Six-month prognosis of acute ischemic stroke in patients with cancer: A prospective study

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate factors associated with six-month survival in patients with a history of cancer diagnosis. Patients and methods: This prospective study included 66 patients (37 males, 29 females; median age: 67 years; range, 60 to 73 years) who were admitted to a tertiary hospital with acute ischemic stroke and a history of cancer between July 2020 and October 2022. Results: At six months, 39 (59.1%) patients had died. Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified three factors significantly associated with six-month mortality. Each 1-point increase in the platelet distribution width (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.280, p = 0.008) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (HR = 1.040, p < 0.001) were associated with increased mortality. By contrast, each 1-point increase in body mass index was associated with a 10% lower risk of death (HR = 0.899, p = 0.023). Conclusion: Higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet distribution width, and lower body mass index were independently associated with six-month mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke and a history of cancer. These findings highlight the need for careful prognostic assessment, although they should be interpreted with caution given the study’s limited sample size.