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Bin ZhangDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Yu XuDepartment of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Benjie XuDepartment of Outpatient Chemotherapy, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Shengjun JiDepartment of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, The affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Yutian ZhaoDepartment of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Yong MaoDepartment of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The prognostic value of systemic inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) remains inadequately defined. This multicenter retrospective study comprehensively assessed the prognostic performance of twelve inflammation-based indices, aiming to identify the most informative biomarker for patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. We analyzed data from 427 patients with stage II-III LARC treated at three medical centers between 2010 and 2021. Twelve biomarkers, derived from routine pretreatment blood parameters-including hemoglobin, albumin, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and platelets-were evaluated for their association with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). The prognostic performance was measured using the concordance index (C-index), time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (time-AUC), and Brier score. Among the evaluated biomarkers, the hemoglobin-albumin-lymphocyte-platelet (HALP) score exhibited robust and consistent prognostic performance. For OS, HALP achieved a C-index of 0.687 and a time-AUC of 0.668, along with the lowest Brier score (0.134); similar results were observed for DFS (C-index 0.675, time-AUC 0.665). Patients with low HALP scores had significantly worse OS and DFS compared to those with high HALP scores. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed low HALP as an independent risk factor for OS (HR = 3.937, 95% CI: 2.445-6.329; p < 0.001) and DFS (HR = 2.212, 95% CI: 1.577-3.096; p < 0.001). Nomograms integrating HALP with key clinicopathological variables provided incremental prognostic value, demonstrating good discrimination and calibration at 12, 36, and 60 months. These findings indicate that HALP is a simple and cost-effective biomarker for prognostic stratification in LARC.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorBlood PlateletsHemoglobinsInflammationRectal NeoplasmsAgedDisease-Free SurvivalFemaleHumansLymphocytesMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisRetrospective StudiesBiomarkers, TumorHemoglobins

Identifiers

PMID41632468
PMCPMC13021027

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