Study The Nutrition Status in Cancer Children Undergoing Chemotherapy

Abstract

Abstract

- Objective: The research aims to study the nutritional status of tumor patients undergoing chemotherapy, and to study the relationship of the degree of nutritional disorder with the type of tumor before and after six months of starting treatment.

- Materials and Methods: A Cross-Sectional Study, which included a sample of children with malignant disease who were treated in the Hematology and Oncology Division at the Children's Hospital of Damascus University from 1/1/2020 to 1/6/2021.

- Results: The study included 155 patients (mean age 7.9 ± 2.7 years), 67 females (mean age 8.9 ± 2.4 years) and 88 males (mean age 7.2 ± 2.6 years). The cases included 79 cases of ALL, 28 cases of AML, 13 cases of Hodgkin's lymphoma, 2 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 6 cases of Burkitt's lymphoma, 8 cases of brain tumors, 3 cases of Gren-Eung's, 10 cases of neuroblastoma, 6 cases of Williams tumor. WHO charts for the Z score for BMI and MUAC were used to assess nutritional status. When using the value of BMI Z score < -2 to diagnose malnutrition, the prevalence of malnutrition in children with malignant tumors before treatment was 27.1%, and it increased to 40.6% after six months of starting treatment, and the percentage before and after six months of starting treatment was greater in female patients (28.4%, 44.8% ) of males (26.1%, 37.5%), and the largest percentage was before treatment in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (53.8%), while after six months of starting treatment the largest percentage was among patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Williams' tumor (50%). The prevalence of malnutrition when using the value of MUAC charts according to age (considering the value <5% indicating the presence of malnutrition) to diagnose malnutrition before treatment was 60%, and it decreased to 49.7% after six months of starting treatment. The percentage before and after 6 months of starting treatment is greater in females (61.2%, 56.7%) than in males (59.1%, 44.3%), and it was greater before treatment among patients with neuroblastoma (70%), while after 6 months of starting treatment it was greater. Percentage of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (61.5%).

- Conclusions: Malnutrition in children with malignant diseases is prevalent in a significant proportion and rises after treatment, and this alerts the need to follow up their nutritional status and take care of their nutrition appropriately in parallel with treatment to reach optimal therapeutic results and obtain an appropriate growth rate for them.