Naples Prognostic Score: A Novel Predictor of Survival in Patients with HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Abstract

Purpose: The predictive significance of the Naples prognostic score (NPS) in HER2-positive breast cancer is unclear. Hence we sought to evaluate the relationship between NPS and the clinical outcomes in HER2-positive breast cancer patients. Methods: This study retrospectively collected and analyzed data from 173 HER2-positive breast cancer patients between August 2004 and February 2014. The Cox regression model was applied in univariate and multivariate statistical analysis. Results: In multivariate analysis, increased NPS score correlated significantly with poor overall survival (p = 0.001) and disease-free survival (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our findings may point to NPS being a novel and reliable prognostic score system with favorable predictive ability for HER2-positive breast cancer patients.

Plain language summary

Breast cancer is one of the most frequent cancers in females and the second leading cause of death among women worldwide. HER2-positive breast cancer has the characteristics of rapid growth, high risk of relapse and cancer migration and spreading. The predictive significance of the Naples prognostic score (NPS) in HER2-positive breast cancer is unknown. We hypothesized that NPS may improve prediction of outcomes in HER2-positive patients. A statistical analysis was conducted. Our results revealed that NPS was an independent predictive factor of overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

Keywords::

• HER2-positive breast cancer
• immunity
• inflammation
• Naples prognostic score

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research statement

The study was approved by the independent Ethics Committees of the Zhuji People’s Hospital of Zhejiang Province and was performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. Because of the characteristic of a retrospective study, written informed consent was not required.