title: Nutritional status in advanced upper gastrointestinal cancer.
abstract: Fifty-four patients with advanced upper gastrointestinal cancer were assessed for their nutritional status prior to any form of therapy. Anthropometric parameters--weight loss, arm muscle circumference, skin-fold thickness--and biochemical parameters--serum albumin and delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions to purified protein derivative (PPD) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA)--were used for nutritional assessment. Using standard values for comparison, about 80% of all patients were found to be nutritionally depleted. Immunocompetence did not show significant correlation with other nutritional parameters.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012882:Skin Tests; D012885:Skinfold Thickness
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin