Impact of Body Mass Index on 5-Year Survival Rates in Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Cancer survival is associated with body mass index (BMI). However, the impact of patients' baseline characteristics on allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) outcomes remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the baseline clinical factors associated with 5-year survival rates in patients undergoing allo-HSCT.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a retrospective exploratory observational study. Patients (n = 113, 52 women; average age: 55 years) who underwent allo-HSCT at the Division of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Shizuoka Cancer Center, between January 2008 and March 2015, were included in the present study.

RESULTS: Patients with low BMI (<18.5 kg/m2 ) had significantly lower 5-year survival rates than those with normal (18.5-24.9 kg/m2 ) and high (⩾25.0 kg/m2 ) BMI. The 5-year survival rate was poorer for patients with sarcopenia (41.5%) than that for those without sarcopenia prior to allo-HSCT ( P  = .05). The 5-year survival rate was poorer for patients with geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI < 98) (34.5%) than that for those without GNRI prior to allo-HSCT ( P  < .01).

CONCLUSIONS: Low BMI before allo-HCST pre-treatment was a predictor of 5-year survival rates in this study. Patients undergoing allo-HSCT may require nutritional interventions during pre-treatment to reduce the risk of sarcopenia and GNRI (<98), which affects their survival rates.