Gastric Cancer Prognosis Linked to Nutritional Status in High-Incidence Regions

Strategic Insights -

Research has identified that gastric cancer patients with poor preoperative nutritional status have significantly reduced overall survival rates. The study, conducted at Fujian Medical University, analyzed data from 19,285 patients from 27 global cohorts between 2016 and 2023. The Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) were used to assess preoperative nutritional status. A meta-analysis revealed that low PNI was correlated with reduced overall survival, with a multifactorial study hazard ratio of 1.344 (95% CI, 1.111-1.625). The study suggests that geographic variations in treatment paradigms require region-specific prognostic analyses. Validation of these findings in Western cohorts undergoing neoadjuvant therapy is necessary.

Key Takeaways:

  • Gastric cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death globally, with significant clinical and economic burdens in high-incidence regions, such as East Asia.
  • Postoperative complications persist in 12.8% to 14.0% of patients, with malnutrition being a crucial risk factor.
  • Preoperative nutritional status using the PNI and NRS-2002 indices is a prognostic factor for overall survival in gastric cancer patients.
  • Low preoperative PNI is significantly correlated with reduced overall survival, with a hazard ratio of 1.344 (95% CI, 1.111-1.625).
  • The study highlights the importance of region-specific prognostic analyses due to geographic variations in treatment paradigms.
  • Validation of these findings in Western cohorts undergoing neoadjuvant therapy is necessary.
  • The study suggests that improving preoperative nutritional status may improve outcomes for gastric cancer patients.
  • The research was conducted by a team from Fujian Medical University, including Xurong Weng, Kaiying Zheng, and Zhengjie Huang.

Statistics:

  • 19,285 patients from 27 global cohorts were included in the meta-analysis.
  • The meta-analysis revealed that low preoperative PNI was correlated with reduced overall survival (OS) in gastric cancer patients (multifactorial study hazard ratio [HR], 1.344 [95% CI, 1.111-1.625]).
  • The study found that 12.8% to 14.0% of patients experience postoperative complications, with malnutrition being a crucial risk factor.
  • The PNI and NRS-2002 indices were used to assess preoperative nutritional status in 19,285 patients.

Sources:

  • Prognostic value of preoperative nutritional status in patients with gastric cancer undergoing radical gastrectomy: a comprehensive meta-analysis and multidimensional risk assessment. Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2025;29(11):102229.
  • Fujian Medical University, Dept. of Clinical Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China.
  • Elsevier Science Inc, Ste 800, 230 Park Ave, New York, NY 10169, USA.