Cancer-Related Malnutrition: Epidemiological Results from the Latin American Study of Malnutrition in the Oncology Practice

Abstract

Background:

Malnutrition can affect the patient diagnosed with, and treated for, cancer. However, until a dedicated study is completed, estimates of malnutrition rates will be disparate and unrepresentative of cancer patients’ nutritional reality. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of malnutrition among patients being cared for cancer in Latin American (LATAM) hospitals by means of a multicenter, multinational study. Methods: The Latin American Study of Malnutrition in Oncology (LASOMO) was completed with 1,842 patients (Women: 56.2%; Age ≥ 60 years: 43.2%; Chemotherapy: 55.1%; Radiotherapy: 17.8%; Surgery: 27.1%) assisted at 52 health centers from 10 LATAM countries. Malnutrition prevalence was estimated from the (B + C) scores assigned to the patient with the Subjective Global Assessment by Detsky et al. (1987). Malnutrition prevalence was distributed regarding the demographic features of the patient, the primary tumor location, and the current cytoreducing treatment. Results: Malnutrition affected 59.1% of the surveyed patients. Malnutrition prevalence was higher among male patients and those with tumors of the digestive tract and the hemolymphopoietic system. Malnutrition was also associated with the current cytoreducing modality, with chemotherapy returning the highest prevalence. Conclusions: Malnutrition can be present in more than half of the patients being cared for cancer in LATAM health centers.

Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/01635581.2021.2014902

Acknowledgments

To those who participated and supported the successful completion of the LASOMO Study in Latin America. To the reviewers whom provided helpful suggestions to improve the final text.

Supplementary materials

The bases of the Latin American Study of Malnutrition in Oncology, and the procedures and data acquisition forms used in the local surveys are available free-of-charge at the Felanpe propietary web page: http://www.felanpeweb.org/dia-de-la-nutricion-oncologica-dno/.

Contributions of authors

All the authors contributed equally to the design of the Latin American Study of Malnutrition in Oncology, the drafting of the Manual of Procedures, training of the local teams of surveyors; acquisition, storing, processing, interpretation and custody of data collected during the surveys; and writing the text of the present article.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding

The authors did not apply for funds to finance the present study.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 From heretofore regarded as Felanpe.

2 Recognized as the ELAN Study.

3 Regarded as the ENHOLA Study.

4 Regarded as BRASPEN.

5 Tumors of the respiratory system (lung cancer among them) contributed with 4,2% of the cases. Underrepresentation of respiratory tumors in the study serie might be regarded as a limitation of the cross-sectional, primordially descriptive nature of the LASOMO Study.

6 Occurrence of chronic comorbidities in the surveyed patients and their influence upon cancer-related malnutrition will be the subject of a separate, upcoming publication.