Validating LENT score in malignant pleural effusion

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pulmonology
• Medical Statistics

Background:

• Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) presents a significant challenge in cancer care.
• Accurate survival prediction is crucial for patient management and treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the LENT Prognostic Score for predicting survival in patients diagnosed with MPE.
• To analyze survival outcomes based on LENT score stratification.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 202 patients with MPE undergoing pleural drainage between January 2013 and June 2015.
• Classification of patients into low, moderate, and high-risk groups using the LENT score.
• Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Area Under the Curve (AUC) calculations for prognostic accuracy.

Main Results:

• Median survival across all patients was 2.98 months.
• Survival varied significantly by LENT score group: 9.41 months (low-risk), 5.36 months (moderate-risk), and 0.56 months (high-risk) (p<0.001).
• The LENT score demonstrated strong predictive accuracy with AUC values of 0.741, 0.781, and 0.790 for 1, 3, and 6-month survival, respectively (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• The LENT score is a validated and reliable tool for predicting survival in patients with malignant pleural effusion.
• The score facilitates effective risk stratification, aiding clinical decision-making for MPE management.