Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42324208›Full record

SynthesisClinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery2026

Prognostic Value of the Haemoglobin-Albumin-Lymphocyte-Platelet Score in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Yu Hsin Lin, Hsin Yi Huang, Wan-Lun Hsu, Li-Jen Liao

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

4 authors.

Yu Hsin LinDepartment of Cancer Center, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Hsin Yi HuangHead and Neck Cancer Surveillance and Research Group, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan.
Wan-Lun HsuMaster Program of Big Data in Medical Healthcare Industry, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Li-Jen LiaoHead and Neck Cancer Surveillance and Research Group, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0837-1597

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe haemoglobin-albumin-lymphocyte-platelet (HALP) score is an inflammation- and nutrition-related biomarker derived from routine blood tests, but its prognostic value in head and neck cancer (HNC) has not been quantitatively synthesized. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between pretreatment HALP and survival outcomes in HNC.

methodsPubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched to 24 January 2026 for cohort studies reporting hazard ratios (HRs) for survival outcomes by pretreatment HALP in HNC. Reviews, case reports, conference abstracts without full text, and studies lacking survival data were excluded. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed and risk of bias was assessed using QUIPS. The review was prospectively registered in the Open Science Framework.

resultsSix retrospective cohort studies (1759 patients) were included. Higher pretreatment HALP was associated with improved overall survival (pooled HR 0.52, 95% CI 0.41-0.67; I

conclusionsHigher pretreatment HALP is associated with favourable survival in HNC. However, reported cutoff values for HALP have been inconsistent across studies. HALP might be helpful for clinicians in evaluating the prognosis of HNC patients.

Indexed as

Head and Neck NeoplasmsHemoglobinsSerum AlbuminHumansLymphocyte CountPlatelet CountPrognosisHemoglobinsSerum Albuminhaemoglobin–albumin–lymphocyte–platelet scorehead and neck cancermeta‐analysisprognosissystematic review

Identifiers

PMID42324208
PMCPMC13432527

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.