Abstract:
Objective To investigate the recurrence and mortality rates of elderly patients with gastric cancer using the geriatric nutrition risk index (GNRI) before adjuvant chemotherapy.
Methods Clinical data from 162 elderly patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical surgery and standardized chemotherapy at Lianyungang Oriental Hospital from January 2013 to January 2017 were collected. Preoperative and pre-chemotherapy GNRI scores were calculated, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to predict patient prognosis and compare diagnostic accuracy between the two. Additionally, the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with different pre-chemotherapy GNRI scores were analyzed.
Results The area under the ROC curve for pre-chemotherapy GNRI was greater than for preoperative GNRI, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Pre-chemotherapy GNRI scores were divided into high and low GNRI groups according to an optimal cut-off value. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that the 5-year and disease-free survival (DFS) rates of patients with high GNRI were higher than those with low GNRI scores (all P<0.05). According to a hierarchical analysis of pTNM stage, among patients of pTNM Ⅱ stage, the 5-year survival rate of patients with high GNRI was higher than that in those with low GNRI scores (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in 5-year DFS rate between the high and low GNRI groups (P>0.05). Among patients with pTNM Ⅲ, the 5-year and DFS rates of patients with high GNRI were higher than those in patients with low GNRI scores (all P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that low GNRI score and low tumor differentiation were independent risk factors for patient mortality and recurrence.
Conclusions Pre-chemotherapy GNRI score was an independent prognostic factor in elderly patients with gastric cancer. Elderly patients of gastric cancer with low GNRI score exhibited a higher risk for mortality and recurrence, the prognosis is poor.