Body weight and fat-free mass changes in a cohort of patients receiving chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
Malnutrition is prevalent in cancer patients and it can become even greater during its treatment. The purpose of the present study is to verify changes in the fat-free mass (FFM) and body weight (BW) in cancer patients during chemotherapy treatment and to identify their significant determinants.


METHODS
In a longitudinal study of 174 patients starting a chemotherapy protocol, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was used to estimate FFM and the nutritional assessment by patient-generated subjective global assessment. BW and FFM changes have been calculated and their significant determinants were identified after a multivariate analysis.


RESULTS
Malnutrition was found in 23% of the patients at the admission. After a multivariate analysis, a significant BW change was found during the treatment in patients submitted to previous/adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy (weight gain of 4.15% and 2.23%, respectively, p = 0.05) and a significant FFM loss (7.61%, p < 0.01) in patients with severe malnutrition at admission.


CONCLUSIONS
Only the chemotherapy protocol and initial nutritional state had a significant influence in BW and FFM changes during the chemotherapy. BIA may contribute to other methods of nutritional assessment, in order to detect modifications in body composition even in the absence of BW changes.
Halpern-Silveira
Denise
D
Postgraduation in Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. denise_hs@hotmail.com
Susin
Lulie Rosane O
LR
Borges
Lúcia R
LR
Paiva
Silvana I
SI
Assunção
Maria Cecília F
MC
Gonzalez
Maria Cristina
MC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001835:Body Weight; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013851:Thinness / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents