title: [Assessment of nutritional status in patients with primary lung cancer].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Malnutrition is a common problem among patients with cancer, affecting up to 85% of patients with certain cancers and represents a risk factor for poor prognosis. aim: evaluate nutritional status in patients with lung cancer before and during treatment using nutritional risk index.
  
  
  METHODS
  it's a prospective study conducted in pneumology IV department in Abderahman Mami hospital, from January to May 2011. 30 male patients with a lung cancer were included. Nutritional status was assessed before and during treatment based on anthropometric measures, biological markers and nutritional risk index (NRI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of patients was 58 ± 12 years, ranging from 19 to 82 years. 29 patients had non small cell lung cancer and one patient had small cell cancer. Malnutrition was noted in 14 patients (47%) before treatment according to the NRI. It was noted in 23 patients (77%) after three cycles of chemotherapy with severe malnutrition in 8 patients. Relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the NRI was linear, but NRI tends to evaluate more objectively risk of malnutrition in patients with lung cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nutritional assessment in patient with lung cancer should be performed systematically, early and repeatedly. Several markers can be used such as BMI and NRI. Nutritional support will reduce morbidity and improve quality of life in patients with lung cancer.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chermiti  Ben Abdallah
authors.forename: Hanène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ben Saïd
authors.forename: Najiba
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chamkhi
authors.forename: Marwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferchichi
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chtourou
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taktak
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Kheder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D055815:Young Adult