Prognostic significance of the preoperative hemoglobin to albumin ratio for the short-term survival of gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND Hemoglobin and albumin are associated with the prognosis of gastric cancer(GC)patients. However, the prognostic value of the hemoglobin to albumin ratio(HAR) for the short-term survival of GC patients with D2 radical resection has not been studied.AIM To investigate the significance of the HAR in evaluating the short-term survival of GC patients after D2 radical resection and to construct a nomogram to predict the prognosis in GC patients after surgery, thus providing a reference for the development of postoperative individualized treatment and follow-up plans.METHODS Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis was used for prognostic analysis.Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationships between HAR and the clinicopathological characteristics of the GC patients. A prognostic nomogram model for the short-term survival of GC patients was constructed by R software.RESULTS HAR was an independent risk factor for the short-term survival of GC patients.GC patients with a low HAR had a poor prognosis(P < 0.001). Low HAR was markedly related to high stage [odds ratio(OR) = 0.45 for Ⅱ vs Ⅰ;OR = 0.48 for Ⅲ vs Ⅰ], T classification(OR = 0.52 for T4 vs T1) and large tumor size(OR = 0.51 for ≥4 cm vs < 4 cm)(all P < 0.05). The nomogram model was based on HAR, age,CA19-9, CA125 and stage, and the C-index was 0.820.CONCLUSION Preoperative low HAR was associated with short-term survival in GC patients.The prognostic nomogram model can accurately predict the short-term survival of GC patients with D2 radical resection.