title: Prognostic value of initial mononucleated cell percentages in patients with epidermoid carcinoma of the head and neck.
abstract: It has been established that staging of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck at the time of diagnosis carries the most significant prognostic factor. Searching for other prognostic factors at the time of diagnosis, the percentages of lymphocytes and monocytes in the peripheral blood were studied. The results revealed that there were significantly higher lymphocyte values in patients without regional lymph node metastasis compared with those with such metastasis (p = 0.0064). On the other hand, higher monocyte values correlated with advanced stages of the disease. Patients with regional lymph node metastasis had higher monocyte values than those without nodal metastases. Furthermore, the incidence of recurrences and metastases during the first year was significantly lower in patients who had lymphocyte values of 30 percent or more when compared with those with values of less than 30 percent (p = 0.0003). In addition, all patients with early stages (I and II) of disease had less than 10 percent monocytes. These data suggest that initial high lymphocyte and low monocyte percentages carry a better prognosis. It seems that the percentage of mononucleated cells in the peripheral blood may have the second most important prognostic value.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis