Inflammation and Performance Status: The Cornerstones of Prognosis in Advanced Cancer

J Pain Symptom Manage. 2023 Apr;65(4):348-357. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.11.021. Epub 2022 Dec 7.

Abstract

Context: In advanced cancer, although performance status (PS), systemic inflammatory response and nutritional status are known to have prognostic value, geographical variations and sociodemographic indexes may also impact survival.

Objectives: This study compares validated prognostic factors in two international cohorts and establishes a prognostic framework for treatment.

Methods: Two international biobanks of patients (n=1.518) with advanced cancer were analyzed. Prognostic factors (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status [ECOG-PS], body mass index [BMI] and modified Glasgow Prognostic Score [mGPS]) were assessed. The relationship between these and survival was examined using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods.

Results: According to multivariate analysis, in the European cohort the most highly predictive factors were BMI <20 kg/m2 (hazard ratio [HR] 1.644), BMI 20-21.9 kg/m2 (HR 1.347), ECOG-PS (HR 1.597-11.992) and mGPS (HR 1.843-2.365). In the Brazilian cohort, the most highly predictive factors were ECOG-PS (HR 1.678-8.938) and mGPS (HR 2.103-2.837). Considering gastrointestinal cancers in particular (n=551), the survival rate at 3 months in both cohorts together ranged from 93% (mGPS 0, PS 0-1) to 0% (mGPS 2, PS 4), and from 81% (mGPS 0, BMI >28 kg/m2) to 44% (mGPS 2, BMI <20 kg/m2).

Conclusion: The established prognostic factors that were compared had similar prognostic capacity in both cohorts. A high ECOG-PS and a high mGPS as outlined in the ECOG-PS/mGPS framework were consistently associated with poorer survival of patients with advanced cancer in the prospective European and Brazilian cohorts.

Keywords: Advanced cancer; inflammation; performance status; prognosis; survival analysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Prognosis
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Prospective Studies
  • Retrospective Studies