The High Prevalence of Malnutrition in the Cancer Patients Admitted to Omid Hospital in Mashhad, Iran Based on the PG-SGA Questionnaire (2020)

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer is a major health concern and the third leading cause of death in Iran. The prevention and management of malnutrition are recognized as the inherent elements of cancer care. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of malnutrition and the influential factors in the cancer patients admitted to Omid Hospital affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran in 2020. Methods: Malnutrition was detected using the patient generated-subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) in 113 cancer patients, who were selected from the Cancer Research Center of Omid Hospital. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16. Results: The PG-SGA scores indicated the moderate and severe prevalence of malnutrition in 3.6% and 96.4% of the cancer patients, respectively. No significant correlation was observed between the type of cancer and malnutrition due to the limited data of the patients receiving proper nutrition. However, significant correlations were denoted between the type of cancer, weight loss within the past six months, and education level of the patients (P<0.05). Xerostomia and anorexia were the most common dietary intake-related complaints in the cancer patients. Conclusion: According to the results, the prevalence of malnutrition was extremely high in the cancer patients receiving active treatment across all the treatment settings based on the PG-SGA scores. Furthermore, anorexia was the most common cause of decreased food intake by the patients.