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Body weight and fat-free mass changes in a cohort of patients receiving chemotherapy

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Abstract

Purpose

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.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the staff at the Hospital Escola da Universidade Federal de Pelotas (FAU), RS, Brazil.

DHS conceived the study, performed part of the data collection, performed the data analyses, and wrote the manuscript. MCG participated in the design of the study, performed the statistical analysis and data analyses, and wrote the manuscript. LRB and SIP collected the data. MCFA and LROS reviewed the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postgraduation in Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Denise Halpern-Silveira & Lulie Rosane O. Susin

  2. Postgraduation in Health and Behavior, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Lúcia R. Borges, Silvana I. Paiva & Maria Cristina Gonzalez

  3. Nutrition College, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Maria Cecília F. Assunção

  4. Rua Raimundo Correia, 155, 96055-700, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Denise Halpern-Silveira

Authors
  1. Denise Halpern-Silveira
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  2. Lulie Rosane O. Susin
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  3. Lúcia R. Borges
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  4. Silvana I. Paiva
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  5. Maria Cecília F. Assunção
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Correspondence to Denise Halpern-Silveira.

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Halpern-Silveira, D., Susin, L.R.O., Borges, L.R. et al. Body weight and fat-free mass changes in a cohort of patients receiving chemotherapy. Support Care Cancer 18, 617–625 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-009-0703-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-009-0703-6

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