Prognostic Power of Nutrition-Inflammation Indicators in Patients With Breast Cancer

Inflammation and nutritional statuses are closely related to the survival of patients with cancer. Breast cancer is the one with low level of inflammation and low risk of malnutrition. Does inflammation burden and nutrition status affect the prognosis of patients with breast cancer?

Totally 1158 patients with breast cancer from Nutrition Status and its Clinical Outcome of Common Cancers study were included, 15 nutrition-inflammation indicators (NIIs) from literatures were adopted in this study. Area under the curve and C-index were used to compare the predictive value of 15 NIIs in overall patients and subgroup in different menstrual statuses.

Nutrition status indicators prognostic nutritional index, controlling nutritional status score, glucose-to-lymphocyte ratio among 15 NIIs were found to be significantly associated with prognosis of breast cancer, and remained stable in patients in different menstrual statuses. The C-index of inflammation indicators lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio, lymphocyte-C-reactive protein ratio score, and C-reaction protein (CRP) increased with age, but the predictive value of 3 inflammation indicators did not exceed the value of nutritional indicators throughout the whole life of patients with breast cancer.

Prognostic nutritional index, controlling nutritional status score, glucose-to-lymphocyte ratio had better predictive value for the survival of patients with breast cancer. Nutritional indicators surpassed inflammation indicators in prognostic ability for patients in different menstrual statuses. These results provide an important insight for the care of patients with breast cancer.