Preoperative controlling nutritional status (CONUT) is a predictor of short-term outcomes in patients with oral cancer

• Published in: Oral oncology reports Vol. 8; p. 100119
• Main Authors: Yamaguchi, Satoshi, Toyama, Naoto, Kaminogo, Kento, Ohara, Go, Ichimura, Norihisa, Kouyama, Naoka, Kamei, Yuzuru, Hibi, Hideharu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2023
• Subjects: CONUT score; Nutritional status; Oral cancer; ANCOVA; Oral cancer; CONUT; ROC; PNI; Nutritional status; CONUT score; ERAS
• ISSN: 2772-9060; 2772-9060
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oor.2023.100119

Oral cancer impairs mastication and swallowing and worsens the nutritional status of patients; however, preoperative malnutrition is rarely diagnosed and treated. Controlling nutritional status (CONUT) is an indicator of the overall nutritional status. Herein, we aimed to determine the utility of the CONUT score in predicting short-term outcomes in patients with oral cancer. We included 85 patients with oral cancer who had undergone surgery between June 2007 and December 2022. Patients with a preoperative CONUT score of ≤2 were classified as the CONUT-low group, whereas those with a CONUT score of ≥3 were classified as the CONUT-high group, and their postoperative hospital stays were compared. In addition, factors associated with prolonged hospitalization were subjected to analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The median postoperative hospital stay for patients in the CONUT-low and CONUT-high groups were 46 (30–60.5, N = 69) and 59 (38–110, N = 16) days, respectively, revealing a significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.033). The relationship between hospital discharge and postoperative hospital stay was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and a significant difference was detected between the two groups (p = 0.0113). Furthermore, ANCOVA revealed a difference only in CONUT-high/low scores (F = 4.4251, p = 0.039). The preoperative CONUT score could be an independent risk factor for predicting prolonged hospitalization and a useful screening tool for nutritional status. •Poor nutritional status can worsen the prognosis and outcomes of various diseases.•Controlling nutritional status (CONUT) can assess patient nutritional status.•Postoperative hospitalization was prolonged in oral cancer patients with CONUT ≥3.•Preoperative CONUT could predict short-term outcomes in patients with oral cancer.•The CONUT score could be an independent risk factor for prolonged hospitalization.