External validation of the H-index (host index) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Abstract

The aim of the current study is to perform an external validation of the prognostic capacity of the H-index in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Retrospective study of 835 patients with HNSCC located in the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx. When applying the cutoffs proposed in the original description of the H-index (1.5 and 3.5), we observed an orderly and significant decrease in the disease-specific survival and overall survival as H-index increased. Additionally, we were able to observe a decrease in survival as the H-index increased regardless of the location, the extension of the tumor or the type of treatment performed. We have validated the prognostic capacity of the H-index in patients with HNSCC regardless of the location of the primary tumor, the extent of the disease, or the type of treatment performed.