The LabBM score is an excellent survival prediction tool in patients undergoing palliative radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The prognostic assessment of patients referred for palliative radiotherapy can be conducted by site-specific scores. A quick assessment that would cover the whole spectrum could simplify the working day of clinicians who are not specialists for a particular disease site. This study evaluated a promising score, the LabBM (validated for brain metastases), in patients treated for other indications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The LabBM score was calculated in 375 patients by assigning 1 point each for C-reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase above the upper limit of normal, and 0.5 points each for hemoglobin, platelets and albumin below the lower limit of normal. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Median overall survival gradually decreased with increasing point sum (range 25.1-1.1 months). When grouped according to the original three-tiered model, excellent discrimination was found. Patients with 0-1 points had a median survival of 15.7 months. Those with 1.5-2 points had a median survival of 5.8 months. Finally, those with 2.5-3.5 points had a median survival of 3.2 months (all p-values ≤ 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The LabBM score, which is derived from inexpensive blood tests and easy to use, stratified patients into three very distinct prognostic groups and deserves further validation.