Abstract: PURPOSE: To investigate the nutritional risk status and dynamic changes of patients with oral cancer at different stages during perioperative period, and to analyze the factors affecting nutritional risk. METHODS: Convenience sampling was used to select 120 patients with oral cancer who underwent surgical treatment in Nantong Cancer Hospital from January 2022 to December 2023 as the research subjects. The nutritional status of the patients was evaluated using the Short-form Mini-nutritional Assessment(MNA-SF) on the day of admission(T1), 7 days after operation(T2), and 1 month after discharge(T3), respectively. The change trajectory and influencing factors of perioperative nutritional risk in patients with oral cancer were analyzed by generalized estimation equation. RESULTS: A total of 120 questionnaires were sent out, and 108 were effectively collected, with an effective recovery rate of 90.00%. At T1 time point, the MNA-SF score of 120 patients with oral cancer was (12.45±3.02), and the incidence of malnutrition was 17.50%. At T2 time point, the MNA-SF score of 115 patients with oral cancer was (11.02±3.25), and the incidence of malnutrition was 40.87%. At T3 time point, the MNA-SF score of 108 patients with oral cancer was (11.86±3.11), and the incidence of malnutrition was 25.93%. The results of generalized estimation equation showed that age, marital status, BMI, smoking status, clinical stage, flap repair and tracheotomy were significant factors affecting nutritional risk(P< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of nutritional risk is higher in perioperative patients with oral cancer, and the trajectory of nutritional risk changes with time. Strengthening nutrition monitoring and management of elderly patients with oral cancer, low education level, BMI less than 18.5, smoking, advanced cancer, flap repair and tracheotomy is of great significance for correcting malnutrition and improving prognosis.

Key words: Perioperative period, Oral cancer, Nutritional risk, MNA-SF, Influencing factor