Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and peripheral blood biomarkers correlate with survival outcomes but not response among head and neck and salivary cancer treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat

Cassie Pan; Qian Vicky Wu; Jenna Voutsinas; Jeffrey J. Houlton; Brittany Barber; Neal Futran; George E. Laramore; Jay J. Liao; Upendra Parvathaneni; Renato G. Martins; Jonathan R. Fromm; Cristina P. Rodriguez

doi:10.1002/hed.27252

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and peripheral blood biomarkers correlate with survival outcomes but not response among head and neck and salivary cancer treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat

Cassie Pan
, Qian Vicky Wu
, Jenna Voutsinas
, Jeffrey J. Houlton
, Brittany Barber
, Neal Futran
, George E. Laramore
, Jay J. Liao
, Upendra Parvathaneni
, Renato G. Martins
, Jonathan R. Fromm
, Cristina P. Rodriguez

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Associations between peripheral blood biomarkers and oncologic outcomes were explored in recurrent/metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HN) and salivary gland cancer (SGC) treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat on a phase II trial (NCT02538510). Experimental Design: Twenty-five HN and 25 SGCs were treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat. Baseline peripheral blood was available in 21 HN and 20 SGCs and evaluated for associations with grade ≥3 adverse events (G ≥ 3AE) by CTCAEv4, objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Higher pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and neutrophils, as well as lower pretreatment lymphocytes and T helper cells correlated with worse OS and PFS. Higher NLR further predicted increased rates of G ≥ 3AEs. No correlations with ORR were observed. Conclusions: In a prospectively evaluated cohort of HN and SGCs treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat, we observed novel associations between peripheral blood biomarkers and oncologic outcomes and toxicities.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	391-397
Number of pages	7
Journal	Head and Neck
Volume	45
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.27252
State	Published - Feb 2023
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

head and neck cancer
immunotherapy
pembrolizumab
peripheral blood biomarkers
salivary gland cancer

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Otorhinolaryngology

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10.1002/hed.27252

Cite this

Pan, C., Wu, Q. V., Voutsinas, J., Houlton, J. J., Barber, B., Futran, N., Laramore, G. E., Liao, J. J., Parvathaneni, U., Martins, R. G., Fromm, J. R., & Rodriguez, C. P. (2023). Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and peripheral blood biomarkers correlate with survival outcomes but not response among head and neck and salivary cancer treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat. Head and Neck, 45(2), 391-397. https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.27252

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and peripheral blood biomarkers correlate with survival outcomes but not response among head and neck and salivary cancer treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat. / Pan, Cassie; Wu, Qian Vicky; Voutsinas, Jenna et al.
In: Head and Neck, Vol. 45, No. 2, 02.2023, p. 391-397.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Pan, C, Wu, QV, Voutsinas, J, Houlton, JJ, Barber, B, Futran, N, Laramore, GE, Liao, JJ, Parvathaneni, U, Martins, RG, Fromm, JR & Rodriguez, CP 2023, 'Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and peripheral blood biomarkers correlate with survival outcomes but not response among head and neck and salivary cancer treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat', Head and Neck, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 391-397. https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.27252

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title = "Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and peripheral blood biomarkers correlate with survival outcomes but not response among head and neck and salivary cancer treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat",

abstract = "Background: Associations between peripheral blood biomarkers and oncologic outcomes were explored in recurrent/metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HN) and salivary gland cancer (SGC) treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat on a phase II trial (NCT02538510). Experimental Design: Twenty-five HN and 25 SGCs were treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat. Baseline peripheral blood was available in 21 HN and 20 SGCs and evaluated for associations with grade ≥3 adverse events (G ≥ 3AE) by CTCAEv4, objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Higher pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and neutrophils, as well as lower pretreatment lymphocytes and T helper cells correlated with worse OS and PFS. Higher NLR further predicted increased rates of G ≥ 3AEs. No correlations with ORR were observed. Conclusions: In a prospectively evaluated cohort of HN and SGCs treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat, we observed novel associations between peripheral blood biomarkers and oncologic outcomes and toxicities.",

keywords = "head and neck cancer, immunotherapy, pembrolizumab, peripheral blood biomarkers, salivary gland cancer",

author = "Cassie Pan and Wu, \{Qian Vicky\} and Jenna Voutsinas and Houlton, \{Jeffrey J.\} and Brittany Barber and Neal Futran and Laramore, \{George E.\} and Liao, \{Jay J.\} and Upendra Parvathaneni and Martins, \{Renato G.\} and Fromm, \{Jonathan R.\} and Rodriguez, \{Cristina P.\}",

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doi = "10.1002/hed.27252",

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T1 - Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and peripheral blood biomarkers correlate with survival outcomes but not response among head and neck and salivary cancer treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat

AU - Pan, Cassie

AU - Wu, Qian Vicky

AU - Voutsinas, Jenna

AU - Houlton, Jeffrey J.

AU - Barber, Brittany

AU - Futran, Neal

AU - Laramore, George E.

AU - Liao, Jay J.

AU - Parvathaneni, Upendra

AU - Martins, Renato G.

AU - Fromm, Jonathan R.

AU - Rodriguez, Cristina P.

PY - 2023/2

Y1 - 2023/2

N2 - Background: Associations between peripheral blood biomarkers and oncologic outcomes were explored in recurrent/metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HN) and salivary gland cancer (SGC) treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat on a phase II trial (NCT02538510). Experimental Design: Twenty-five HN and 25 SGCs were treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat. Baseline peripheral blood was available in 21 HN and 20 SGCs and evaluated for associations with grade ≥3 adverse events (G ≥ 3AE) by CTCAEv4, objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Higher pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and neutrophils, as well as lower pretreatment lymphocytes and T helper cells correlated with worse OS and PFS. Higher NLR further predicted increased rates of G ≥ 3AEs. No correlations with ORR were observed. Conclusions: In a prospectively evaluated cohort of HN and SGCs treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat, we observed novel associations between peripheral blood biomarkers and oncologic outcomes and toxicities.

AB - Background: Associations between peripheral blood biomarkers and oncologic outcomes were explored in recurrent/metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HN) and salivary gland cancer (SGC) treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat on a phase II trial (NCT02538510). Experimental Design: Twenty-five HN and 25 SGCs were treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat. Baseline peripheral blood was available in 21 HN and 20 SGCs and evaluated for associations with grade ≥3 adverse events (G ≥ 3AE) by CTCAEv4, objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Higher pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and neutrophils, as well as lower pretreatment lymphocytes and T helper cells correlated with worse OS and PFS. Higher NLR further predicted increased rates of G ≥ 3AEs. No correlations with ORR were observed. Conclusions: In a prospectively evaluated cohort of HN and SGCs treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat, we observed novel associations between peripheral blood biomarkers and oncologic outcomes and toxicities.

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KW - peripheral blood biomarkers

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Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and peripheral blood biomarkers correlate with survival outcomes but not response among head and neck and salivary cancer treated with pembrolizumab and vorinostat

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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