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Comprehensive Otolaryngology

(472) Systemic Inflammation and Tumor Response in Head and Neck Cancer

Monday, October 2, 2023
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM East Coast USA Time

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Iona MA Palmer, Bachelor of Arts

    Medical Student
    University of Louisville School of Medicine
    Anchorage, KY, United States

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Liz Cash, PhD

    Associate Professor, Director of Research
    University of Louisville Department of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery & Communicative Disorders
    Louisville, Kentucky, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • CA

    Christy Albert, Other

    Research Coordinator
    University of Louisville Department of Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery & Communicative Disorders
    Louisville, KY, USA

  • Baylee R. Polzin, Other

    Medical Student
    University of Louisville School of Medicine
    Louisville, Kentucky, United States

  • AK

    Alyssa K. Kabithe, Other

    Medical Student
    University of Louisville School of Medicine, USA

Disclosure(s):
Iona MA Palmer, Bachelor of Arts: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Liz Cash, PhD: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Baylee R. Polzin, Other: No relevant relationships to disclose.


Introduction: Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are among the most recalcitrant to treatment; while advancements in the treatment and understanding of many other cancers have allowed for comparatively better tumor response, HNC treatment responses have remained static. This study aims to explore the association between hematologic inflammatory indicators and tumor response in HNC patients.

Methods: This retrospective study, performed from May-July of 2022, assessed 208 recently diagnosed HNC patients as they presented for a treatment planning visit. Routine complete blood count measures were used to calculate SII with the following formula: SII = (neutrophils × platelets) / lymphocytes. Treatment response was reported as complete versus any presence of a tumor within six months of treatment completion, including incomplete response, residual tumor, early recurrence, or death. Logistic regression tested the relationship between SII and cancer treatment response.

Results: Elevated SII values significantly predicted an increased risk of an incomplete treatment response at six months post-treatment (Odds ratio = 1.930, 95% CI = 1.297-2.871, p = 0.001). While an objective cutoff point for high SII levels has yet to be determined, background literature typically indicates such a point in the upper 900s. Our study supports this: patients with incomplete responses had respective median and mean SII values of 989.79 and 1449.83. These values are higher than those of our complete-response patients, who had median and mean SII values of 648.07 and 942.82.

Conclusions: The SII is a promising tool for health care providers in predicting HNC tumor treatment outcomes, with higher SIIs indicating risk of worse treatment responses. Significant associations between SII values over 989.79 and incomplete HNC tumor responses to treatment warrant future research. If further studies support ours, health care providers may decide to take a more aggressive approach in treatment of patients with elevated SII levels. Providers may also take additional measures to prepare the patient for a decreased likelihood of successful tumor response to treatment.