title: Nutritional status of patients treated with radiotherapy as determined by subjective global assessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this prospective multi-institutional study was to evaluate the nutritional status of patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) for treatment of head and neck, lung, or gastrointestinal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,000 patients were enrolled in this study at seven different hospitals in Seoul, Korea between October 2009 and May 2010. The nutritional status of patients after receiving 3 weeks of RT was evaluated using subjective global assessment (SGA). The nutritional status of each patient was rated as well nourished (A), moderately malnourished (B), or severely malnourished (C).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients in this study was 59.4 ± 11.9 years, and the male to female ratio was 7:3. According to the SGA results, 60.8%, 34.5%, and 4.7% of patients were classified as A, B, or C, respectively. The following criteria were significantly associated with malnutrition (SGA B or C; p < 0.001): loss of subcutaneous fat or muscle wasting (odds ratio [OR], 11.473); increased metabolic demand/stress (OR, 8.688); ankle, sacral edema, or ascites (OR, 3.234); and weight loss ≥5% (OR, 2.299).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SGA was applied successfully to assess the nutritional status of most patients. The prevalence of malnutrition in a radiation oncology department was 39.2%. The results of this study serve as a basis for implementation of nutrition intervention to patients being treated at radiation oncology departments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Woong Sub
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Koom
authors.forename: Seung Do
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Si Yeol
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Chang Geol
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Eui Kyu
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Chie
authors.forename: Hong Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Young-Taek
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Ho Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ki Chang
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Keum