PURPOSE: Low Karnofsky performance status (KPS) and elevated @entity880 dehydrogenases (LDHs) as a surrogate marker for @entity5 load and cell turnover may depict @entity1 with a very short life expectancy. To validate this finding and compare it to other indices, namely, the recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) and diagnosis-specific graded prognostic assessment (DS-GPA), a multicenter analysis was undertaken. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 234 @entity320 @entity1 uniformly treated with palliative whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) was done. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the impact of @entity1 -, @entity5 -, and treatment-related parameters on @entity1349 ( @entity1349 ). RESULTS: KPS and LDH emerged as independent factors predicting @entity1349 . By combining KPS and LDH values (KPS/LDH index), groups of @entity1 with statistically significant differences in median @entity1349 (days; 95  % CI) after onset of WBRT were identified: group 1 (KPS >= 70/normal LDH) 234 (96-372), group 2 (KPS >= 70/elevated LDH) 112 (69-155), group 3 (KPS <70/normal LDH) 43 (12-74), and group 4 (KPS <70/elevated LDH) 29 (17-41). Between all four groups, statistically significant differences were observed. The RPA and DS-GPA indices failed to distinguish significantly between good and moderate prognosis and were inferior in predicting a very unfavorable prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: The parameters KPS and LDH independently impacted on @entity1349 . The combination of both (KPS/LDH index) identified @entity1 with a very short life expectancy, who might be better served by recommending best supportive care instead of WBRT. The KPS/LDH index is simple and effective in terms of time and cost as compared to other prognostic indices.

KPS/LDH index: a simple tool for identifying @entity1 with XXXX who are unlikely to benefit from palliative whole brain radiotherapy.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor'] @entity880 :: ('MESH:D019344', 'Chemical') :: ['lactate'] @entity320 :: ('MESH:D008545', 'Disease') :: ['metastatic melanoma'] @entity1349 :: ('MESH:D011475', 'Disease') :: ['OS', 'overall survival']
@entity320 :: (MESH:D008545,Disease) :: ['metastatic melanoma']
