Prognostic nutritional index predicts postoperative complications and long-term outcomes of gastric cancer

Prognostic Value of Postoperative Complication for Gastric Cancer

Background: The incidence of complications in gastric cancer (GC) patients after surgery was increasing, and it was not clear whether postoperative complications would have an impact on prognosis. The current study attempted to investigate the role of postoperative complication for prognosis on GC patients undergoing radical resection. Materials and Methods: Eligible studies were searched in three databases, including PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, in accordance with the searching strategy on September 4th, 2022. The survival values were most concerned; then, hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled up. All prognostic values, including overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS), were allowed. Subgroup analysis based on complication types was used for further in-depth research. Results: A total of 29 studies involving 33,858 patients were included in this study. Intra-abdominal abscess (19.4%) was the most common complications in the included studies, followed by anastomotic leakage (17.0%) and pneumonia (16.4%). There were 23, 4, 6, and 10 studies that reported OS, DFS, DSS, and RFS, respectively. After analysis, postoperative complication was found to be an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR = 1.52, I2 = 1.14%, 95% CI = 1.42-1.61, P = .00), DFS (HR = 1.71, I2 = 0.00%,95% CI = 1.44-1.98, P < .05), DSS (HR = 1.60, I2 = 54.58%, 95% CI = 1.26-1.93, P < .1), and RFS (HR = 1.26, I2 = 0.00%, 95% CI = 1.11-1.41, P < .05). Subgroup analysis found that noninfectious complication was not significantly associated with OS (HR = 1.39, I2 = 0.00%, 95% CI = 0.96-1.82, P > .05). Conclusion: Surgeons needed to pay more attention to GC patients who developed postoperative complications, especially infectious complications, and take proactive management to improve the prognosis.

Association of preoperative muscle-adipose index measured by computed tomography with survival in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Conventional nutritional metrics are closely associated with the prognosis of patients with radically resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Nevertheless, the prognostic implications of muscle and adipose tissue composite indexes in ESCC remain unknown.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed clinicopathological data of 304 patients who underwent resected ESCC. To obtain measurements of the muscle and adipose indexes, preoperative computed tomography (CT) images were used to quantify skeletal-muscle adipose tissue. The diagnostic threshold for muscle-adipose imbalance was determined using X-tile software and used to analyze the association between the muscle-adipose index (MAI) and survival. Instantaneous risk of recurrence was assessed using a hazard function. We constructed a nomogram based on the MAI and other clinical characteristics and established a novel predictive model with independent prognostic factors. The prognostic capabilities of these nomograms were evaluated using calibration curves, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and decision-curve analysis (DCA).

RESULTS

The overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates in the muscle-adipose-balanced group were significantly better than those in the muscle-adipose-imbalanced group. Multivariate analyses revealed that the MAI, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), tumor stage, and tumor differentiation were independent prognostic factors for OS and DFS in patients with resected ESCC (P < 0.05). The nuclear density curve indicated a lower risk of recurrence for patients in the muscle-adipose-balanced group than that for their imbalanced counterparts. Conversely, the nuclear density curve for PNI was confounded. Postoperative radiotherapy- (RT) benefit analysis demonstrated that patients with ESCC in the muscle-adipose-balanced group could benefit from adjuvant RT.

CONCLUSION

This study confirmed that preoperative MAI could serve as a useful independent prognostic factor in patients with resected ESCC. A nomogram based on the MAI and other clinical characteristics could provide individualized survival prediction for patients receiving radical resection. Timely and appropriate nutritional supplements may improve treatment efficacy.

Prognostic nutritional index in predicting survival of patients with gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer is the third most common cause of cancer related death worldwide. Surgery with or without chemotherapy is the most common approach with curative intent; however, the prognosis is poor as mortality rates remain high. Several indexes have been proposed in the past few years in order to estimate the survival of patients undergoing gastrectomy. The preoperative nutritional status of gastric cancer patients has recently gained attention as a factor that could affect the postoperative course and various indexes have been developed. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the role of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in predicting the survival of patients with gastric or gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma who underwent gastrectomy with curative intent.

AIM

To investigate the role of PNI in predicting the survival of patients with gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

A thorough literature search of PubMed and the Cochrane library was performed for studies comparing the overall survival (OS) of patients with gastric or gastroesophageal cancer after surgical resection depending on the preoperative PNI value. The PRISMA algorithm was used in the screening process and finally 16 studies were included in this systematic review. The review protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO).

RESULTS

Sixteen studies involving 14551 patients with gastric or esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma undergoing open or laparoscopic or robotic gastrectomy with or without adjuvant chemotherapy were included in this systematic review. The patients were divided into high- and low-PNI groups according to cut-off values that were set according to previous reports or by using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis in each individual study. The 5-year OS of patients in the low-PNI groups ranged between 39% and 70.6%, while in the high-PNI groups, it ranged between 54.9% and 95.8%. In most of the included studies, patients with high preoperative PNI showed statistically significant better OS than the low PNI groups. In multivariate analyses, low PNI was repeatedly recognised as an independent prognostic factor for poor survival.

CONCLUSION

According to the present study, low preoperative PNI seems to be an indicator of poor OS of patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric or gastroesophageal cancer.

Preoperative prognostic nutritional index is an independent indicator for perioperative prognosis in coronary artery bypass grafting patients

OBJECTIVES

The prognostic nutritional index is widely used for surgery prognosis, but the association between preoperative prognostic nutritional index and short-term prognosis for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery and the profiles of perioperative prognostic nutritional index remain unclear.

METHODS

This study retrospectively enrolled a total of 879 adult patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery in the Shanghai Chest Hospital from 2006 to 2022. The prognostic nutritional index was calculated based on serum albumin and peripheral lymphocyte count. In-hospital mortality, demographic characteristics, blood biochemistry parameters, cardiovascular medical history, and physical examination results were collected from the hospital information system. The propensity score matching method and multivariate logistic regression were used to detect the association between preoperative prognostic nutritional index and in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

Patients were divided into a high-prognostic nutritional index group (n = 500) and a low-prognostic nutritional index group (n = 379), using a cutoff value of 48.1 according to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The propensity score matching-adjusted mean prognostic nutritional index levels decreased from 48.35 before the operation to 34.04 an in ≤24 h after the operation and rebounded to 43.36 before discharge. High preoperative prognostic nutritional index was inversely associated with in-hospital mortality for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (odds ratio = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.77-0.97) in propensity score matching-adjusted multivariate logistic regression.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative prognostic nutritional index is an independent indicator for in-hospital mortality of for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, and the variation trend of prognostic nutritional index during perioperation tends to be U-shaped.

Multifunctional Nanofibrous Scaffolds Capable of Localized Delivery of Theranostic Nanoparticles for Postoperative Cancer Management

Postoperative recovery of cancer patients can be affected by complications, such as tissue dysfunction or disability caused by tissue resection, and also cancer recurrence resulting from residual cancer cells. Despite impressive progress made for tissue engineering scaffolds that assist tissue regeneration for postoperative cancer patients, the majority of existing tissue engineering scaffolds still lack functions for monitoring and killing residual cancer cells, if there are any, upon their detection. In this study, multifunctional scaffolds that comprise biodegradable nanofibers and core-shell structured microspheres encapsulated with theranostic nanoparticles (NPs) are developed. The multifunctional scaffolds possess an extracellular matrix-like nanofibrous architecture and soft tissue-like mechanical properties, making them excellent tissue engineering patch candidates for assisting in the repair and regeneration of tissues at the cancerous sites after surgery. Furthermore, they are capable of localized delivery of theranostic NPs upon quick degradation of core-shell structured microspheres that contain theranostic NPs. Leveraging on folic acid-mediated ligand-receptor binding, surface-enhanced Raman scattering activity, and near-infrared-responsive photothermal effect of the theranostic gold NPs (AuNPs) delivered locally, the multifunctional scaffolds display excellent active targeting, diagnosis, and photothermal therapy functions for cancer cells, showing great promise for adaptive postoperative cancer management.

Prediction of postoperative hypokalemia in patients with oral cancer undergoing en bloc cancer resection: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The factors associated with postoperative hypokalemia in patients with oral cancer remain unclear. We determined the preoperative factors associated with postoperative hypokalemia in patients with oral cancer following en bloc cancer resection and established a nomogram for postoperative hypokalemia prediction.

METHODS

Data from 381 patients with oral cancer who underwent en bloc cancer resection were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for postoperative hypokalemia. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to quantify the factors' effectiveness. A nomogram was created to show each predictor's relative weight and the likelihood of postoperative hypokalemia development. The multinomial regression model's effectiveness was also evaluated.

RESULTS

Preoperative factors, including sex, preoperative serum potassium level, and preoperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), were significantly associated with postoperative hypokalemia. Based on the ROC curve, the preoperative serum potassium and PLR cut-off levels were 3.98 mmol/L and 117, respectively. Further multivariate analysis indicated that female sex, preoperative serum potassium level < 3.98 mmol/L, and preoperative PLR ≥ 117 were independently associated with postoperative hypokalemia. We constructed a predictive nomogram with all these factors for the risk of postoperative hypokalemia with good discrimination and internal validation.

CONCLUSIONS

The predictive nomogram for postoperative hypokalemia risk constructed with these factors had good discrimination and internal validation. The developed nomogram will add value to these independent risk factors that can be identified at admission in order to predict postoperative hypokalemia.

Preoperative sarcopenia combined with prognostic nutritional index predicts long-term prognosis of radical gastrectomy with advanced gastric cancer: a comprehensive analysis of two-center study

PURPOSE

This study aims to investigate the predictive value of the combined index smni(skeletal muscle index (SMI)-prognostic nutrition index(PNI)) for the postoperative survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer(AGC).

METHODS

650 patients with AGC from two centers (290 cases from the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian University and 360 points from the Fujian Medical University Union Hospital) were selected as the study subjects based on unified screening criteria. Clinical data, preoperative abdominal CT images, results of hematology-related examinations, tumor-related characteristics, and surgical and follow-up data of the patients were collected and organized. The L3 vertebral level muscle area was measured using computer-assisted measurement techniques, and the skeletal muscle index(SMI) was calculated based on this measurement. The prognostic nutrition index (PNI) was calculated based on serum albumin and lymphocyte count indicators. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of data from the First Affiliated Hospital was used to determine that SMI and PNI are significantly correlated with the postoperative survival rate of patients with advanced gastric cancer. Based on this, a novel combined index smni was fitted and stratified for risk. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to determine that the index smni is an independent prognostic risk factor for patients with AGC after surgery. The ROC curve was used to describe the predictive ability of the new combined index and its importance and predictive power in predicting postoperative survival of patients with AGC, which was verified in the data of Fujian Medical University Union Hospital.

RESULT

The Kaplan-Meier curve analysis of the combined indicator smni Is clearly associated with long-term survival(3-year OS (P < 0.001) and DSS (P < 0.001)), univariate analysis and multivariate analysis showed that smni was an independent prognostic risk factor, The ROC curve for the first center 3-year OS(AUC = 0.678), DSS(AUC = 0.662) show good predictive ability and were validated in the second center.

CONCLUSION

The combined index smni has a good predictive ability for the postoperative survival rate of patients with AGC and is expected to provide a new reference basis and more accurate and scientific guidance for the postoperative management and treatment of patients with AGC.

Impact of the Prognostic Nutritional Index on Postoperative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Heart Surgery

Background Malnutrition is associated with adverse outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is a validated tool for assessing nutritional status in cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic value of PNI in heart surgery patients, including mortality rate, length of hospital and ICU stays, and infection rate, while investigating correlations with demographic and clinical characteristics. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Data from electronic medical records of patients undergoing heart surgery between 2019 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The study involved patients with valvular heart disease, including those requiring concomitant procedures. Statistical analysis was conducted using t-tests, logistic regression, and Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis. Results This study included 264 individuals with a mean age of 56.48±12.11 years. The prevalence of low PNI was 50.80% and high PNI was 49.20%. No significant differences in PNI levels were found between individuals with various clinical conditions, except for target vessel revascularization. The mortality rate was slightly higher in the low PNI group, but not statistically significant. Significant differences in laboratory findings were observed between high and low PNI groups. Individuals with low PNI had longer hospital stays. Conclusion Lower PNI levels consistently correlate with longer hospital stays and higher morbidity and mortality rates, suggesting the potential importance of PNI and other nutritional markers in assessing risk and predicting outcomes in cardiac surgery patients.

Value of a preoperative prognostic nutritional index for the prognostic evaluation of gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma patients

OBJECTIVE

To study the value of Onodera's prognostic nutrition index (PNI) in patients with gastric neuroendocrine cancer (G-NEC).

METHODS

The clinical data on 148 cases of G-NEC presented between March 2010 and April 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The relationship between the clinical characteristics of the patients and PNI was analyzed. Optimal PNI cutoff values for G-NEC prognosis prediction were calculated using the X-tile software. The survival curves were created using the Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox proportional hazards model was also established to identify independent prognostic factors that impact the prognosis of patients with G-NEC.

RESULTS

The median overall survival (OS) rate was 30 months (range 6-127 months), and the OS rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 89.2, 71.6 and 68.2%, respectively. The mean PNI of the 148 patients before the operation was 49.5 ± 8.0. The mean PNI of patients with anemia (p < 0.001) and abnormal carcinoembryonic antigen (p = 0.039) was significantly lower than that of patients without such comorbidities. The mean PNI of patients with Stage III tumors (p < 0.001) and postoperative complications was significantly lower (p = 0.005). PNI optimal cutoff values were 50 (p < 0.001). Based on the cut-off value of the PNI, these patients were divided into a PNI-high group (PNI ≥ 50.0, n = 77) and a PNI-low group (PNI < 50.0, n = 71). The PNI-high group had a significantly better 5-years OS rate compared with the PNI-low group (76.6% vs. 59.2%, χ2 = 14.7, p < 0. 001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that PNI and pathological stage were independent prognostic factors for patients with G-NEC. In the subgroup analysis, OS rates were significantly lower in the PNI-low group than in the PNI-high group among patients with stage I and stage III of the disease.

CONCLUSION

The PNI is a simple and useful marker for predicting long-term outcomes in G-NEC patients regardless of tumor stage. Based on our results, we suggest that PNI should be included in routine assessments of patients with G-NEC.

Relationship of preoperative oral hypofunction with prognostic nutritional index in gastric cancer: A case-control retrospective study

Preoperative nutritional status is an important prognostic factor in gastric cancer patients. This study will evaluate whether preoperative oral dysfunction is associated with prognostic nutrition index (PNI). This case-control study analyzed 95 patients who underwent oral function management. We assessed the following parameters: body mass index, stage of gastric cancer, C-reactive protein, total lymphocyte count, albumin, and prognostic nutritional index. The patients were divided into groups with prognostic nutritional indexes <45 and >45. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between the measurements of oral function and the prognostic nutritional index. Univariate analysis of factors associated with decreased oral function and prognostic nutritional index showed significant differences between the two groups in C-reactive protein, neutrophils, and tongue pressure (p<0.01). However, oral hygiene, oral dryness, occlusal force, tongue-lip motor function, masticatory function, and swallowing function were not significantly different. Multivariate analysis showed that C-reactive protein (odds ratio: 0.12, 95% confidence interval: 0.30-0.45, p<0.01) and tongue pressure (odds ratio: 3.62, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-12.60, p<0.05) were independent risk factors for oral hypofunction. Oral function decreased in perioperative patients with gastric cancer, and decreased tongue pressure is associated with a decreased prognostic nutritional index.

Effects of different radical distal gastrectomy on postoperative inflammatory response and nutritional status in patients with gastric cancer

Objectives

The inflammatory response caused by gastric cancer surgery and the low nutritional status of patients with gastric cancer can cause growth of tumour cells, reduce immunity, and increase tumour burden. We investigated the effects of different surgical methods on postoperative inflammatory response and nutritional status in patients with distal gastric cancer.

Methods

Clinical data of 249 patients who underwent radical distal gastrectomy for distal gastric cancer from February 2014 to April 2017 were retrospectively analysed. Patients were divided according to the surgical method (open distal gastrectomy [ODG], laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy [LADG] and total laparoscopic distal gastrectomy [TLDG]). Characteristics of different surgical procedures, including inflammation parameters and nutritional indicators, and different time points (preoperatively, 1 day postoperatively, and 1 week postoperatively) were compared using non-parametric test analysis.

Results

At postoperative day 1, white blood cell count [WBC], neutrophil count [N], neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio [NLR], and platelet/lymphocyte ratio [PLR] increased in the three groups, and ΔN and ΔNLR were significant; the smallest change was observed in TLDG (P &lt; 0.05). Albumin [A]and prognostic nutrition index [PNI] significantly decreased; the smallest ΔA and ΔPNI, which were statistically significant, were noted in TLDG. One week postoperatively, WBC, N, NLR, and PLR decreased, and WBC, N, and NLR showed significant difference. A and PNI of the three groups increased after 1 week, and A and PNI showed significant differences.

Conclusion

Postoperative inflammatory response and nutritional status of patients with distal gastric cancer are associated with the surgical technique. TLDG has little influence on the inflammatory response and nutritional level compared with LADG and ODG.

[Pre-operative prognostic nutritional index as a predictive factor for prognosis in non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with surgery]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the implications of the prognostic nutrition index (PNI) in non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients treated with surgery and to compare it with other hematological biomarkers, including neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and systemic immune inflammation index (SII).

METHODS

A cohort of 328 non-metastatic RCC patients who received surgical treatment between 2010 and 2012 at Peking University First Hospital was analyzed retrospectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the optimal cutoff values of the hematological biomarkers. The Youden index was maximum for PNI was value of 47.3. So we divided the patients into two groups (PNI≤ 47. 3 and >47. 3) for further analysis. Categorical variables [age, gender, body mass index (BMI), surgery type, histological subtype, necrosis, pathological T stage and tumor grade] were compared using the Chi-square test and Student' s t test. The association of the biomarkers with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier methods with log-rank test, followed by multivariate Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

According to the maximum Youden index of ROC curve, the best cut-off value of PNI is 47. 3. Low level of PNI was significantly associated with older age, lower BMI and higher tumor pathological T stage (P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier univariate analysis showed that lower PNI was significantly correlated with poor OS and DFS (P < 0.05). In addition, older age, lower BMI, tumor necrosis, higher tumor pathological T stage and Fuhrman grade were significantly correlated with poor OS (P < 0.05). Cox multivariate analysis showed that among the four hematological indexes, only PNI was an independent factor significantly associated with OS, whether as a continuous variable (HR=0.9, 95%CI=0.828-0.978, P=0.013) or a classified variable (HR=2.397, 95%CI=1.061-5.418, P=0.036).

CONCLUSION

Low PNI was a significant predictor for advanced pathological T stage, decreased OS, or DFS in non-metastatic RCC patients treated with surgery. In addition, PNI was superior to the other hematological biomar-kers as a useful tool for predicting prognosis of RCC in our study. It should be externally validated in future research before the PNI can be used widely as a predictor of RCC patients undergoing nephrectomy.

Prognostic value of the preoperative albumin-bilirubin score among patients with stages I-III gastric cancer undergoing radical resection: A retrospective study

The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score was originally used to accurately assess liver dysfunction and predict the prognoses of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Following its more recent application to patients with gastrointestinal tumors, this study analyzed the prognostic value of the ALBI score in Chinese patients with advanced resectable (tumor-node-metastasis [TNM] stages I-III) gastric cancer (GC). This study investigated 1185 patients with advanced GC, including 429 with TNM stage I. The patients were divided into training and verifications groups (593 and 592 patients, respectively) in which these patients were classified as high risk (ALBI score ≥ -2.65) or low risk (ALBI score < -2.65). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed, and a visual survival prediction model (nomogram) was created. On Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients who were low-risk and high-risk according to their ALBI scores had significantly different survival rates in both the training and verification groups (p < 0.01). The difference was also significant when analyzing only patients with TNM stage I GC (p = 0.031). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the ALBI score (p = 0.014), age (p < 0.001), Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 score (p = 0.024), sarcopenia (p = 0.049), tumor differentiation (p = 0.027), and TNM stage (p < 0.001) were independent risk factors for survival. Our survival prediction model that incorporated the ALBI score accurately predicted the 5-year survival rate of Chinese patients with GC. Therefore, the ALBI score is a valid clinical indicator and good predictor of survival after surgery for progressive GC. Moreover, this score is simple to derive and does not burden patients with additional costs.

Prognostic value of the preoperative prognostic nutritional index and systemic immuno-inflammatory index in Chinese breast cancer patients: A clinical retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

It has been shown that peripheral blood inflammatory factor ratios correlate with the prognosis of various malignancies. Although indicative of prognosis in some tumors, its value for prognosis in breast cancer patients is unclear.

METHODS

The clinical data of breast cancer patients diagnosed with breast cancer in the Second Hospital of Jilin University from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2017, were retrospectively analyzed. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) optimal cutoff values of the subjects' operating characteristic curves divided the patients into a low PNI group (≤51.05) and a high PNI group (>51.05). Correlations between breast cancer and PNI clinicopathological variables were determined by the χ² test or Fisher exact test. Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank tests were used to assess clinical outcomes in terms of disease-free survival (DFS). The prognostic value of PNI was analyzed by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional risk regression models.

RESULTS

The best cutoff value for predicting DFS by pretreatment PNI was 51.05 and the Youden index when was 0.416, with a sensitivity of 71.4% and specificity of 70.2%. Univariate analysis showed that PNI ≤ 51.05, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) positivity, and the number of lymph node metastases >4 were risk factors affecting DFS in invasive breast cancer (p < 0.05). Cox multifactor analysis showed that PNI and lymph node status were the most important factors affecting the prognosis of invasive breast cancer. Neutrophils-to-lymphocytes ratio and platelets-to-lymphocytes ratio were not significantly correlated with patient prognosis (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative peripheral blood PNI in patients with invasive breast cancer are independent risk factors affecting patients' prognosis, they are positively correlated with prognosis and can be used as indicators to assess prognosis. PNI, HER-2, and lymph node status had the best predictive efficacy with the area under the curve = 0.816 (95% confidence interval: 0.680-0.951, p < 0.001).

Nomogram of intra-abdominal infection after surgery in patients with gastric cancer: A retrospective study

Background

Surgical resection is still the primary way to treat gastric cancer. Therefore, postoperative complications such as IAI (intra-abdominal infection) are major problems that front-line clinical workers should pay special attention to. This article was to build and validate IAI’s RF (regression function) model. Furthermore, it analyzed the prognosis in patients with IAI after surgery for stomach cancer. The above two points are our advantages, which were not involved in previous studies.

Methods

The data of this study was divided into two parts, the training data set and the validation data set. The training data for this article were from the patients treated surgically with gastric cancer in our center from December 2015 to February 2017. We examined IAI’s morbidity, etiological characteristics, and prognosis in the training data set. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to screen risk factors, establish an RF model and create a nomogram. Data from January to March 2021 were used to validate the accuracy of the RF model.

Results

The incidence of IAI was 7.2%. The independent risk factors for IAI were hypertension (Odds Ratio [OR] = 3.408, P = 0.001), history of abdominal surgery (OR = 2.609, P = 0.041), combined organ excision (OR = 4.123, P = 0.010), and operation time ≥240 min (OR = 3.091, P = 0.005). In the training data set and validation data set, the area under the ROC curve of IAI predicted by the RF model was 0.745 ± 0.048 (P<0.001) and 0.736 ± 0.069 (P=0.003), respectively. In addition, IAI significantly extended the length of hospital stay but had little impact on survival.

Conclusions

Patients with hypertension, combined organ excision, a history of abdominal surgery, and a surgical duration of 240 min or more are prone to IAI, and the RF model may help to identify them.

Effect of Controlling Nutritional Status Score (CONUT) and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) on patients after spinal tuberculosis surgery

The controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score and prognostic nutrition index (PNI) are immune-nutritional biomarkers that are related to clinical prognosis. Previous studies have reported using them to predict the prognosis of traumatic brain injury, tumours and other diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the PNI and CONUT score and the one-year prognosis of patients with spinal tuberculosis (STB). In this study, the clinical characteristics of 97 patients with STB who underwent debridement and internal fixation at our institution between 2015 and 2020 were retrospectively analysed. According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, patients were divided into two groups: a high CONUT group and a low CONUT group. Patients were also divided into a high PNI group and a low PNI group. One-year postoperative prognosis was evaluated by the clinical cure standard. Patients in the favourable group were younger and had a lower rate of pneumonia and urinary tract infection, higher PNI and lower CONUT score than those in the favourable group (P < 0.05). There was an obvious correlation between the PNI and CONUT score (r = - 0.884, P < 0.05). The areas under the curve (AUCs) of the CONUT score and PNI for predicting unfavourable prognosis were 0.888 (95% CI 0.808-0.943, P < 0.001) and 0.896 (95% CI 0.818-0.949, P < 0.001), respectively. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of the CONUT score and PNI for predicting unfavourable outcomes were 2.447 (95% CI 1.518-4.043, P < 0.001) and 0.689 (95% CI 0.563-0.843, P < 0.001), respectively. Higher CONUT scores and a lower PNI were associated with adverse outcomes in patients with spinal tuberculosis, and the CONUT score and PNI might be independent predictors of adverse outcomes of spinal tuberculosis postoperatively.

Effects of Sarcopenia, Myosteatosis, and the Prognostic Nutritional Index on Survival in Stage 2 and 3 Gastric Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND

We aimed to evaluate the relationship between sarcopenia, myosteatosis, and systemic inflammatory response biomarkers and their prognostic role in stage 2 and 3 gastric cancer patients.

METHODS

This study included 84 patients with stage 2 or 3 gastric cancer who underwent a gastrectomy. Computed tomography scans were used to determine the skeletal muscle index (SMI) at the third lumbar vertebra level for sarcopenia and myosteatosis.

RESULTS

Based on the Asian Working Group of Sarcopenia (AWGS2019) criteria, the sarcopenia incidence was 36.9% and that of myosteatosis 46.4%. Univariate analysis showed that sarcopenia (48 vs. 14 mo, p < 0.001), myosteatosis (45 vs. 16 mo, p = 0.016), a low prognostic nutritional index (60 vs. 15 mo, p = 0.003), stage 3 (104 vs. 21 mo, p = 0.013), and old age (45 vs. 16 mo, p = 0.015) were poor prognostic markers. Multivariate analysis revealed that sarcopenia (AWGS2019), age, and stage significantly affected overall survival (hazard ratio: 3.31, 95% CI: 1.85-5.1; 1.96, 95% CI: 1.06-6.63; 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2-5.1, respectively).

CONCLUSION

We showed that sarcopenia directly affects overall gastric cancer survival.

Dismal prognosis of elderly gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) 3

BACKGROUND

Although the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score of 3 is relatively common in elderly patients, there have been few debates on the indications for gastrectomy in elderly gastric cancer (GC) patients with ASA3. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate gastrectomy's clinical relevance in elderly patients with GC and ASA3.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 228 consecutive elderly GC patients (aged ≥ 75 years) without prior treatments who underwent curative gastrectomy between 2013 and 2017.

RESULTS

Thirty-three patients with ASA3 showed significantly poorer prognosis than those with ASA1 and 2 (p = 0.004). The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model showed that ASA3 (p = 0.021) and pStage (p = 0.007) were independent prognostic factors, respectively. Elderly GC patients with pStage III and ASA3 exhibited uniquely dismal prognosis (p < 0.001); however, several survivors were still confirmed. Postoperative complications (PCs) were only the final remnant independent prognostic factor (p = 0.020) among the 33 elderly GC patients with ASA3, where dead patients included cancer-specific and other deaths, especially pneumonia. PCs were independently associated with prognostic nutritional index (PNI) (< 42.7) in elderly GC patients, and the most frequent complication was pneumonia, which was significantly associated with ASA3 and marginally associated with PNI in a multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

ASA3 has a dismal prognosis after curative gastrectomy in the elderly GC patients, but the number of survivors was confirmed. Curative gastrectomy is not considered contraindicated even in elderly GC with ASA3. Preoperative malnutrition is associated with PCs, which proposing preoperative nutritional intervention in the context of treatment strategy for the elderly GC patients with ASA3.

Preoperative Muscle-Adipose Index: A New Prognostic Factor for Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

Studies have shown that traditional nutrition indicators and body composition indicators are closely related to prognosis after radical gastric cancer (GC) surgery. However, the effect of the combined muscle and adipose composite on the prognosis of GC has not been reported.

METHODS

The clinicopathological data of 514 patients with GC were retrospectively analyzed. The skeletal muscle adipose tissue were measured by preoperative CT images to obtain the muscle index and adipose index. X-tile software was used to determine the diagnostic threshold of muscle-adipose imbalance.

RESULTS

The 5-year OS and RFS of the muscle-adipose imbalanced group were significantly worse than those of the balanced group. Multivariate analysis showed that muscle-adipose imbalance and the CONUT score were independent prognostic factors of OS and RFS (p < 0.05). The nuclear density curve showed that the recurrence risk of the muscle-adipose imbalanced group was higher than that of the balanced group, whereas the nuclear density curve of the CONUT score was confounded. Incorporating the muscle-adipose index into cTNM has the same prognostic performance as the pTNM staging system. Chemotherapy-benefit analysis showed that stage II/III patients in the muscle-adipose balanced group could benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The preoperative muscle-adipose index discovered for the first time is a new independent prognostic factor that affects the prognosis with GC. In addition, the preoperative muscle-adipose index is better than traditional nutrition and body composition indicators in terms of the prognostic evaluation of GC patients and the predictive value of recurrence risk.

Significance of Preoperative Prognostic Nutritional Index in the Perioperative Management of Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition leads to accelerated tumor progression through the suppression of tumor immunity. The present study examined the significance of the preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) for predicting postoperative survival outcomes in gastric cancer (GC).

METHODS

A total of 447 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for GC were included in the present study. PNI was calculated as 10 × serum albumin (g/dl) + 0.005 × total lymphocyte counts (per mm³). The prognostic impact of preoperative PNI was examined using two multivariate analysis models.

RESULTS

The optimal cutoff value of preoperative PNI for predicting overall survival (OS) was 48 based on a receiver operating characteristic curve. The 5-year OS rate was 59.5% in the PNI<48 group and 91.3% in the PNI≥48 group (p<0.001). In the first multivariate survival analysis where all explanatory variables were composed of preoperative factors alone, a PNI<48 (hazard ratio [HR] 3.33; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.01-5.56, p<0.001), upper-third GC and cT2-T4 were identified as independent indicators of a poor OS. In the second survival analysis where explanatory variables were composed of preoperative, intraoperative, and pathological factors, a PNI<48 (HR 2.80; 95% CI 1.65-4.78, p<0.001), hypertension, open gastrectomy, intraoperative blood loss≥100g, pT2-T4, and pN+ were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative PNI may be a useful predictor of postoperative survival outcomes both before and immediately after surgery in GC. Appropriate perioperative interventions and the meticulous surveillance of GC relapse are necessary for patients with PNI<48.

Systematic Review of Prognostic Role of Blood Cell Ratios in Patients with Gastric Cancer Undergoing Surgery

Various blood cell ratios exist which seem to have an impact on prognosis for resected gastric cancer patients. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the prognostic role of blood cell ratios in patients with gastric cancer undergoing surgery in a curative attempt. A systematic literature search in MEDLINE (via PubMed), CENTRAL, and Web of Science was performed. Information on survival and cut-off values from all studies investigating any blood cell ratio in resected gastric cancer patients were extracted. Prognostic significance and optimal cut-off values were calculated by meta-analyses and a summary of the receiver operating characteristic. From 2831 articles, 65 studies investigated six different blood cell ratios (prognostic nutritional index (PNI), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR)). There was a significant association for the PNI and NLR with overall survival and disease-free survival and for LMR and NLR with 5-year survival. The used cut-off values had high heterogeneity. The available literature is flawed by the use of different cut-off values hampering evidence-based patient treatment and counselling. This article provides optimal cut-off values recommendations for future research.

Serum carnitine as a biomarker of sarcopenia and nutritional status in preoperative gastrointestinal cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia is an important factor in the postoperative outcome of gastrointestinal cancer patients. However, little research has been carried out on potential biomarkers of sarcopenia. Carnitine is an amino acid derivative that is stored in skeletal muscle and is essential for muscle energy metabolism. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate whether serum carnitine level is a biomarker of sarcopenia in preoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer. The secondary purposes were (i) to examine the associations between carnitine, nutritional status, and albumin level, and (ii) to determine whether carnitine is a prognostic factor for postoperative complications.

METHODS

One hundred fourteen patients scheduled to undergo gastroenterological surgery between August 2016 and January 2017 were enrolled. Their mean age was 68.4 ± 10.5, and 64.9% were male. Serum carnitine fractions [total carnitine (TC), free l-carnitine (FC), and acylcarnitine (AC)] were measured prior to surgery. The correlation between carnitine level and a variety of clinical features was analysed, including skeletal muscle index (SMI), sarcopenia, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

Tumour locations included the oesophagus (n = 17), stomach (n = 16), pancreas (n = 20), bile duct (n = 9), liver [n = 33; primary liver cancer (n = 18), liver metastasis (n = 15)], and colorectal region (n = 19). TC and FC levels varied significantly by tumour location. TC and FC showed significant positive correlations with SMI [TC (r = 0.295, P = 0.0014), FC (r = 0.286, P = 0.0020)] and PNI [TC (P = 0.0178, r = 0.222), FC (P = 0.0067, r = 0.2526)]. These levels were significantly lower in the sarcopenia group (TC, P = 0.0124; FC, P = 0.0243). In addition, TC and FC showed significant positive correlations with ALB level [TC (P = 0.038 r = 0.19), FC (P = 0.016 r = 0.23)]. When patients were divided into high ALB (≥3.5 g/dL, 96 patients) and low ALB (<3.5 g/dL, 18 patients) groups, these correlations were no longer significant, but in the low ALB group there was a tendency towards a negative relationship between ALB level and both TC and FC. No significant relationship was found between postoperative complications and carnitine level.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that carnitine level is a biomarker of sarcopenia and nutritional status. However, it did not find an association between carnitine level and postoperative complications.

Preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts healing time for postoperative pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy

PURPOSE

Postoperative pancreatic fistula is a serious complication of distal pancreatectomy. Although many studies have described the incidence and risk factors associated with postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), few have focused on the healing time. This study investigated the healing time and potential factors associated with the healing time of POPF after distal pancreatectomy (DP).

METHODS

Among 114 patients that underwent DP in our hospital from January 2010 to December 2020, we included 88 that developed POPF. The healing time for a postoperative pancreatic fistula was defined as the interval between the completion of DP and the removal of all drains related to the treatment for POPF. Based on the definition, three cases who required additional treatment after removal of all drains were excluded from this study. Clinical factors associated with the fistula healing times were investigated in the 85 patients.

RESULTS

The average POPF healing time was 11 ± 10 days (median: 6 days, range: 3-57). We found that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, a marker of inflammatory and nutritional status, was the only factor independently associated with the POPF healing time; the mean healing time was significantly shorter in patients with neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio ≤2.1 (8 ± 6 days) than in those with neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio >2.1 (13 ± 12 days; P = .0139).

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio could independently predict the POPF healing time after DP. These findings suggested that improving the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio might shorten the healing times for POPF after DP.

Risk factors for cancer-specific survival in elderly gastric cancer patients after curative gastrectomy

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate cancer-specific survival (CSS) and associated risk factors in elderly gastric cancer (EGC) patients.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

EGC patients (≥ 70 yrs) who underwent curative gastrectomy between January 2013 and December 2017 at our hospital were included. Clinicopathologic characteristics and survival data were collected. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to extract the best cutoff point for body mass index (BMI). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the risk factors for CSS.

RESULTS

In total, 290 EGC patients were included, with a median age of 74.7 yrs. The median follow-up time was 31 (1–77) mon. The postoperative 1-yr, 3-yr and 5-yr CSS rates were 93.7%, 75.9% and 65.1%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed risk factors for CSS, including age (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.15), intensive care unit (ICU) admission (HR = 1.73; 95% CI, 1.08–2.79), nutritional risk screening (NRS 2002) score ≥ 5 (HR = 2.33; 95% CI, 1.49–3.75), and preoperative prognostic nutrition index score < 45 (HR = 2.06; 95% CI, 1.27–3.33). The ROC curve showed that the best BMI cutoff value was 20.6 kg/m². Multivariate analysis indicated that a BMI ≤ 20.6 kg/m² (HR = 2.30; 95% CI, 1.36–3.87), ICU admission (HR = 1.97; 95% CI, 1.17–3.30) and TNM stage (stage II: HR = 5.56; 95% CI, 1.59–19.43; stage III: HR = 16.20; 95% CI, 4.99–52.59) were significantly associated with CSS.

CONCLUSIONS

Low BMI (≤ 20.6 kg/m²), ICU admission and advanced pathological TNM stages (II and III) are independent risk factors for CSS in EGC patients after curative gastrectomy. Nutrition support, better perioperative management and early diagnosis would be helpful for better survival.

Validation of the Perioperative Nutrition Screen (PONS) for Prediction of Postoperative Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Preoperative nutrition risk is often underrecognized and undertreated. The Perioperative Nutrition Screen (PONS) was recently introduced as an efficient tool to rapidly screen for preoperative nutritional risk. The relationship between identification of "nutritional risk" via PONS and adverse outcomes postoperatively remains undescribed.

METHODS

Preoperative nutrition risk was assessed via PONS from 1/1/2019-9/30/2020. Key clinical outcomes were compared with individual and composite PONS components.

RESULTS

3,151 patients with PONS evaluations were analyzed. Multivariate regression analysis adjusted for key co-variates demonstrated positive responses for specific PONS component questions was associated with adverse clinical outcomes as follows: 1) Unplanned weight loss (>10% in 6-months preoperatively) associated with a 22.4% increased length of stay (LOS) (95%CI: 13.3%-32.1%, p<0 .0001) and increased 30-day readmission rate (OR 2.44, 95%CI: 1.73-3.44, p<0.001); 2) History of < 50% of previous oral intake in past week associated with a 25% increased LOS (95%CI: 15.7%-35.2%, p<0.001); 3) Preoperative albumin <3.0g/l associated with a 29.9% increased LOS (p< 0.001) and increased 30-day readmission rate (OR 2.66 (95% CI: 1.63-4.35, p<0.001); 4) Low BMI (<18.5 kg/m2 ≤65 years old or <20 kg/m2 in ≥65 years old) was not associated with increased LOS by adjusted analysis although was predictive by univariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The PONS and its individual components appear to predict risk of adverse postoperative outcomes, even independent of a validated malnutrition diagnosis. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of specific preoperative nutrition interventions on adverse outcomes predicted by PONS when delivered to patients identified via PONS screen. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Preoperative Prognostic Nutritional Index is a significant predictive factor for posthepatectomy bile leakage

Backgrounds/Aims

It is known that preoperative nutritional status can influence patient outcomes after hepatectomy. Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) is a useful parameter to reflect patient outcomes undergoing gastro-intestinal surgery. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate relationships of nutritional parameters, demographics, and surgical records with postoperative outcomes in a cohort study.

Methods

Curative hepatectomy was performed for 182 patients at the University of Miyazaki between 2015 and 2018. Each preoperative level of albumin, prealbumin, lymphocyte, total cholesterol, or the comprehensively calculated Onodera's PNI was examined as a nutritional parameter.

Results

The mean PNI was 39.6 ± 5.1, with PNI below 40 observed in 91 (50.0%) patients. Nutritional parameters were not different among patients with various liver diseases. Serum albumin or prealbumin level was significantly correlated with each hepatic parameter (p < 0.01). Prealbumin and total cholesterol levels were significantly correlated with postoperative prothrombin activity (p < 0.05). Albumin or prealbumin levels and PNI were significantly lower in patients with posthepatectomy complications, particularly bile leakage in comparison those without such complications (p < 0.05). Multiple logistic analysis showed that albumin level was an independent risk factor for complications after hepatectomy (risk ratio [RR]: 1.33) and that lymphocyte count was an independent risk factor for bile leakage (RR: 1.28) (p < 0.05). The cut-off level of albumin was approximately 3.8 mg/dL and that of lymphocyte count was 1,320/mm³.

Conclusions

Preoperative PNI reflected perioperative liver functional status. It was a predictive parameter for postoperative complications, particularly biliary leakage.

The Impact of a Simplified Scoring System on Long-Term Survival Outcomes in Patients with Gastric Cancer Undergoing Gastrectomy

Gastric cancer (GC) is a worldwide public health concern. We aimed to investigate the association between preoperative prognostic scoring system based on the combination of age, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASA-PS), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and long-term survival outcomes in patients with (GC). Data from 513 patients were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression models to evaluate the association between this prognostic score system and risks of all-cause mortality. This simple prognostic score system (0-3 points) was an independent predictor of long-term survival outcomes in patients with GC after radical gastrectomy based on multivariate analyses. Prognostic 1-point score, 2-point score, and 3-point score significantly increased 50% (95% CI, 14%-98%; P = 0.004), 75% (95% CI, 22%-151%; P = 0.003), and 116% (95% CI, 26%-271%; P = 0.005) hazards of 5-year all-cause mortality, respectively, compared to prognostic 0-point score. Five-year overall survival rates were significantly decreased as prognostic scores increased, (0 point, 57.3%; 1-point, 41.3%; 2-ponint, 36.6%; 3-point, 25.9%; P < 0.01; area under the curve [AUC] = 0.62). A prognostic scoring method based on combination of age, ASA-PS, and PNI may serve as an independent risk stratification metric for long-term survival in patients with GC.

Novel Systemic Inflammation Markers to Predict COVID-19 Prognosis

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in a global pandemic, challenging both the medical and scientific community for the development of novel vaccines and a greater understanding of the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. COVID-19 has been associated with a pronounced and out-of-control inflammatory response. Studies have sought to understand the effects of inflammatory response markers to prognosticate the disease. Herein, we aimed to review the evidence of 11 groups of systemic inflammatory markers for risk-stratifying patients and prognosticating outcomes related to COVID-19. Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in prognosticating patient outcomes, including but not limited to severe disease, hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, intubation, and death. A few markers outperformed NLR in predicting outcomes, including 1) systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), 2) prognostic nutritional index (PNI), 3) C-reactive protein (CRP) to albumin ratio (CAR) and high-sensitivity CAR (hsCAR), and 4) CRP to prealbumin ratio (CPAR) and high-sensitivity CPAR (hsCPAR). However, there are a limited number of studies comparing NLR with these markers, and such conclusions require larger validation studies. Overall, the evidence suggests that most of the studied markers are able to predict COVID-19 prognosis, however NLR seems to be the most robust marker.

Impact of Comorbidities, Sarcopenia, and Nutritional Status on the Long-Term Outcomes after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Cancer in Elderly Patients Aged ≥ 80 Years

Simple Summary

The average human life expectancy is increasing worldwide, which is leading to increases in the proportion of elderly patients (≥80 years) with gastric cancer. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is widely regarded as a safe and effective treatment for early gastric cancer (EGC), even in aged or high-risk patients. We investigated the oncologic outcomes in elderly patients who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC) by focusing on the impact of comorbidities, sarcopenia, and nutritional status. Over a median follow-up period of 70.5 months, the 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 89.5% and 77.1%, respectively; of the114 patients who died, only four (3.5%) were due to gastric cancer. A total of 173 (61.8%) had sarcopenia, and they had lower rates of 3-year (88.4% vs. 91.4%) and 5-year (73.1% vs. 84.0%; p = 0.046) OS than did those without sarcopenia. In multivariable analyses, prognostic nutritional index (hazard ratio [HR], 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.90–0.98; p = 0.002) and Charlson comorbidity index (HR 1.19; 95% CI: 1.03–1.37; p = 0.018) showed that ESD was a feasible and safe therapeutic method to use in elderly patients, whose long-term survival was significantly associated with nutritional status and comorbidities.

Abstract

Background/Aim: We investigated the oncologic outcomes in elderly patients who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC) by focusing on the impact of comorbidities, sarcopenia, and nutritional status. Methods: Between 2005 and 2016, 280 patients aged ≥ 80 years with 289 EGCs underwent ESD at a tertiary care center. The short- and long-term survival outcomes were assessed. Cox regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with survival, including clinicopathologic factors and abdominal muscle area measured by computed tomography. Results: The rates of en bloc, R0, and, curative resection were 99.3%, 90.0%, and 69.2%, respectively. The rates of post-ESD bleeding and perforation rates were 2.1% and 3.1%, respectively, and no cases showed significant life-threatening adverse events. Over a median follow-up period of 70.5 months, the 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 89.5% and 77.1%, respectively; of the114 patients who died, only four (3.5%) were due to gastric cancer. A total of 173 (61.8%) had sarcopenia, and they had lower rates of 3-year (88.4% vs. 91.4%) and 5-year (73.1% vs. 84.0%; p = 0.046) OS than did those without sarcopenia. In multivariable analyses, prognostic nutritional index (hazard ratio [HR], 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.90–0.98; p = 0.002) and Charlson comorbidity index (HR 1.19; 95% CI: 1.03–1.37; p = 0.018) were significant factors associated with overall survival. Conclusions: ESD was a feasible and safe therapeutic method to use in elderly patients, whose long-term survival was significantly associated with nutritional status and comorbidities. These results suggest the need for a possible extension of the curative criteria for ESD in elderly patients with EGC.

Long-term Survivals, Toxicities and the Role of Chemotherapy in Early-Stage Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients Treated with Intensity-modulated Radiation Therapy: A Retrospective Study with 15-year Follow-up

Purpose

This study was aimed to investigate long-term survivals and toxicities of early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in endemic area, evaluating the role of chemotherapy in stage II patients.

Materials and Methods

Totally 187 patients with newly diagnosed NPC and restaged American Joint Committee on Cancer/ International Union Against Cancer 8th T1-2N0-1M0 were retrospectively recruited. All received intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)±chemotherapy (CT) from 2001 to 2010.

Results

With 15.7-year median follow-up, 10-year locoregional recurrence-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS) were 93.3%, 93.5%, 92.9% and 88.2%, respectively. Multivariable analyses showed cervical lymph nodes positive and pre-treatment prognostic nutritional index ≥ 52.0 could independently predict DMFS (p=0.036 and p=0.011), DSS (p=0.014 and p=0.026), and OS (p=0.002 and p < 0.001); Charlson comorbidity index < 3 points could predict DSS (p=0.011); age > 45 years (p=0.002) and pre-treatment lactate dehydrogenase ≥ 240 U/L (p < 0.001) predicted OS. No grade 4 late toxicity happened; grade 3 late toxicities included subcutaneous fibrosis (4.3%), deafness or otitis (4.8%), skin dystrophy (2.1%), and xerostomia (1.1%). No differences on survivals were shown between IMRT+CT vs. IMRT alone in stage II patients, even in T2N1M0 (p > 0.05). Unsurprising, patients in IMRT+CT had more acute gastrointestinal reaction, myelosuppression, mucositis, late ear toxicity, and cranial nerve injury (all p < 0.05) than IMRT alone group.

Conclusion

Superior tumor control and satisfying long-term outcomes could be achieved with IMRT in early-stage NPC with mild late toxicities. As CT would bring more toxicities, it should be carefully performed to stage II patients.

The Effect of the Prognostic Nutritional Index on the Toxic Side Effects of Radiochemotherapy and Prognosis After Radical Surgery for Gastric Cancer

OBJECTIVE

A retrospective analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of the preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on the severity of toxic side effects of radiochemotherapy and the survival prognosis of patients with gastric cancer to guide the clinical nutritional support for patients with gastric cancer.

METHODS

Data of 191 patients with gastric cancer in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery of Guizhou Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University between January 2008 and December 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were allocated to the high PNI group (with PNI ≥47.7) and the low PNI group (with PNI <47.7) according to the PNI cutoff value, and the incidence of severe toxic side effects of radiochemotherapy and the overall survival time were compared between the high PNI group and low PNI group. In addition, prognostic factor analysis was performed.

RESULTS

The severe hematologic side effects of radiochemotherapy and shorter postoperative survival time were more likely to occur in the low PNI group than in the high PNI group. The multifactor analysis showed that TNM stage (p = 0.000) and PNI (p = 0.001) were the independent risk factors for the overall postoperative survival time in patients with gastric cancer.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative PNI might predict the severity of hematologic toxic side effects of adjuvant chemotherapy/radiochemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer after surgery. Patients in the low PNI group were more likely to have severe hematologic toxic side effects, and therefore a low PNI might be one of the important factors affecting the prognosis of gastric cancer.

Pelvimetric and Nutritional Factors Predicting Surgical Difficulty in Laparoscopic Resection for Rectal Cancer Following Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy

AIM

Laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LaTME) following preoperative chemoradiotherapy (PCRT) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is technically demanding. The present study is intended to evaluate predictive factors of surgical difficulty of LaTME following PCRT by using pelvimetric and nutritional factors.

METHOD

Consecutive LARC patients receiving LaTME after PCRT were included. Surgical difficulty was classified based upon intraoperative (operation time, blood loss, and conversion) and postoperative outcomes (postoperative hospital stay and morbidities). Pelvimetry was performed using preoperative T2-weighted MRI. Nutritional factors such as albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) were calculated. Multivariable logistic analysis was used to identify predictors of high surgical difficulty. A predictive nomogram was developed and validated internally.

RESULTS

Among 294 patients included, 36 (12.4%) patients were graded as high surgical difficulty. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that previous abdominal surgery (OR = 6.080, P = 0.001), tumor diameter (OR = 1.732, P = 0.003), intersphincteric resection (vs. low anterior resection, OR = 13.241, P < 0.001), interspinous distance (OR = 0.505, P = 0.009), and preoperative AGR (OR = 0.041, P = 0.024) were independently predictive of high surgical difficulty of LaTME after PCRT. Then, a predictive nomogram was built (C-index = 0.867).

CONCLUSION

Besides previous abdominal surgery, type of surgery (intersphincteric resection), tumor diameter, and interspinous distance, we found that preoperative AGR could be useful for the prediction of surgical difficulty of LaTME after PCRT. A predictive nomogram for surgical difficulty may aid in planning an appropriate approach for rectal cancer surgery after PCRT.

Preoperative prognostic nutritional index predicts prognosis of patients with oral cavity cancer

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether prognostic nutritional index (PNI) predicts patient survival outcomes in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data of a total of 360 patients subjected to primary surgery for OSCC were retrospectively analysed. Patients were categorised into high-PNI (≥51.75) and low-PNI (<51.75) groups based on the PNI cut-off value attained from receiver operating characteristic analyses (p < .001), and the intergroup differences in clinicopathological features were determined. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard model were employed to determine the survival prediction ability of the PNI, and a nomogram based on the PNI was established for individualised survival prediction.

RESULTS

A low PNI was noted to exhibit a significant association with shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) (both p < .001). Multivariate Cox analyses showed that a lower PNI independently indicated shorter OS and DFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.187; p = .001 and HR = 1.459; p = .023, respectively). The concordance index and calibration plots of the PNI-based nomogram revealed the high discriminative ability for OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative PNI is a valuable biomarker for predicting OSCC prognosis, and the proposed PNI-based nomogram can provide individualised prognostic prediction.

Nutritional status and outcome of surgery: A prospective observational cohort study of children at a tertiary surgical hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe

BACKGROUND

Undernutrition contributes to nearly 50% of all child deaths in the world, yet there is conflicting evidence regarding the association between nutritional status and postoperative complications. The aim was to describe the preoperative nutritional status among pediatric surgery patients in Zimbabwe, and to assess if nutritional status was a risk factor for adverse postoperative outcome of mortality, surgical site infection, reoperation, readmission, and longer length of stay.

METHODS

This prospective observational cohort study included 136 children undergoing surgery at a tertiary pediatric hospital in Zimbabwe. Nutritional status was standardized using Z-scores for BMI, length, weight, and middle upper arm circumference. Primary outcomes after 30 days included mortality, surgical site infection, reoperation, and readmission. Secondary outcome was length of stay. Univariate and multivariable analyses with logistic regression were performed.

RESULTS

Of the 136 patients, 31% were undernourished. Postoperative adverse outcome occurred in 20%; the mortality rate was 6%, the surgical site infection rate was 17%, the reoperation rate was 3.5%, and readmission rate was 2.5%. Nutritional status, higher ASA classification, major surgical procedures, and lower preoperative hemoglobin levels were associated with adverse outcome. Univariate logistic regression identified a seven-fold increased risk of postoperative complications among undernourished children (OR 7.3 [2.3-22.8], p = 0.001), and there was a four- to six-fold increased adjusted risk after adjustment for ASA, major surgery, and preoperative hemoglobin.

CONCLUSION

A third of all pediatric surgery patients were undernourished, and undernourished children had a considerably higher risk of adverse outcome. With a positive correlation identified between undernourishment and increased postoperative complications, future aims would include assessing if preoperative nutritional treatment could be especially beneficial for undernourished children.

LEVELS OF EVIDENCE

Level II treatment study.

Imatinib and nutritional support can make successful treatment for a case of huge liver metastasis of duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumor that initially showed jaundice and cachexia

It is very difficult to treat patients with liver metastasis presenting with jaundice or cachexia. We herein report a successfully treated case of huge liver metastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) that initially showed jaundice and cachexia. The patient was a woman in her early 40 s. She had a history of duodenal GIST 4 years before this admission. She was admitted to our hospital for abdominal fullness and anorexia. Abdominal computed tomography revealed huge liver metastasis of GIST. She showed jaundice and cancer cachexia with a modified Glasgow Prognostic Score of 2. After applying nutritional support, 400 mg of imatinib was administered. Although leg edema transiently worsened, the withdrawal of imatinib and administration of diuretics improved it. Imatinib was re-administered, and nutritional support was continued. The total bilirubin level decreased, and the serum albumin level increased. The tumor gradually decreased in size. Finally, she received surgical resection after 16 months of treatment with imatinib. Although adjuvant imatinib administration was continued after surgery, and no recurrence was observed as of 18 months after surgery.

Preoperative Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score predicts short-term outcomes of patients with gastric cancer after laparoscopy-assisted radical gastrectomy

BACKGROUND

An emerging prediction tool, the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score, has shown good assessment ability of postoperative outcomes in cancer patients. This study evaluated the role of the preoperative CONUT score regarding the short-term outcomes of gastric cancer (GC) after laparoscopic gastrectomy.

METHODS

Three hundred and nine GC patients undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomy from January 2016 to June 2019 were analysed, retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups according to the CONUT optimal cut-off value. Clinical characteristics and postoperative complications in the two groups were analysed and evaluated. Risk factors for complications were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 309 patients underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy; 91 (29.4%) patients experienced postoperative complications. The preoperative CONUT score showed a good predictive ability for postoperative complications (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.718, Youden index = 0.343) compared with other indices, with an optimal cut-off value of 2.5. Patients with high CONUT score had a significantly higher incidence of overall complications (P < 0.001). Age, haemoglobin, C-reactive protein, red blood cell levels, CONUT scores, surgical procedure type, T1, T4, N0 and N3 pathological TNM classification, and pathological stages of I and III were associated with postoperative complications (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the preoperative CONUT score was identified as an independent risk predictor of postoperative complications (P = 0.012; OR = 2.433; 95% CI, 1.218-4.862) after multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The preoperative CONUT score is a practical nutritional assessment for predicting short-term outcomes in GC patients after laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy.

Comparison of inflammation-based prognostic scores as predictors of survival outcomes in patients with germ cell tumors

Purpose

The aim of this study was to compare the prognostic value of pretreatment inflammation-based scoring systems in terms of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with germ cell tumors (GCTs) receiving bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) chemotherapy.

Materials and Methods

We evaluated 63 patients with GCTs retrospectively. The Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, prognostic index, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), systemic immune-inflammation index, and albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) were measured in all patients before chemotherapy. To assess the predictive ability of each scoring system, areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated, and multivariate analysis was performed to identify associations between the predictive scores and OS.

Results

Of all the inflammation-based scoring systems, the GPS had the greatest area under the curve (0.847) for predicting OS, followed by the PNI (0.829) and AGR (0.810). Kaplan–Meier analyses revealed that the GPS, PNI, and AGR were significantly associated with OS, whereas the GPS, PLR, and PNI were significantly associated with PFS. In the multivariate analysis, the GPS was an independent predictor of OS and PFS.

Conclusions

We demonstrated that the GPS was the most valuable biomarker of OS and PFS in patients with GCTs.

Efficacy of the Preoperative Albumin-Bilirubin Grade for Predicting Survival and Outcomes of Postoperative Chemotherapy for Advanced Gastric Cancer

Purpose

The liver function index can predict the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and many other non-neoplastic diseases. We aimed to determine whether the preoperative albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) grade could predict the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer (GC).

Patients and Methods

Data of 243 patients with GC who underwent radical resection were collected retrospectively. Patients were divided into the high ALBI (>−2.34) and low ALBI (≤−2.34) grade groups. Overall survival was analyzed between the two groups using the Kaplan–Meier curves. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified the independent factors associated with postoperative complications and overall survival.

Results

The postoperative complication rates were higher in the high ALBI grade group than in the low ALBI grade group (P=0.005). The high ALBI grade group also had worse overall survival (P<0.001), especially TNM stage II–III patients (stage II, P=0.043; stage III, P<0.001). In the high ALBI grade group, patients with TNM stage III not undergoing chemotherapy had significantly worse survival times (P=0.001). High ALBI grade (P=0.032), Charlson score of 1–2 (P=0.007), and laparotomy surgery (P=0.045) were independent risk factors for postoperative complications. High ALBI grade (P=0.005), age ≥70 years (P=0.002), nutritional risk screening score 2002 score of 5–6 (P=0.019), tumor located in the cardia (P=0.020), diffuse tumor (P<0.001), and TNM stage III (P<0.001) were independent risk factors for overall survival.

Conclusion

Preoperative ALBI grade could predict postoperative complications and overall survival of patients with GC, especially those with TNM stages II–III. This grading method has the advantages of preoperative availability, simplicity, and objectivity and aids in improving preoperative prognosis prediction and in achieving better outcomes of postoperative chemotherapy.

Clinical characteristics and predictors of permanent stoma in rectal cancer patients underwent anterior resections: the value of preoperative prognostic nutritional index

OBJECTIVES

This study was aimed to investigate the correlation between preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and permanent stoma (PS) in patients with defunctioning stoma (DS) after anterior resections and, based on it, to reveal the clinical value of PNI on clinical strategies about the selection of stoma location.

METHODS

A total of 281 consecutive rectal cancer patients who accepted anterior resection and DS in the National Hepatobiliary and Enteric Surgery Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University from June 2008 to June 2018 were enrolled in this study. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for PNI was performed to discriminate PS. Univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to identify the clinical characteristics and risk factors for PS. Specific reasons for patients with DS turned into PS were reviewed.

RESULTS

ROC curve analysis defined PNI cutoff level of 45.85 corresponding to PS (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.71, 77% sensitivity, 56.9% specificity). Low PNI (OR = 3.23, P = 0.005), tumor crossing the peritoneal reflection (PR) (OR = 3.42, P = 0.003), postoperative distant metastasis (OR = 6.31, P < 0.001) were independently associated with PS. Besides, anastomotic complications (31.4%), poor oncological outcomes (35.3%), and personal preferences (33.3%) were the specific reasons for patients turning into PS.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative PNI is an independent prognostic factor to predict PS in patients who underwent anterior resection and DS. Therefore, combined with other clinical characteristics and predictors, preoperative measurements of PNI could provide a significant support for clinical decision on patients prepared to accept anterior resection and DS.

Pretreatment prognostic nutritional index is a prognostic marker for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer patients treated with anlotinib

Background

Anlotinib is a multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits tumor angiogenesis which has shown activity in several malignancies and approved for the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in China. However, there are no markers can predict the clinical outcomes of anlotinib. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of anlotinib in extensive stage SCLC (ES-SCLC) patients who failed at least two regimens treatment and to explore potential factors related to its survival benefit.

Methods

Patients with ES-SCLC treated with anlotinib monotherapy were screened between March 2017 and May 2019, prognostic nutritional index (PNI) before treatment were collected. Progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated and compared using the Kaplan–Meier method and the log-rank test. The prognostic values of each variable were evaluated with univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression (PHR) analyses.

Results

A total of 41 patients with ES-SCLC were received anlotinib treatment, the median age was 57 (range, 33–76). Median OS was significantly longer in the PNI high arm compared with the low arm [8.4 months (95% CI, 5.1–9.6 months) vs. 4.7 months (95% CI, 2.1–6.3 months); hazard ratio (HR) 0.42 (95% CI, 0.21–0.85); P=0.01]. The median PFS of two arms were 4.1 months (95% CI, 2.1–8.2 months) and 2.6 months (95% CI, 0.7–3.9 months), respectively (HR =0.53, 95% CI, 0.27–1.02, P=0.05). Multivariate analysis confirmed that PNI (P<0.01) and LDH (P<0.01) were significant independent biomarkers for OS.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrated that pretreatment PNI can be used as a novel and convenient biomarker to predict the prognosis in ES-SCLC patients treated with anlotinib.

Which Nutritional Scoring System Is More Suitable for Evaluating the Short- or Long-Term Prognosis of Patients with Gastric Cancer Who Underwent Radical Gastrectomy?

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of three nutritional scoring systems: Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT), and Naples Prognostic Score (NPS) on the short- or long-term prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) patients who underwent radical gastrectomy.

METHODS

The clinicopathological data of 2182 patients who underwent radical gastrectomy at the Fujian Medical University Union Hospital (FMUUH) from 2009 to 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The effects of the PNI, CONUT, and NPS on the short- or long-term prognosis of GC patients were analyzed.

RESULTS

Overall, 359 (16.5%) patients had postoperative complications. There was no significant association between the PNI, CONUT, and NPS and postoperative complications (P > 0.05); however, high CONUT and NPS were significantly associated with severe postoperative complications (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that PNI, CONUT, and NPS were all associated with overall survival (OS) (P < 0.001). However, multivariate analysis showed that only PNI was an independent risk factor for OS (P = 0.004), and the 5-year OS rate in the low PNI group was significantly lower than that in the normal PNI group (55.5% vs 75.4%, P < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) and the c-index of PNI were significantly higher than those of CONUT and NPS. The prognostic efficiency of combining PNI and TNM stage was also significantly better than that of TNM staging alone (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The current study demonstrated that CONUT and NPS are important for assessing the risk of severe postoperative complications. However, PNI is an independent risk factor for the long-term prognosis of GC patients who underwent radical gastrectomy and can improve the prognostic efficiency of TNM staging.

Prognostic Significance of Preoperative Controlling Nutritional Status Score in Patients Who Underwent Hepatic Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Malnutrition is common in patients with hepatocellualar carcinoma (HCC), and is associated with postoperative complications after hepatectomy, and also increased mortality. However, there is currently no recommendation for assessment of nutritional status in HCC patients. The controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score has been correlated with prognosis in gastrointestinal cancer patients, but there are few reports on the prognostic significance of the CONUT score in patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC. Existing results show that patients with high CONUT scores who undergo hepatectomy for HCC have poorer survival outcomes, and experience more complications than other patients. In this paper, we review the literature, and reveal that patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC with high preoperative CONUT scores had poorer outcomes than those with low CONUT scores. Therefore, we conclude that a preoperative CONUT score may be useful for prognostic prediction in patients with HCC undergoing curative hepatectomy.

Controlling nutritional status score and prognostic nutrition index predict the outcome after severe traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVES

Immune-nutritional status is correlated with a clinical outcome in critical illness. Recently, controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score and prognostic nutrition index (PNI) has been reported to predict prognosis following cancer and other diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the CONUT score and PNI and 6-month outcome in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (STBI).

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 78 patients with STBI, including the CONUT score and PNI. Patients were divided into high CONUT group and low CONUT group. Patients were also divided into high PNI and low PNI group respectively. The 6-month outcome was evaluated by the modified Rankin scale (mRS). The unfavorable outcome was defined as mRS score ≥3.

RESULTS

The unfavorable outcome group had lower Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores, serum albumin, total cholesterol, PNI, and higher CONUT scores (P < 0.05). Both CONUT scores and PNI were strongly correlated with mRS (r = 0.429, P < 0.05; r = -0.590, P < 0.05, respectively). After adjustment for confounding factors, the odds ratios of CONUT scores and PNI for predicting unfavorable outcome were 10.478 (95% CI: 2.793-39.301) and -0.039 (95% CI: 0.008-0.204), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of CONUT scores for predicting unfavorable outcome was 0.777 (95% CI: 0.674-0.880, P < 0.01), which was similar to PNI (0.764, 95% CI: 0.657-0.87, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Both CONUT scores and PNI might be novel independent predictors of the poor outcome in STBI.

Impact of Nutritional Indices on the Survival Outcomes of Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Background

The effect of preoperative nutritional status on the survival of patients with colorectal cancer is still unknown. The purpose of our study was to examine the impact of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), prealbumin (PAB) and the albumin to globulin ratio (AGR) on survival outcomes in patients with colon and rectal cancer.

Methods

Between January 2012 and December 2013, 361 patients with colorectal cancer who underwent curative surgery in the survey and various clinical and haematological parameters were recorded. The optimal cut-off values of the PNI, PAB and AGR were determined by MedCalc software, and Cox regression analysis was performed to investigate the effect of the PNI, PAB and AGR on the overall survival (OS) of patients with colon and rectal cancer.

Results

In patients with colon and rectal cancer, a high PNI, PAB, and AGR correlate with higher survival times. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that at most time points, the PNI has a higher area under the curve (AUC) in predicting colon and rectal cancer OS. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that of the PNI, PAB and AGR, only the PNI was an independent risk factor for OS in patients with colon and rectal cancer. Patients with a high PNI were predicted to have higher OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.479; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.233–0.985; P = 0.045) in colon cancer and higher OS (HR: 0.225; 95% CI: 0.111–0.454; P < 0.001) in rectal cancer compared with patients with a low PNI.

Conclusion

Preoperative PNI, PAB and AGR may be predictors of OS in patients with colon and rectal cancer after radical surgery, especially the PNI, which has a good ability to predict OS in both tumours.

Correlation between prognostic nutritional index and occlusal status in gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

Systemic inflammatory responses in cancer patients are important factors for nutrition and prognosis. This study evaluates the association between tooth loss, occlusal status, and prognostic nutritional index (PNI).

METHODS

A total of 93 patients with gastric cancer were included. These parameters were investigated the following: stage, body mass index (BMI), total lymphocyte count, C-reactive protein (CRP), PNI, and albumin (ALB). Patients were divided into three groups by Eichner classification (group A had contact in four support zones; group B had in one to three zones or in anterior region; and group C had no contact). PNI assumed 40 or less undernutrition. Multiple regression analysis was performed (PNI, dependent variable; Eichner index, main independent variable), using four independent variables (sex, age, BMI, and CRP) as adjustment factors.

RESULTS

The mean ± SD PNI in groups A, B, and C was 43.0 ± 4.7, 41.7 ± 5.2, and 36.7 ± 7.7, respectively. A significant positive correlation was found between the number of teeth, both ALB, and PNI. ALB and PNI differed significantly between groups A and C (ALB, p = .0003; PNI, p = .005).

CONCLUSION

We recommend a preoperative dental evaluation for assessing the nutritional status of patients with gastric cancer.

Preoperative prognostic nutritional index as a method to predict postoperative complications after major head and neck surgery with free tissue transfer reconstruction

Background

Head and neck (H&N) cancer patients are often malnourished and have diminished immunity. H&N surgery with free tissue transfer reconstruction (HNS-FTTR) is associated with a relatively high incidence of postoperative complications.

Methods

Associations between possible risk factors and postoperative Clavien–Dindo (C–D) grades ≥ II and ≥ IIIa wound healing- or infection-related complications, postoperative overall complications and prolonged hospital stay were investigated in 188 patients who underwent HNS-FTTR during 2014–2018. The preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) was calculated using the serum albumin level and total lymphocyte count.

Results

C–D ≥ II and ≥ IIIa complications were seen in 66 (35.1%) and 37 (19.7%) patients, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that (i) previous irradiation was significantly associated with C–D ≥ II wound healing- or infection-related complications and prolonged hospital stays [odds ratio (OR) 3.096 and 3.328; P = 0.007 and 0.008, respectively]; and (ii) operation time of ≥9 h 20 min was a significant risk factor for C–D ≥ IIIa wound healing- or infection-related complications, and C–D ≥ IIIa overall complications (OR 2.987 and 2.257; P = 0.021 and 0.047, respectively). (3) Only preoperative PNI ≤ 40 was associated with all occurrences of C–D ≥ II and ≥ IIIa wound healing- or infection-related complications, C–D ≥ II and ≥ IIIa overall complications, and prolonged hospital stays (OR 3.078, 2.918, 2.627, 3.132 and 3.116; P = 0.020, 0.046, 0.036, 0.023 and 0.025, respectively).

Conclusions

PNI, easily calculated, was the lone risk factor significantly predicting all C–D ≥ II and ≥ IIIa postoperative wound healing- or infection-related complications, C–D ≥ II and ≥ IIIa postoperative overall complications and prolonged hospital stay after HNS-FTTR.

Preoperative predictors of postoperative complications after gastric cancer resection

Risk management is becoming an increasingly important healthcare issue. Gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy is still the mainstay of treatment for localized gastric cancer, but it is sometimes associated with postoperative complications that compromise the patient’s quality of life, tolerability of adjuvant treatment, and prognosis. Parameters based exclusively on preoperative factors can identify patients most at risk of postoperative complications, whereby surgeons can provide the patient with precise informed consent information and optimal perioperative management. Ultimately, these predictive tools can also help minimize medical costs. In this context, many studies have identified factors that predict postoperative complications, including indicators based on body constitution, nutrition, inflammation, organ function and hypercoagulation. This review presents our current understanding and discusses some future perspectives of preoperatively identified factors predictive of complications after resection for gastric cancer.