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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Critical weight loss predicts poor prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Authors: Qi Zeng, Lu-Jun Shen, Xiang Guo, Xin-Ming Guo, Chao-Nan Qian, Pei-Hong Wu

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

The impacts of weight loss on prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remain unclear. The present study was therefore undertaken to investigate the association between critical weight loss and long-term survival in NPC patients.

Methods

The eligible 2399 NPC patients were reviewed. Weight change was categorized into critical weight loss (CWL) and non-critical weight loss (Non-CWL). The associations of CWL with long-term survival were analyzed by Cox regression in the entire patient and two subsets. Propensity score matching was performed to reduce the effects of confounding factors.

Results

CWL was defined as body weight loss of ≥4.6 %. Compared with patients without CWL, patients with CWL had significantly lower 5-year OS (72.4 vs. 79.3 %, P < 0.001), FFS (71.1 vs. 78.4 %, P <0.001), and LR-FFS (78.1 vs. 84.8 %, P <0.001), respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, CWL remained an independence prognostic factor for OS (HR = 1.352; 95 % CI 1.160–1.576; P < 0.001), FFS (HR = 3.275; 95 % CI 1.101–9.740; P = 0.033), and LR-FFS (HR = 6.620; 95 % CI 2.990–14.658; P < 0.001), respectively. Furthermore, subgroup analysis in the cohort of patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy alone confirmed the results in the entire patient even after the propensity-score matching. In IMRT cohort, CWL was also significantly associated with a lower OS (P = 0.04) and FFS (P = 0.04).

Conclusions

CWL has a significant and independent impact on long-term survival in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.
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Metadata
Title
Critical weight loss predicts poor prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors
Qi Zeng
Lu-Jun Shen
Xiang Guo
Xin-Ming Guo
Chao-Nan Qian
Pei-Hong Wu
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-016-2214-4

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