Comprehensive assessment of nutritional status and nutritional-related complications in newly diagnosed esophageal cancer patients: A cross-sectional study

Clinical Nutrition,Volume 40, Issue 6, June 2021, Pages 4449-4455

Authors

SaraMovahed^a^b FatemehVarshoee Tabrizi^c NasehPahlavani^a^b MehdiSeilanian Toussi^d AliMotlagh^e SaeidEslami^f MajidGhayour-Mobarhan^g MohsenNematy^a Gordon A.Ferns^h MaryamEmadzadehⁱ MajidKhadem-Rezaiyan^j Amir HosseinAlavi^k MahtabSalek^l PegahZabeti^l AbdolrezaNorouzy^a

Abstract

Background & aims

Malnutrition is prevalent in upper gastrointestinal cancer patients. The purpose of this study was a comprehensive assessment of nutritional status in newly diagnosed patients with esophageal cancer.

Methods

Newly diagnosed esophageal cancer patients were referred to a chemo-radiation referral center in Mashhad, Iran, between February 2017 to February 2019. Anthropometric indices, a Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) tool, body composition, dietary intake, nutritional-related complications, and laboratory tests were assessed.

Results

One hundred and eighty-nine patients with a mean age of 67.1 ± 12 and a male to female ratio of 98 to 91 were included. Ninety-seven (51.3%) of patients had experienced significant weight loss and 56 (29.6%) were underweight at diagnosis. According to PG-SGA, 179 (94.7%) needed nutritional interventions. Reduced muscle mass and low handgrip strength were observed in 70 (39.4%) and 26 (14.4%) of patients, respectively. Inadequate intakes of energy (less than 24 kcal/kg/day) and protein (less than 1.2 g/kg/day) were found in 146 (77.8%) and 171 (91%) patients, respectively. The mean total daily energy and protein intakes of subjects were 943.8 ± 540 kcal/day, and 30.6 ± 21 g/day, respectively. The most common nutritional-related complications were as follows: dysphagia (84.8%), anorexia (31.6%), constipation (62.1%), esophageal pain (48.4%), and dyspepsia (41.1%).

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated a high prevalence of malnutrition in newly diagnosed esophageal cancer patients. This fact demonstrates the importance of early screening of nutritional status via PG-SGA tool, clinical evaluation, dietary intake evaluations, and laboratory tests, based on which effective nutritional interventions and Symptoms management may be introduced in these patients.

How to Cite

Sara Movahed, Fatemeh Varshoee Tabrizi, Naseh Pahlavani, Mehdi Seilanian Toussi, Ali Motlagh, Saeid Eslami, Majid Ghayour-Mobarhan, Mohsen Nematy, Gordon A. Ferns, Maryam Emadzadeh, Majid Khadem-Rezaiyan, Amir Hossein Alavi, Mahtab Salek, Pegah Zabeti, Abdolreza Norouzy,
Comprehensive assessment of nutritional status and nutritional-related complications in newly diagnosed esophageal cancer patients: A cross-sectional study,
Clinical Nutrition,
Volume 40, Issue 6,
2021,
Pages 4449-4455,
ISSN 0261-5614,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2021.01.003.