A novel clinical signature predicts the survival of elderly patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background The risk factors for the survival of elderly patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are multifarious. Here, we developed a novel clinical signature to serve as an indicator of prognosis in these patients. Materials and methods Clinicopathological data were collected for 554 patients aged >= 60 years who were treated for primary OSCC. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival, and disease-free survival were the primary outcomes. Results Multivariate cox regression analysis showed that high N stage, low hemoglobin level, low body mass index (BMI), and high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) showed a poor survival (P < 0.05). A nomogram was constructed with a c-index of 0.702. Conclusion A novel clinical signature including hemoglobin level, BMI, and NLR, which are obtained through noninvasive examinations can be used as prognostic indicators in clinical practice for elderly patients with OSCC.

Automated summary

This study analyzed the risk factors for survival in elderly patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and developed a novel clinical signature for prognosis. Results indicated that high N stage, low hemoglobin level, low BMI, and high NLR were associated with poor survival outcomes. The constructed nomogram showed a good predictive ability.