Associations of Overall Survival with Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Nutritional assessment is critical in cancer care to maintain quality of life and improve survival. The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) may be a practical tool to assess nutritional status and predict survival. This study aimed to examine survival using GNRI in advanced-stage pancreatic cancer (PC). The retrospective analysis used data of patients with stage III or IV PC. Inclusion criteria: age > 18 and hospital admission for at least three days at or following diagnosis between 2014 and 2017. Data collected: demographics, albumin levels, BMI and weight. Days between the first and last admission, median survival and GNRI scores calculated. Patients categorized into groups: any nutritional risk (GNRI <= 98) and no nutritional risk (GNRI > 98). 102 patients had a median survival of 87.5 days and mean GNRI of 98.7. Patients surviving longer than 90 days showed higher mean weight (p = 0.0128), albumin (p = 0.0002) and BMI (p = 0.0717) at the first admission. Mean survival days for patients at any nutritional risk were 110 days compared to 310 days for no nutritional risk (p = 0.0002). GNRI score at first admission after diagnosis is associated with survival. It is vital to monitor nutritional status using weight and albumin to promote increased survival from diagnosis.

Automated summary

Nutritional assessment is crucial in cancer care for improving survival and quality of life. This study found that the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) can be used as a practical tool to assess nutritional status and predict survival in advanced-stage pancreatic cancer patients. Higher weight and albumin levels at the first admission were associated with longer survival. Patients with any nutritional risk had significantly shorter survival compared to those with no nutritional risk. Monitoring nutritional status is vital for promoting increased survival from diagnosis.