The Prognostic Significance of the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index in Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) on the long-term outcomes in 137 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients who underwent curative esophagectomy. The GNRI was calculated from the serum albumin value and the body weight. The cutoff value of the GNRI was set at 98. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors for the overall survival (OS). The mean preoperative GNRI was 99.9 ± 7.8. Forty-five (32.8%) patients had a GNRI of <98. The GNRI was significantly associated with the tumor depth (p = 0.001), level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA; p = 0.009) and level of C-reactive protein (CRP; p = 0.028). The GRNI was significantly associated with the OS (p < 0.001). The multivariate analysis identified the GNRI as an independent predictor for the OS. Death due to EC was more frequent in the patients with a low GNRI than in the patients with a high GNRI (p = 0.004). Our results suggest that the GRNI is a simple and reliable predictor of the postoperative survival in ESCC patients. A low preoperative GNRI may indicate a higher risk of EC death.