Is Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (OPNI) a prognostic factor in small cell lung cancer (SCLC)?

Introduction We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (OPNI) in patients with Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Materials and methods This study retrospectively examined 109 patients diagnosed with SCLC between January 2008 and October 2018 in our hospital. Patients were divided into two groups according to the median of OPNI values. Results A significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of neutrophil percentage, lymphocyte count, lymphocyte percentage, C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, lactat dehidrogenase (LDH) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (P < 0.05). LDH, CRP, neutrophil percentage and NLR (P = 0.008, P < 0.001, P = 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively) were significantly higher and albumin, lymphocyte count and lymphocyte percentage (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.001, respectively) were significantly lower in the low OPNI group. Survival analyses have shown that mortality rates and lifespan are similar in the two groups. Conclusion The OPNI may be a helpful tool for determining the prognosis in SCLC.