NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CANCER PATIENTS AT FIRST ACCESS TO NUTRITION SERVICE

Cancer-related malnutrition is underestimated both by physicians and patients and their caregivers; only 30-60% of cancer patients at risk of malnutrition actually receive nutritional support. The objective of this analyses is to evaluate the nutritional status of cancer patients at their first access to our nutrition service. Nutritional status data (BMI, weight loss, serum albumin, transferrin, lymphocyte count) were collected from cancer inpatients and outpatients at their first access to our nutrition service in 2018. Data were divided by cancer site and presented by primary cancer location (breast, head and neck, upper gastrointestinal - GI, lower gastrointestinal GI, genitourinary/gynecologic, hematologic, respiratory, other sites). From January 2018, n. 130 cancer patients were taken in charge for nutritional treatment; 57% have a gastrointestinal cancer diagnoses. Median BMI is 23.5 (±4.9), median weight loss is 9,3%. Median serum albumin is 3,3 g/dl (±0,7), median transferrin 212 mg/dl (±53.5), median lymphocyte count is 1,3K uL (±0,7). (Table 1) Cancer sites with higher weight loss are genitourinary/gynecologic, head and neck, upper GI. Lower levels of serum albumin are found in genitourinary/gynecologic, hematologic and respiratory cancer sites. Lower lympho count are found in lower GI, head and neck, breast cancer. The extent of malnutrition in cancer patients is so important that an early referral to nutrition services is crucial to improve the nutritional status of patients through and adequate nutritional support. Arends J, Baracos V, Bertz H et al. ESPEN expert group recommendations for action against cancer-related malnutrition. Clin Nutr. 2017 Oct;36(5):1187-1196