Malnutrition among gynaecological cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the nutritional status of patients with gynaecological cancer.


METHODS
A prospective study assessing the nutritional status of gynaecological patients with suspected or proven gynaecological cancer.


METHODS
Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer, Brisbane, Australia; a tertiary referral centre for gynaecological cancer.


METHODS
One hundred forty-five patients with suspected or proven gynaecological cancer aged 20-91 years.


METHODS
Scored patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) and serum albumin before treatment.


RESULTS
One hundred and sixteen (80%) patients were categorized as PG-SGA class A, 29 (20%) patients were PG-SGA B and none of the patients were PG-SGA C. Ovarian cancer patients had significantly lower serum albumin levels (P=0.003) and higher PG-SGA scores (P<0.001) than patients with other types of cancer and benign conditions. Sixty-seven per cent of patients with ovarian cancer were classified as PG-SGA B. After adjusting for patient's age, body mass index and albumin level, ovarian cancer patients were 19 times more likely to be categorized as PG-SGA class B compared to patients with benign conditions (95% confidence interval: 3.03-129.8; P=0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
Malnutrition in gynaecological cancer patients is a significant problem, especially among those patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Laky
B
B
Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer, The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
Janda
M
M
Bauer
J
J
Vavra
C
C
Cleghorn
G
G
Obermair
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D012709:Serum Albumin