Prognostic Nutritional Index Is Associated With Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy for Gastrointestinal Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Q2 Medicine

Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention Pub Date : 2026-09-01 DOI:10.31557/APJCP.2026.27.9.3441

Yasemin Ciraci Yasar, Mehtap Tan, Mehmet Bilici, Zekiye Demir

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) and chemotherapy-related gastrointestinal (GI) symptom severity in patients with GI cancer.

Methods: This observational cross-sectional study included 262 adult patients with GI cancer receiving chemotherapy at a research hospital in eastern Türkiye. Nutritional status was assessed using the Prognostic Nutritional Index, calculated from serum albumin levels and lymphocyte counts obtained prior to chemotherapy cycles. Gastrointestinal symptom burden was evaluated using the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS). Descriptive statistics, group comparisons, and correlation analyses were performed to evaluate associations between clinical variables, PNI, and GSRS scores.

Result: The mean PNI score was 39.34 ± 12.31, and nearly half of the participants were classified as at risk for malnutrition based on sample-specific cut-off values. The mean total GSRS score was 36.23 ± 12.06, indicating mild-to-moderate symptom severity. GSRS scores were significantly higher among patients with advanced disease stages and lower PNI values. Correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant negative association between PNI and GSRS scores (r = -0.239, p < 0.05), demonstrating that poorer nutritional status was associated with greater gastrointestinal symptom severity. In the multiple linear regression analysis, it was determined that cancer stage and chemotherapy protocol had significant effects on PNI and GSRS scores (p<0.05).

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that lower PNI is linked to greater gastrointestinal symptom severity, underscoring the need to integrate routine nutritional evaluation with gastrointestinal symptom monitoring in GI cancer care.

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预后营养指数与胃肠道肿瘤化疗患者胃肠道症状严重程度相关：一项横断面研究

目的：探讨胃肠道肿瘤患者预后营养指数（PNI）与化疗相关胃肠道（GI）症状严重程度的关系。方法：本观察性横断面研究纳入262例在日本东部一家研究医院接受化疗的成年胃肠道肿瘤患者。使用预后营养指数评估营养状况，根据化疗周期前获得的血清白蛋白水平和淋巴细胞计数计算。采用胃肠症状评定量表（GSRS）评估胃肠症状负担。采用描述性统计、组间比较和相关性分析来评价临床变量、PNI和GSRS评分之间的相关性。结果：PNI平均评分为39.34±12.31，根据样本特异性临界值，近一半的参与者被划分为营养不良风险。GSRS平均总分为36.23±12.06分，为轻至中度症状严重程度。在疾病晚期和PNI值较低的患者中，GSRS评分明显较高。相关分析显示PNI与GSRS评分呈显著负相关（r = -0.239, p < 0.05），说明营养状况越差，胃肠道症状的严重程度越高。在多元线性回归分析中，我们确定癌症分期和化疗方案对PNI和GSRS评分有显著影响(结论：本研究表明，较低的PNI与较高的胃肠道症状严重程度有关，强调在胃肠道癌症护理中需要将常规营养评估与胃肠道症状监测相结合。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 医学-肿瘤学

CiteScore

2.80

自引率

0.00%

发文量

779

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Cancer is a very complex disease. While many aspects of carcinoge-nesis and oncogenesis are known, cancer control and prevention at the community level is however still in its infancy. Much more work needs to be done and many more steps need to be taken before effective strategies are developed. The multidisciplinary approaches and efforts to understand and control cancer in an effective and efficient manner, require highly trained scientists in all branches of the cancer sciences, from cellular and molecular aspects to patient care and palliation. The Asia Pacific Organization for Cancer Prevention (APOCP) and its official publication, the Asia Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention (APJCP), have served the community of cancer scientists very well and intends to continue to serve in this capacity to the best of its abilities. One of the objectives of the APOCP is to provide all relevant and current scientific information on the whole spectrum of cancer sciences. They aim to do this by providing a forum for communication and propagation of original and innovative research findings that have relevance to understanding the etiology, progression, treatment, and survival of patients, through their journal. The APJCP with its distinguished, diverse, and Asia-wide team of editors, reviewers, and readers, ensure the highest standards of research communication within the cancer sciences community across Asia as well as globally. The APJCP publishes original research results under the following categories: -Epidemiology, detection and screening. -Cellular research and bio-markers. -Identification of bio-targets and agents with novel mechanisms of action. -Optimal clinical use of existing anti-cancer agents, including combination therapies. -Radiation and surgery. -Palliative care. -Patient adherence, quality of life, satisfaction. -Health economic evaluations.