Abstract
Thirty-four patients (25 men and 9 women) with cancer were investigated to determine the relationship between a response to cancer treatment (CR, PR, NC and PD) and its prognostic indices (PNI: prognostic nutritional index, PS: performance status, body weight, serum protein levels, serum cholesterol levels and Hb values). The subjects included pancreatic cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, malignant lymphoma etc. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, operation and IVH were performed in 91.2, 55.9. 26.5 and 47.1% of the patients, respectively, and resulted in CR in 2.9%, PR in 32.4%, NC in 32.4%, and PD in 32.4% of them.
Prognostic index such as PNI or PS gradually decreased after the treatment was started. There were few cases where the prognostic indices improved due to the treatment. However, the improvement of PNI was shown in 43.5% of the patients 6 months after the treatment compared to 3 months. The above 2 prognostic indices (PNI and PS) after 3 months and 6 months suggest a response to cancer treatment. The correlation between PS before the treatment and effects of the treatment was also significant. Among the above mentioned 6 prognostic indices, PS correlated most closely with a response to the treatment followed by Hb.
