Nutritional Assessment and Prognosis in Cancer Care
Summary
Cancer-related malnutrition remains a pervasive challenge that undermines treatment efficacy, patient quality of life and long-term survival. Tumour burden, systemic inflammation and treatment modalities can all precipitate weight loss, muscle wasting and biochemical alterations, while poor nutritional status has been linked to higher rates of postoperative complications, reduced tolerance to chemotherapy and diminished overall survival. Nutritional assessment has therefore evolved from simple anthropometry and serum albumin measurements to multidimensional indices that integrate immunological, biochemical and functional parameters. By stratifying patients into risk categories, these tools guide early dietary intervention, tailor perioperative care and inform prognostic discussions. Incorporating nutritional screening into routine oncology pathways supports personalised treatment planning, identifies candidates for immunonutrition or enteral support and ultimately contributes to more equitable outcomes across diverse patient populations. A growing body of research now underpins the global significance of systematic nutritional evaluation as both a predictive biomarker and a modifiable determinant of cancer prognosis.
Research from Nature Portfolio
A foundational cohort study has demonstrated that the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) can independently predict severe postoperative complications and long-term survival following hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients aged over 65. Patients with lower preoperative GNRI values experienced higher rates of liver failure, infectious complications and reduced overall survival, underlining the index’s value for pre-surgical risk stratification and the design of targeted nutrition protocols in surgical oncology.
Nutritional Assessment and Prognosis in Cancer Care publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in nutritional assessment and prognosis in cancer care across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score: A screening index combining serum albumin, total cholesterol and lymphocyte count to assess nutritional and immune status.
Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI): A composite measure derived from serum albumin concentration and total lymphocyte count, used to predict surgical risk and survival.
Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI): A tool calculating risk based on serum albumin and the ratio of actual to ideal body weight, tailored for elderly patients.
Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA): A patient-centred method incorporating weight history, dietary intake, symptoms and physical examination to evaluate malnutrition.
Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002): A scoring system that assesses nutritional status and disease severity to identify hospitalised patients at risk of malnutrition.
References
- May Nutritional Status Positively Affect Disease Progression and Prognosis in Patients with Esophageal and Pharyngeal Cancers? A Scoping Review of the Current Clinical Studies. Medical Sciences (2023).
- Clinical significance of the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score in gastric cancer patients: A meta-analysis of 9,764 participants. Frontiers in Nutrition (2023).
- Efficacy of the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index for Predicting Overall Survival in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: A Meta-Analysis. Nutrients (2023).
- Geriatric nutritional risk index predicts prognosis after hepatectomy in elderly patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma. Scientific Reports (2018).
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