NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT OF CANCER PATIENTS IN OUTPATIENT CARE

Abstract

The objective was to analyze the nutritional aspect of cancer patients in outpatient care in Joaçaba-SC. Cross-sectional study using global subjective assessment by the patient and the food consumption questionnaire of the Brazilian Health Department. Seventy patients participated with a mean age of 60.3±13.9 years, 38 (54.3%) men, 57 (81.4%) without nutritional monitoring, 48 (68.6%) with a regular diet, 16 (22.9%) appropriate diet and (8.6%) good diet. Smoking was associated with lung and oropharyngeal cancer and meat consumption with bowel cancer. The weight reduction was high, as 36 (52.2%) lost more than 5% of their body weight. Well-nourished people lost less weight when compared to malnourished individuals, accepted the diet better and had less food complaints. In total, 58 individuals (83%) were malnourished, all of them in the advanced stage of the disease. The prevalence of malnourishment was high in this study. Effective monitoring strategies need to be implemented with a multiprofessional team to improve the nutritional treatment in this population.

Keywords

• Malnutrition
• Oncology
• Nutrition assessment
• Food service hospital
• Nutrition for vulnerable groups