Preoperative Prognostic Nutritional Index Research Articles

Prognostic significance of baseline nutritional index for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after radical esophagectomy

Radical esophagectomy is the cornerstone of curative treatment for patients with resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Patient survival after surgery for ESCC is mainly associated with pathological tumor progression. Recently, the impact of baseline immune-nutritional status of various types of patients with cancer on survival has been highlighted. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between the baseline prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and postoperative short- and long-term results after esophagectomy for patients with ESCC. In total, 202 patients with ESCC who underwent radical esophagectomy at our institution between 2002 and 2010 were enrolled. PNI was calculated as 10× serum albumin (g/dL) + 0.005 × total lymphocyte counts (per mm3). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated for multiple logistic regression analysis using 5-year overall survival as the endpoint to determine an optimal PNI cutoff value, in which patients were classified into two groups: high PNI and low PNI. We evaluated the significance of PNI on postoperative morbidity and long-term survival using univariate and multivariate analyses. The mean PNI was 48.9 ± 4.6 (range 37.2–64.0). The area under the ROC curve in multiple logistic regression analysis was 0.5367. The projected 5-year survival rate was optimal at a PNI of 44.1. Hence, the PNI cutoff point was set at 44, with subjects classified by PNI level into the low (PNI <44) or high (PNI ≥44) PNI groups. Of 202 patients, 173 (85.7 %) and 29 (14.3 %) were classified as having high and low PNI, respectively. No significant differences were noted between the two groups regarding patient background, including age, sex, pT, pN, and pStage, or postoperative complications. However, overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) were significantly worse in the low PNI group than in the high PNI group. The 5-year OS and RFS rates in the high PNI vs. low PNI groups were 67.2 vs. 41.2 % (P = 0.007) and 61.5 vs. 38.8 % (P = 0.008), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that PNI was a significant prognostic factor for both OS (hazard ratio, 1.826; 95 % confidence interval, 1.015–3.285; P = 0.044) and RFS (hazard ratio, 1.862; 95 % confidence interval, 1.121–3.095; P = 0.016). Preoperative PNI is an independent prognostic marker of both OS and RFS for patients with potentially curative ESCC. A careful follow-up for tumor recurrence after surgery is required for ESCC patients with low PNI.

Preoperative prognostic nutritional index predicts postoperative surgical site infections in gastrointestinal fistula patients undergoing bowel resections.

Recent studies have implied a prognostic value of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in postoperative septic complications of elective colorectal surgeries. However, the evaluation of PNI in contaminated surgeries for gastrointestinal (GI) fistula patients is lack of investigation. The purpose of this study was to explore the predictive value of PNI in surgical site infections (SSIs) for GI fistula patients undergoing bowel resections.A retrospective review of 290 GI patients who underwent intestinal resections between November 2012 and October 2015 was performed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for SSIs, and receiver operating characteristic cure was used to quantify the effectiveness of PNI.SSIs were diagnosed in 99 (34.1%) patients, with incisional infection identified in 54 patients (18.6%), deep incisional infection in 13 (4.5%), and organ/space infection in 32 (11.0%). receiver operating characteristic curve analysis defined a PNI cut-off level of 45 corresponding to postoperative SSIs (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.72, 76% sensitivity, 55% specificity). Furthermore, a multivariate analysis indicated that the PNI < 45 [odd ratio (OR): 2.24, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09-4.61, P = 0.029] and leukocytosis (OR: 3.70, 95% CI: 1.02-13.42, P = 0.046) were independently associated with postoperative SSIs.Preoperative PNI is a simple and useful marker to predict SSIs in GI fistula patients after enterectomies. Measurement of PNI is therefore recommended in the routine assessment of patients with GI fistula receiving surgical treatment.

Prognostic significance of preoperative prognostic nutritional index in colorectal cancer: results from a retrospective cohort study and a meta-analysis

The preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) may forecast colorectal cancer (CRC) outcomes, but the evidence is not conclusive. Here, we retrospectively analyzed a cohort of patients from the Department of Surgical Oncology at the First Hospital of China Medical University (CMU-SO). We also conducted a meta-analysis of eleven cohort studies. Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) was used to determine the optimal PNI cut-off values for classifying prognosis in the patients from the CMU-SO. The result from CMU-SO and meta-analysis both confirmed that low PNI was significantly associated with a poor prognosis and advanced TNM stages. Among the patients from the CMU-SO, the optimal cut-off values were “41-45-58” (PNI < 41, 41 ≤ PNI < 45, 45 ≤ PNI < 58, PNI ≥ 58), which divided patients into 4 stages. The BIC value for TNM staging combined with the PNI was smaller than that of TNM staging alone (−325.76 vs. −310.80). In conclusion, low PNI was predictive of a poor prognosis and was associated with clinicopathological features in patients with CRC, and the 41-45-58 four-stage division may be suitable for determining prognosis. PNI may thus provide an additional index for use along with the current TNM staging system to determine more accurate CRC prognoses.

Nutritional predictors for postoperative short-term and long-term outcomes of patients with gastric cancer.

Evidence indicates that impaired immunocompetence and nutritional status adversely affect short-term and long-term outcomes of patients with cancer. We aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of preoperative immunocompetence and nutritional status according to Onodera's prognostic nutrition index (PNI) among patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer (GC).This study included 260 patients with stage II/III GC who underwent R0 resection. The predictive values of preoperative nutritional status for postoperative outcome (morbidity and prognosis) were evaluated. Onodera's PNI was calculated as follows: 10 × serum albumin (g/dL) + 0.005 × lymphocyte count (per mm3).The mean preoperative PNI was 47.8. The area under the curve for predicting complications was greater for PNI compared with the serum albumin concentration or lymphocyte count. Multivariate analysis identified preoperative PNI < 47 as an independent predictor of postoperative morbidity. Moreover, patients in the PNI < 47 group experienced significantly shorter overall and disease-free survival compared with those in the PNI ≥ 47 group, notably because of a higher prevalence of hematogenous metastasis as the initial recurrence. Subgroup analysis according to disease stage and postoperative adjuvant treatment revealed that the prognostic significance of PNI was more apparent in patients with stage II GC and in those who received adjuvant chemotherapy.Preoperative PNI is easy and inexpensive to determine, and our findings indicate that PNI served as a significant predictor of postoperative morbidity, prognosis, and recurrence patterns of patients with stage II/III GC.

Glasgow prognostic score and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio are good prognostic indicators after radical neck dissection for advanced squamous cell carcinoma in the hypopharynx

Locally advanced carcinomas arising in the hypopharynx have been traditionally treated by resection of the hypopharynx, larynx, and cervical esophagus. However, the prognosis of these patients is still low. In the present study, we retrospectively analyzed the long-term survival of patients with locally advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) reconstructed by jejunal graft. Between 2004 and 2014, 68 patients with HSCC were treated at Tottori University Hospital. Nine patients with synchronous esophageal cancer were excluded. We analyzed the overall survival of 59 patients with clinical stage III and IV HSCC who underwent pharyngo-laryngo-cervical esophagectomy with definitive tracheostomy followed by free jejunal graft reconstruction. Additionally, prognostic significances of preoperative patients' Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and prognostic nutritional index were analyzed. Postoperative complications occurred in 18.6% of 59 patients. There were no cases of graft loss, and no patient died from complications. Preoperative poor performance status of patients was a risk factor for postoperative complications. The 5-year overall survival rate of the 59 patients was 46.1%, and the median survival time was 28months. In univariate and multivariate survival analyses, high GPS (1 or 2), and high NLR (≥5) were recognized as independent poor prognostic markers for patients with HSCCs. Pharyngo-laryngo-cervical esophagectomy followed by free jejunal reconstruction was performed safely. Additional treatment, such as chemoradiotherapy, should be introduced for patients with high preoperative GPS or NLR after curative operation.

Low Preoperative Prognostic Nutritional Index Predicts Poor Survival Post-gastrectomy in Elderly Patients with Gastric Cancer.

Preoperative nutritional status may predict short- and long-term outcomes of patients with cancer. The aim of this study was to clarify the impact of preoperative nutritional status on outcomes of elderly patients who have undergone gastrectomy for gastric cancer (GC). A review examining 147 patients treated for GC by gastrectomy at our institution between January 2004 and December 2011 was conducted. Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (PNI) was invoked, using an optimal cutpoint to stratify patients by high (PNI>43.8; n=84) or low (PNI≤43.8; n=63) nutritional status. Clinicopathologic features and short- and long-term outcomes, including the cause of death, were compared. In multivariate analysis, low PNI was identified as an independent correlate of poor 5-year overall survival (OS). In subgroup analysis, 5-year OS rates for patients with stage1 GC were significantly worse in the low PNI (vs. high PNI) patient subset, which also posed a significantly higher risk of death from other disease; however, 5-year cancer-specific survival and PNI were unrelated. Deaths from recurrence in both groups were statistically similar, and morbidity rates did not differ significantly by group. PNI is useful in predicting long-term outcomes of elderly patients surgically treated for GC, helping to identify those at high risk of death from other disease. In an effort to improve patient outcomes, nutritional status and oncologic staging merit attention.

Predictive impact for postoperative recurrence using the preoperative prognostic nutritional index in pathological stage I non-small cell lung cancer

BackgroundThe most effective treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is surgical resection. Nevertheless, up to 20% of patients, even those with stage I NSCLC, relapse after surgery and die. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is used to assess immunonutritional conditions or is a predictor of postoperative recurrence in patients with digestive malignancies. However, the usefulness of the PNI for lung cancer is still unknown. We retrospectively analyzed clinicopathological features of stage I NSCLC patients to identify predictors of recurrence and to investigate effects of preoperative PNI levels. MethodsWe selected 141 consecutive stage I NSCLC patients who were treated from August 2005 to August 2010. We measured their preoperative PNI levels in uni- and multivariate Cox regression analyses of recurrence-free survival. ResultsA low PNI was significantly associated with sex (P=0.0117), preoperative serum carcino embryonic antigen levels (P=0.0228), and postoperative recurrence (P<0.0001). In multivariate analysis, PNI (RR: 9.243; 95% CI: 3.662–25.823; P<0.0001), pleural invasion (RR: 8.664; 95% CI: 2.510–38.056; P=0.0005), and intratumoral blood vessel invasion (RR: 3.151; 95% CI: 1.259–7.681; P=0.0152) were independent prognostic factors. The low-PNI group had a significantly shorter recurrence-free survival than the high-PNI group, regardless of pathological T factors (T1a, P=0.0422; T1b, P<0.0001; T2a, P=0.0098). ConclusionsThe preoperative PNI level is a simple and novel predictor of recurrence in stage I NSCLC patients, and might help identify patients who will need multimodality therapy such as induction or adjuvant therapy.

Does preoperative platelet-lymphocyte ratio or prognostic nutritional index predict survival after surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma?

Does preoperative platelet-lymphocyte ratio or prognostic nutritional index predict survival after surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma?

A novel and accurate predictor of survival for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after surgical resection: the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) combined with the aspartate aminotransferase/platelet count ratio index (APRI).

BackgroundThe occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) depends largely on such non-tumor factors as inflammatory condition, immune state, viral infection and liver fibrosis. Various inflammation-based prognostic scores have been associated with survival in patients with HCC, such as the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and the prognostic nutritional index (PNI). The aspartate aminotransferase/platelet count ratio index (APRI) is thought to be a biomarker of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. This study aims to evaluate the ability of these indices to predict survival in HCC patients after curative hepatectomy, and probe the increased prognostic accuracy of APRI combined with established inflammation-based prognostic scores.MethodsData were collected retrospectively from 321 patients who underwent curative resection for HCC. Preoperative NLR, PLR, PNI, APRI and clinico-pathological variables were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the predictive value of the above factors for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).ResultsUnivariate analysis showed that NLR, PLR, PNI and APRI were significantly associated with DFS and OS in HCC patients with curative resection. Multivariate analysis showed that NLR and APRI were superior to PLR and PNI, and both were independently correlated with DFS and OS. Preoperative NLR >2 or APRI >1.68 predicted poor prognosis of patients with HCC after hepatectomy. Furthermore, the predictive range of NLR combined with APRI was more sensitive than that of either measure alone.ConclusionsPreoperative NLR and APRI are independent predictors of DFS and OS in patients with HCC after surgical resection. Higher levels of NLR or APRI predict poorer outcomes in HCC patients. Intriguingly, combining NLR and APRI increases the prognostic accuracy of testing.

Prognostic indicators based on inflammatory and nutritional factors after pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer.

We evaluated prognostic indicators based on inflammatory and nutritional factors, namely, the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), the Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and the platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), to determine their efficiency and significance after pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer. The subjects of this study were 46 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer between October 2007 and December 2014. Patients were divided into preoperative mGPS (0/1 and 2), PNI (<40 and ≥40), NLR (<2.5 and ≥2.5), and PLR (<200 and ≥200) groups, to evaluate various perioperative outcomes. Hemoglobin concentrations were significantly lower (P=0.019), whereas intra-abdominal bleeding was significantly higher (P=0.040) in the PNI (<40) group than in the PNI (≥40) group. The incidence of postoperative pneumonia was significantly higher in the mGPS (2) group (P=0.009), and surgical complications greater than grade 3 (Clavien-Dindo classification) were significantly increased in the NLR (≥2.5) group (P=0.041). Overall survival rates in the PNI (<40) (P=0.019), NLR (≥2.5) (P=0.001), and PLR (≥200) (P<0.001) groups were significantly lower than those in the other groups. The PLR was the only independent prognostic indicator (P=0.002) according to multivariate analysis. The mGPS, PNI, and NLR were effective predictive indicators of postoperative complications. The PLR was the most useful prognostic indicator for pancreatic cancer patients after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Factors associated with failure to complete adjuvant chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer

BackgroundThe importance of completing adjuvant chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer is becoming recognized. However, the clinicopathological factors associated with failure to complete adjuvant chemotherapy remain unclear. MethodsA total of 135 patients were analyzed to identify the factors associated with failure to complete adjuvant chemotherapy. ResultsNinety patients completed planned adjuvant chemotherapy, whereas 45 patients failed to complete adjuvant chemotherapy. Lower preoperative prognostic nutritional index, intraoperative blood transfusion, and organ and/or space surgical site infection, and advanced tumor stage were associated with failure to complete adjuvant chemotherapy. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy was associated with significantly lower prognostic nutritional index, less incidence of organ and/or space surgical site infection, and earlier tumor stage, suggesting the conflicting effects of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy on completing adjuvant chemotherapy. ConclusionsSeveral clinicopathological factors including patient conditions and perioperative events were associated with failure to complete adjuvant chemotherapy.

Prognostic Nutritional Index Predicts Severe Complications, Recurrence, and Poor Prognosis in Patients With Colorectal Cancer Undergoing Primary Tumor Resection.

The prognostic nutritional index is reportedly related to postoperative outcomes. The aim of this study was to elucidate the clinical importance of the prognostic nutritional index in patients with colorectal cancer who were undergoing primary tumor resection. This is a retrospective study from a single institution. This study was conducted at a colorectal surgery service in an academic teaching hospital. The 556 patients with colorectal cancer who were undergoing surgery between March 2005 and August 2014 were eligible for this study. The preoperative prognostic nutritional index was calculated. Classification and regression tree analysis was performed to determine the prognostic nutritional index cutoff value. The associations of the prognostic nutritional index status with clinicopathological factors and postoperative outcomes were examined using univariate and multivariate analyses. Classification and regression tree analysis demonstrated that 45.5 was the optimal cutoff value. The low status (≤45.5) was correlated with older age, low BMI, low estimated glomerular filtration rate, CEA positivity, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 positivity, preoperative chemotherapy, tumors invading muscular or deeper layers, distant metastasis, poor differentiation, severe postoperative complications, tumor recurrence, and poor survival. In multivariate analysis, the low status was an independent risk factor for severe postoperative complications (OR = 2.06 [95% CI, 1.22-3.50]; p = 0.007) and low overall survival (HR =3.98 [95% CI, 2.38-6.89]; p < 0.001). Our data set was collected retrospectively from a single institution. In addition, our study was only for preoperative prognostic nutritional index status, not considering the postoperative host status. The preoperative prognostic nutritional index predicts severe complications, recurrence, and poor prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer who are undergoing primary tumor resection. Investigation of the nutritional and immunologic statuses using the prognostic nutritional index could be a useful clinical approach.

Significance of Onodera's prognostic nutritional index in patients with colorectal cancer: a large cohort study in a single Chinese institution.

The preoperative nutritional and immunological statuses have an important impact in predicting the survival outcome of patients with various types of malignant tumors. Our study aimed to explore the clinical significance and predictive prognostic potential of Onodera’s prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in patients with colorectal carcinoma. This retrospective study included a total of 1321 patients who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer and who had been surgically treated between January 1994 and December 2007. The PNI level was determined according the following formula: 10 × serum albumin (g/dL) + 0.005 × total lymphocyte count (per mm3). The impact of PNI on clinicopathological features and overall survival (OS) was determined. The optimal cutoff value of PNI was set at 45. Patients in the low-PNI group had a greater potential to have aggressive histological features, advanced tumors (T), nodal involvement (N), metastasis (M), and TNM stage than those in the high-PNI group. The low-PNI group had a worse OS than the high-PNI group (5-year survival rate 56.1 vs 64.8 %, respectively; P < 0.05). Furthermore, the PNI value was an independent prognostic factor for colorectal cancer in this study. The OS was significantly lower in the low-PNI group than in the high-PNI group in patients with TNM stage II and III diseases. Preoperative PNI is a simple and useful marker to predict clinicopathological features and long-term survival outcome in patients with colorectal carcinoma. PNI analysis should be included in the routine assessment of patients with locally advanced colorectal cancer.

Predictive Potential of Preoperative Nutritional Status in Long-Term Outcome Projections for Patients with Gastric Cancer.

Preoperative nutritional status not only correlates with the incidence of postoperative complications but also may be indicative of long-term outcomes for patients with cancer. The impact of preoperative nutritional status on outcomes for patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric cancer (GC) was investigated. The study reviewed 594 patients treated for GC by gastrectomy at the authors' hospital between January, 2004 and December, 2010. Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (PNI) was invoked, using an optimal cut point to group patients as having high (PNI > 45; n = 449) or low (PNI ≤ 45; n = 145) nutritional status. Clinicopathologic features, perioperative results, and long-term outcomes, including cause of death, were compared. Multivariate analysis of 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) indicated that low PNI was independently associated with unfavorable outcomes for patients with GC. In subgroup analysis, the 5-year OS and DSS rates for patients with GC at stages 1 and 2 were significantly worse in the low PNI group than in the high PNI group. Although wound and extrasurgical field infections also tended to be more frequent in the low PNI group, postoperative intraabdominal infections did not differ significantly by group. Preoperative PNI may have merit as a gauge of prognosis for patients with GC at stages 1 and 2, but PNI and postoperative morbidity showed no correlation in this setting.

Postoperative prognostic nutritional index change is an independent predictor of survival in patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma

BackgroundThere is limited information concerning the postoperative prognostic nutritional index change (ΔPNI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study was designed to evaluate the prognostic value of ΔPNI in patients with small HCC who underwent liver resection. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was performed to analyze 243 patients with small HCC who underwent liver resection. Patients were divided into prognostic nutritional index (PNI)–increased group (n = 161) and PNI-decreased group (n = 82) according to postoperative PNI change. Clinical data, overall survival (OS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were statistically compared between the 2 groups, and a multivariate analysis was used to identify prognostic factors. ResultsMultivariable analysis revealed that ΔPNI as independent predictors of OS and RFS in patients with small HCC after liver resection (P < .01 for both). ConclusionsDecreased PNI, but not low preoperative PNI was an independent risk factor for OS and RFS in patients with small HCC who underwent liver resection.

The prognostic significance of the postoperative prognostic nutritional index in patients with colorectal cancer.

BackgroundThe preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) has been reported to correlate with the prognosis in patents with various carcinomas. However, the prognostic significance of the postoperative PNI is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of the postoperative PNI in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).MethodsTwo hundred and eighteen patients who underwent potentially curative surgery for stage II/III CRC were enrolled in this study. The PNI was calculated as 10 × serum albumin concentration (g/dl) + 0.005 × lymphocyte count (/mm3). The preoperative PNI was measured within two weeks before the operation and the postoperative PNI were measured at the first visit after leaving the hospital. We then examined the correlations between the preoperative/postoperative PNI and the prognosis for survival.ResultsIn the validation study, the median preoperative PNI was 47.90 (range: 32.45-61.36) and the median postoperative PNI was 48.69 (range: 32.62-66.96). According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, we set 43.0 as the cut-off value in the validation study. For both the preoperative and postoperative PNI, the overall survival rates were significantly worse in the low PNI group in the validation study (preoperative PNI, p = 0.0374; postoperative PNI, p = 0.0005). In the multivariate analysis of the validation study, the combination of pre- and postoperative PNI was an independent predictor of poor overall survival (p = 0.006).ConclusionsThe postoperative PNI is, in addition to the preoperative PNI, a useful prognostic marker. The combination of pre- and postoperative PNI was an independent prognostic factor in patients with CRC who underwent potentially curative surgery and is important for considering the long-term outcome in patients with CRC.

Preoperative Prognostic Nutritional Index is a Significant Predictor of Survival in Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients Undergoing Nephrectomy.

Preoperative assessment of patients' immunologic and nutritional conditions is required to predict the outcome of patients with malignant tumors. The aim of the current study was to clarify the significance of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), which simply accounts for immunological and nutritional conditions, in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We included 1437 patients who underwent nephrectomy for RCC between 1994 and 2008. PNI was calculated using the following formula: 10 × serum albumin concentration (g/dL) + 0.005 × lymphocyte counts (number/mm(2)) in peripheral blood. We examined the correlation of the preoperative PNI value with clinicopathological features. A Cox regression model and the Harrell concordance index with variables only or combined PNI data were used to evaluate the prognostic significance in the T1-4NallMall and T1-4N0M0 groups. The mean preoperative PNI value was 52.7 ± 6.3 (range 27.7-85.3). The mean PNI values were significantly lower in patients with more advanced tumor T stage, regional lymph node metastasis, distant metastases, higher Fuhrman grade, and sarcomatoid differentiation than in patients without such factors (p < 0.001). Patients with low PNI (<51) had poor survival rates compared to those with high PNI in univariate analysis (>51, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that low PNI was significantly associated with cancer-specific survival (p = 0.026 and p = 0.009) and overall survival (p = 0.013 and p = 0.011) in the T1-4NallMall and T1-4N0M0 groups, respectively, after correcting for other clinicopathological factors. PNI is an independent prognostic factor for predicting survival after nephrectomy in patients with RCC.

A comparison of the prognostic value of preoperative inflammation-based scores and TNM stage in patients with gastric cancer.

BackgroundPeople’s Republic of China is one of the countries with the highest incidence of gastric cancer, accounting for 45% of all new gastric cancer cases in the world. Therefore, strong prognostic markers are critical for the diagnosis and survival of Chinese patients suffering from gastric cancer. Recent studies have begun to unravel the mechanisms linking the host inflammatory response to tumor growth, invasion and metastasis in gastric cancers. Based on this relationship between inflammation and cancer progression, several inflammation-based scores have been demonstrated to have prognostic value in many types of malignant solid tumors.ObjectiveTo compare the prognostic value of inflammation-based prognostic scores and tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage in patients undergoing gastric cancer resection.MethodsThe inflammation-based prognostic scores were calculated for 207 patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgery. Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and prognostic index (PI) were analyzed. Linear trend chi-square test, likelihood ratio chi-square test, and receiver operating characteristic were performed to compare the prognostic value of the selected scores and TNM stage.ResultsIn univariate analysis, preoperative serum C-reactive protein (P<0.001), serum albumin (P<0.001), GPS (P<0.001), PLR (P=0.002), NLR (P<0.001), PI (P<0.001), PNI (P<0.001), and TNM stage (P<0.001) were significantly associated with both overall survival and disease-free survival of patients with gastric cancer. In multivariate analysis, GPS (P=0.024), NLR (P=0.012), PI (P=0.001), TNM stage (P<0.001), and degree of differentiation (P=0.002) were independent predictors of gastric cancer survival. GPS and TNM stage had a comparable prognostic value and higher linear trend chi-square value, likelihood ratio chi-square value, and larger area under the receiver operating characteristic curve as compared to other inflammation-based prognostic scores.ConclusionThe present study indicates that preoperative GPS and TNM stage are robust predictors of gastric cancer survival as compared to NLR, PLR, PI, and PNI in patients undergoing tumor resection.

The preoperative prognostic nutritional index is an independent predictor of survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma

ObjectiveAccurate postoperative stratification of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in distinct prognostic groups is essential for tailoring follow-up, medical therapy, and inclusion in clinical trials. Increasing evidence suggests that Onodera׳s prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is a stage- and grade-independent predictor of poor outcomes in patients with cancer, but there are no data in RCC. Materials and methodsWe reviewed medical records of 1,344 patients with RCC who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy at the Medical University of Vienna and the University of California—Los Angeles between 1991 and 2012. Associations with cancer-specific survival were assessed with univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Discrimination was measured with the C-index. ResultsThe median postoperative follow-up was 40 months. An increase of PNI by 1 unit was associated with a decrease in the risk of death from RCC by 7% (hazard ratio = 0.93, P<0.001). In multivariable analyses, the PNI was an independent prognostic factor (P<0.001). Adding the PNI improved the discrimination of a base model by 0.4%. ConclusionsThe PNI is an independent prognostic factor in patients with RCC. Its use increases the accuracy of established prognostic factors. PNI may be a meaningful adjunct for tailoring surveillance, medical therapy, and clinical trial design.

Pre-operative prognostic nutritional index predicts the outcomes for triple-negative breast cancer

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether pre-operative prognostic nutritional index (PNI), an indicator of nutritional and immunological status, has an impact on the long-term outcomes in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. This retrospective study reviewed the medical records of 382 TNBC patients who had suffered from mastectomy. Pre-operative PNI was calculated as 10 × serum albumin (g/dl) + 0.005 × total lymphocyte count (per mm(3)). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine the optimal cutoff value of PNI. The correlations of PNI value with clinicopathological features were analyzed and the univariate and multivariate analysis were applied to identify the prognostic factors. The results showed that pre-operative PNI value was significantly related to advanced tumor status such as N stage (p = 0.011), T stage (p = 0.015), and recurrence incidents (p = 0.001). Survival analysis identified PNI as an independent prognostic factor for TNBC. Patients with higher PNI value had better 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and 5-year overall survival (OS) than those with lower PNI value (DFS, p = 0.007; OS, p = 0.011). Taken together, our results suggest that the pre-operative PNI can be used as a simple and useful marker for predicting the long-term outcomes of TNBC patients.