Pattanee Pongpipat. Nutritional counseling intervention in cervical cancer patients undergoing chemoradiation. Master's Degree(Food and Nutrition for Development ). Mahidol University. Mahidol University Library and Knowledge Center. : Mahidol University, 2009.
Nutritional counseling intervention in cervical cancer patients undergoing chemoradiation
Abstract:
Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among Thai women. Cancer related
malnutrition is commonly found in patients undergoing cancer therapy. However,
study of nutrition in cancer patients in Thailand is still limited. Nutrition assessment
and nutrition intervention is necessary. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the
impact of dietary counseling on nutrition status, maintenance of body weight and
skeletal muscle mass in cervical cancer patients during and three months after
chemoradiation therapy.
A total of 41 cervical cancer stage II and III patients were enrolled in the study.
All received at least 25 radiation and 2 chemotherapy sessions during the 2 months
treatment period. Patients were assigned into 2 groups based on time period, Nutrition
Intervention (NI, n=19) and Usual Care (UC, n=22). Individual dietary counseling was
provided every two weeks to patients in NI group. Dietary intake, subjective global
assessment (SGA) and body composition were evaluated at baseline (BL), at the end
(ET) and three months after concurrent therapy (FU).
Energy intake (per kg body weight) of NI group at ET and FU significantly
increased from that of baseline. In opposition, energy intake of UC group decreased
significantly at ET, but returned to the baseline level at FU. No change in protein
intake was observed in NI, whereas it was decreased in UC after treatment. At ET,
body weight and skeletal muscle mass decreased significantly in both groups. At FU,
skeletal muscle mass of both groups returned to the same level as BL, but body weight
of the UC group was still lower than that of baseline. In addition, signs and symptoms
related to side effects of cancer treatment were reported to be less in NI group,
compared to UC group at end of treatment and 3-month follow up.
In conclusion, nutrition counseling can improve overall energy intake and
maintain protein intake in cervical cancer patients undergoing chemoradiation therapy.