Abstract

Author(s): Ferigollo,Ariélen1;Bazzan,LumaStellaTeichmann1;Ceni,GiovanaCristina2;Bohrer,CarizaTeixeira2

Objective: The studyaim was to identify the nutritional status and factors associated with possible nutritional changes ofcancer patients undergoing antineoplastic treat-ment. 

Methodology: A cross-sectional study with cancer pa-tients on chemotherapy treatment, of both sexes, aged 18 years or older, admitted between November 2016 and June 2017atauniversityhospitalinRioGrandedoSul,Brazil.Data were collected from nutritional evaluation using the Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA),biochem-icalexamsandpatientrecords.Dataanalysiswasperformed using descriptive statistics, and correlation and association testswereconducted,dependingonthenatureofeachvari-able,consideringa95%confidenceinterval,andaP-valueof 0.05wasconsideredstatisticallysignificant.

Results:Sixtypatientswereevaluated,mostofthemwere female (58.3%), adult individuals (51.7%), suffering from colon and rectal cancer (45%) and were enrolled the first cyclesofchemotherapytreatment(68%)withassociatedco- morbidities(77%).ThePG-SGAshowedaprevalenceofmal- nutrition(77%)inthesample,severeweightloss(40%),and a reduction in food consumption (41.7%) with gastrointesti- nal symptoms (75%), and changes on unctional capacity (78%),concludingtheneedforcriticalnutritionalintervention (70%). Biochemical parameters showed some reduction of serumalbumin(56%)andtotallymphocytecount(76%).

Conclusion: Based on the results, it is important to well evaluatenutritionalstatusandcarryoutagoodnutritionalin- tervention at the beginning and in the course of the treat-ment,allowingtherecoveryandmaintenanceofpatient’snu-tritionalstatus,contributingpositivelytotheclinicaloutcome ofthesepatients