Nutritional Index Helps Predict Mesothelioma Prognosis

A recent study further expands on the important role nutrition plays in how well mesothelioma patients will respond to treatments. Researchers in Japan evaluated the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score — an index developed as a screening tool for early detection of poor nutritional status — as a predictive marker for mesothelioma prognosis. CONUT has been used to predict the prognosis of other cancers, but never for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a rare and aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. “The CONUT score was an independent predictor of a poor prognosis in the patients with MPM,” lead researcher Shinkichi Takamori wrote in the study. “This score provides useful information for selecting patients who will benefit from the treatment.” How Does the CONUT Score Predict Prognosis? The CONUT score is calculated from the serum albumin concentration, total peripheral lymphocyte count and total cholesterol concentration. Researchers in Spain first introduced the screening tool in 2005 after a growing number of hospitals miscalculated undernutrition among patients. Today, the index is regarded for its simplicity and cost effectiveness. It’s also a promising predictive marker for a variety of cancers. A 2015 study showed the CONUT score is a strong predictor of survival among colon cancer patients. Last year, researchers at the Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan discovered it was a superior independent predict...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: bap1 gene mutation Controlling Nutritional Status score CONUT score malignant pleural mesothelioma mesothelioma malnutrition mesothelioma nutrition Mesothelioma prognosis mesothelioma stages nutrition mesothelioma survival Osaka City Uni Source Type: news