ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF PATIENTS OF CARCINOMA BREAST RECEIVING CHEMOTHERAPY

Abstract

Background: Wasting syndrome is very common in cancer due to metabolic and clinical factors and it affects half of the patients at the time of diagnosis. Early nutritional assessment can identify problems to help patients increase or maintain weight, improve their response to treatment, and reduce complications.This study aimed to determine the nutritional status of patients receiving chemotherapy. Methods: Aprospective study was conducted among 30 subjects between 30 and 70 years of age diagnosed with carcinoma breast and scheduled for rst cycle of chemotherapy. Nutritional status of each subject was assessed based on nutritional parameters i.e. Anthropometric [BMI (body mass index), MAMC (mid-arm muscle circumference), TSF (triceps skinfold thickness)], MAC (mid-arm circumference) and Biochemical [(Hb and Albumin)] measurements before the initiation of chemotherapy, and follow-up assessment was performed on the third week after the rst cycle of chemotherapy. Results: In this study it has been found that 90% of subjects suffered from weight loss after the rst cycle of chemotherapy (3wks post treatment). The't' test showed a signicant decrease in TSF [t=5.1(p<0.01)] and MAC [t=7.02 (p<0.01)] before and after 3 weeks of chemotherapy. The't' test showed a decrease in MAMC, t=5.78(p<0.01) before and after 3 weeks of chemotherapy. The mean serum Albumin level of the patients before and after 3weeks of chemotherapy was 3.27±.20 g/dl and 2.87±.62 g/dl respectively. A signicant decrease in albumin [t=3.97 at p<0.01 level] was observed in patients after chemotherapy. The mean haemoglobin level of the patients before and after 3weeks of chemotherapy was10.64±1.88 g/dl and10.41 ± 1.89 g/dl respectively, which showed a signicant decrease [(t=12.92 at p<0.01 level)]. Conclusion: The nutritional status assessment must be carried out on each patient at the beginning and during the treatment. The cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy are at risk of malnutrition.