Objective  To evaluate the clinical value of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in assessing the prognosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients.

  Methods  The clinical data of SCLC patients who were initial diagnosed by pathology and conformed to the conditions of this study from January 2017 to January 2018 were retrospectively collected. The PNI values were calculated and divided into high PNI and low PNI groups according to the median value. The potential prognostic factors for SCLC patients were analyzed.

  Results  One hundred and five patients were divided into high-PNI and low-PNI groups according to the PNI median (48.68). The median survival time was 25.1 months and 14.2 months respectively. The one-year survival rates were 82.5% and 65.3% respectively and the two-year survival rates were 49.7% and 28.4% respectively, the differences were all statistically significant (P<0.05). Univariate analysis showed that gender, ECOG PS score, clinical stage and PNI were correlated with overall survival (OS) (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that PNI (odds ratio (OR)=0.331, 95% confidence interval: 0.189-0.580) and gender (OR=1.897, 95% confidence interval: 1.051-3.423) were independent prognostic factors for SCLC patients.

  Conclusion  Low PNI patients generally symbolize poor prognosis, PNI calculation is simple and easy to obtain, worthy of clinical promotion.