Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score as an indicator of the therapeutic effect and as a prognostic marker in patients treated with nivolumab for unresectable advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for 31 patients with the CONUT scores before treatment with nivolumab for unresectable advanced gastric cancer from October 2017 to December 2019. The patients were divided into two groups based on a normal (group A) or poor (group B) nutritional status assessed by the CONUT score. Result: Patients with a normal nutritional status had a significantly better therapeutic response based on disease control rates of 90% in group A and 33% in group B (P=0.0032). Multivariate analysis showed that the CONUT score was a predictor of disease control (odds ratio: 14.7, P=0.022). Patients with a normal nutrition status also had a significantly better prognosis, with median survival times of 337 days in group A and 123 days in group B (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.36, P=0.033). Multivariate analysis showed that the CONUT score was a prognostic indicator of overall survival (HR: 0.32, P=0.022). Conclusion: The CONUT score was correlated with the therapeutic effect of nivolumab and with disease prognosis. Thus, the CONUT score may be a clinically useful index to predict the effect of nivolumab in patients with unresectable advanced gastric cancer.
