Background: We evaluated the role of the prognostic nutritional index reported by Onodera (Onodera's PNI) in patients with gastrointestinal cancer regarding the occurrence of postoperative complications.
Method: Subjects were 324 patients (42 with esophageal cancer, 107 with gastric cancer, and 175 with colon cancer). We classified them into the high risk group (< or = 40) and the non-high risk group (> 40) according to Onodera's PNI. We evaluated the rate of the occurrence of postoperative complications between the high risk group and the non-high risk group.
Result: The rate of postoperative complications occurring in the high risk group was higher than that of the non-high risk group (p=0.04).
Conclusion: Onodera's PNI is useful for patients with gastrointestinal cancer regarding the occurrence of postoperative complications.