Association of Preoperative Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) Score with the Staging of Cervical Cancer

A BSTRACT Background: Early-stage cervical cancer is commonly managed with radical hysterectomy, followed by “concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT)” in subjects with high-risk pathological features. Nutritional and immune status, as measured by the “Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT)” score, may predict these adverse outcomes preoperatively. Objective: To evaluate the association between preoperative CONUT scores and pathological risk factors for tumor recurrence in early-stage cervical cancer. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical research was conducted on 116 subjects with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages IA–IIA cervical cancer at a tertiary center in Bangladesh. CONUT scores were calculated based on serum albumin, cholesterol, and lymphocyte count. Associations were examined between CONUT score and recurrence-related factors, including “lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI),” lymph node metastasis, parametrial invasion, and positive resection margin. Results: High CONUT scores (≥3) were found in 44.8% of patients. These subjects showed significantly higher rates of LVSI (7.7% vs. 1.6%) and lymph node metastasis (11.5% vs. 3.1%). Overall, high CONUT scores were significantly associated with increased likelihood of at least one recurrence risk factor ( P = 0.046). Conclusion: High preoperative CONUT scores are predictive of adverse pathological features in early-stage cervical cancer and may aid in risk stratification and personalized treatment planning.