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Unidentified cachexia patients in the oncologic setting: Cachexia UFOs do exist.
- Source :
-
Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) [Nutrition] 2019 Jul - Aug; Vol. 63-64, pp. 200-204. Date of Electronic Publication: 2019 Feb 27. - Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- Objectives: Cachexia is an important outcome-modulating parameter in patients with cancer. In the context of a randomized controlled trial on cachexia and nutritional therapy, the TiCaCONCO (Tight Caloric Control in the Cachectic Oncologic Patient) trial, the contacts between patients with cancer and health care practitioners and oncologists were screened. The aim of this retrospective study was to identify in the charts the input of data on body weight (necessary to identify cachexia stage), relevant nutritional data, and nutritional interventions triggered or implemented by oncologists and dietitians.<br />Methods: In a tertiary, university oncology setting, over a time span of 8 mo (34 wk), the charts of patients admitted to an oncology, gastroenterology, or abdominal surgery unit were screened for the presence of information contributing to a cancer cachexia diagnosis. Data (patient characteristics, tumor type, and location) was gathered.<br />Results: We analyzed 9694 files. Data on body weight was present for >90% of patients. Of the 9694 screening, 118 new diagnoses of cancer were present (1.22% of patient contacts). Information on weight evolution or nutritional status was absent for 54 patients (46%). In contacts between oncologists and patients with cancer, at the time of diagnosis, cachexia was present in 50 patients (42%). In 7 of these patients (14%), no nutritional information was present in the notes. Of the 50 patients with cachexia, only 8 (16%) had a nutritional intervention initiated by the physician. Nutritional interventions were documented in the medical note in 11 patients (9%) in the overall study population. Dietitians made notes regarding nutrition and weight for 49 patients (42%). We could not demonstrate a difference in mortality between cachectic and non-cachectic patients, although numbers are small for analysis.<br />Conclusion: Patients newly diagnosed with cancer are not systematically identified as being cachectic and if they are, interventions in the field of nutrition therapy are largely lacking. Important barriers exist between oncologists and dietitians, the former being mandatory to the success of a nutrition trial in cancer.<br /> (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Adult
Aged
Body Weight
Cachexia etiology
Cachexia therapy
Data Accuracy
Female
Hospitalization statistics & numerical data
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasms therapy
Nutrition Assessment
Nutritional Status
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Retrospective Studies
Risk Assessment
Cachexia diagnosis
Delayed Diagnosis statistics & numerical data
Medical Oncology statistics & numerical data
Neoplasms complications
Nutrition Therapy statistics & numerical data
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1873-1244
- Volume :
- 63-64
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 31029048
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2019.02.015