title: Indicators of malnutrition in children with cancer: A study of 690 patients from a tertiary care cancer center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Large data pertaining to indicators of malnutrition in children with cancer is lacking from India. In view of this, we prospectively analyzed consecutive de novo childhood patients with cancer presenting at a tertiary care center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Height and weight of each child (n = 690) were compared with World Health Organization child growth standards-2006 for that particular age and sex to get weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height indices and below 2SD of the reference median on these indices were considered as underweight, stunted, and wasted, respectively. Body mass index (BMI) for age was also analyzed for thinness and obesity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of malnutrition based on Z-score for weight-for-age, height-for-age, weight-for-height, and BMI-for-age was 30%, 31%, 35%, and 41%, respectively. Weight-for-age (underweight) was significantly associated (P = 0.018) with solid tumors. Height-for-age, weight-for-age, and BMI-for-age were significantly associated (P = 0.007, P = 0.016, and P ≤ 0.001, respectively) with rural community.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Malnutrition was observed in approximately one-third of children with cancer. Malnutrition is associated with solid tumors and those coming from rural community. Wasting has a higher prevalence in children with cancer in <5 years of age group.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Srivastava
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Pushpam
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Dhawan
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B. R. A. Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Bakhshi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009752:Nutritional Status