Changes and Relationship in Nutrition Impact Symptoms, Malnutrition during Esophageal Cancer Treatment.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the changes and relationship between nutritional impact symptoms (NIS) and malnutrition incidence during radiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer. A prospective observational study recruited hospitalized patients with esophageal cancer who received radiotherapy or did not receive chemotherapy. 283 patients with esophageal carcinoma were followed up before and during the fourth week of radiotherapy. Nutritional parameters were collected during radiotherapy. According to the patient 's assessment of NIS and subjective global assessment (PG-SGA), at the mid-term of radiotherapy, the proportion of patients with NIS≥3 increased from 20.8% to 61.13%. Inappetence (37.1%) and abdominal distension (28.6%) were the most common nutritional symptoms. Severe malnutrition increased from 39% to 58.1%.NIS (odds ratio (OR) 30.93, 95% CI 15.92, 60.10, p <0.001) and weight loss of ≥5% (odds ratio (OR) 24.1, 95% CI 11.98, 48.47, p <0.001) were independently associated with severe malnutrition during radiotherapy. Strengthen the nutritional support therapy during mid-radiotherapy for esophageal cancer patient, and NIS can directly predict malnutrition.PG-SGA and NIS can be used for nutritional monitoring in esophageal cancer patients.