Nutrition and lung cancer

Abstract

Nutritional assessment in the management of patients treated for malignant disease is unavoidable. Various studies show a relationship between nutritional status and some morbidity-mortality settings. The objectives of our study is to evaluate the impact of lung cancer on the nutritional status of patients. This is an interesting retrospective study 130 patients with lung cancer hospitalized in our service during the period from January 2014 to July 2015. The nutritional status was judged on anthropometric measurements (body mass index [ BMI], Nutritional Risk Index [NRI]) and biological (albumin). The average age is 57 years. The population is predominantly male (96%). We noted weight loss in 65% of patients over a period of 6 months. Seventeen percent of patients have a BMI less than 18.5 kg / m2. Hypoalbuminemia was found in 50% of patients. According to the NRI, 43% of patients had moderate malnutrition and 37% severe malnutrition. Among patients followed 67% had extrapulmonary metastases which 94% are malnourished. All patients with severe malnutrition have died in the month following the diagnosis of lung cancer, while 60% of our patients that have received nutritional support their median survival exceeded 6 months. Dietary support for malnourished patients or those at risk is essential, but not always sufficient due to tumor or therapeutic impact.