Hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet score as a predictor of prognosis in metastatic gastric cancer

BACKGROUND: The hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet (HALP) score, derived from a composite evaluation of markers reflecting the tumor-inflammation relationship and nutritional status, has been substantiated as a noteworthy prognostic determinant for diverse malignancies. AIM: To investigate how the HALP score relates to prognosis in patients with metastatic gastric cancer. METHODS: The cutoff values for the HALP score, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and platelet/lymphocyte ratio were determined using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Low HALP scores were defined as those less than 24.79 and high HALP scores as those greater than 24.79. RESULTS: The study cohort comprised 147 patients and 110 of them (74.8%) were male. The patients' median age was 63 (22-89) years. The median overall survival was significantly superior in the patients with high HALP scores than in those with low HALP scores (10.4 mo vs 7.5 mo, respectively; P < 0.001) CONCLUSION: The HALP score was found to be a prognostic factor in patients with metastatic gastric cancer.