Association of Physical Activity and Derived Neutrophilto-Lymphocyte Ratio with Outcome in Patients with Recurrent and/or Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck Treated with Immunotherapy

Abstract

Regular Physical Activity (PA) improves the outcomes of patients with cancer mainly by enhancing the immune system. The relationship of PA and the derived Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (dNLR) with the evolution of 31 consecutive patients with Recurrent and/or Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck (R/M SCCHN) treated with immunotherapy was determined in this retrospective study. Seventeen patients (55%) performed PA and 14 (45%) did not. The time to progression and Overall Survival (OS) was significantly better in the first compared to the second group (p=0.002 and 0.0019, respectively). In patients with a dNLR less than 3.5 the survival was significantly longer than in patients with a higher dNLR (p=0.004). Our results suggest that there is an association between PA and improved outcomes in R/M SCCHN patients treated with immunotherapy and that the dNLR is a predictive marker of good response to treatment.