Preoperative prognostic nutritional index predicts long-term outcomes of patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma after curative pancreatoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND<br /> The prognostic nutritional index (PNI), a marker of immune-nutrition balance, has predictive value for the survival and prognosis of patients with various cancers. AIM<br /> To explore the clinical significance of the preoperative PNI on the prognosis of ampullary adenocarcinoma (AC) patients who underwent curative pancreaticoduodenectomy. METHODS<br /> The data concerning 233 patients diagnosed with ACs were extracted and analyzed at our institution from January 1998 to December 2020. All patients were categorized into low and high PNI groups based on the cutoff value determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. We compared disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) between these groups and assessed prognostic factors through univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS<br /> The optimal cutoff value for the PNI was established at 45.3. Patients with a PNI >= 45.3 were categorized into the PNI-high group, while those with a PNI < 45.3 were assigned to the PNI-low group. Patients within the PNI-low group tended to be of advanced age and exhibited higher levels of aspartate transaminase and total bilirubin and a lower creatinine level than were those in the PNI-high group. The 5-year OS rates for patients with a PNI >= 45.3 and a PNI < 45.3 were 61.8% and 43.4%, respectively, while the 5-year DFS rates were 53.5% and 38.3%, respectively. Patients in the PNI- low group had shorter OS (P = 0.006) and DFS (P = 0.012). In addition, multivariate analysis revealed that the PNI, pathological T stage and pathological N stage were found to be independent prognostic factors for both OS and DFS. CONCLUSION<br /> The PNI is a straightforward and valuable marker for predicting long-term survival after pancreatoduodenectomy. The PNI should be incorporated into the standard assessment of patients with AC.