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Nutritional status of children with solid tumors
R Elhasid1, A Laor, S Lischinsky
1Department of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Cancer
|July 3, 1999
Summary
Prealbumin is the most sensitive indicator of nutritional status in children with solid tumors undergoing chemotherapy. This protein marker effectively tracks malnutrition from diagnosis through treatment, especially in younger children and advanced disease stages.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Nutritional Biochemistry
- Clinical Nutrition
Background:
- Assessing nutritional status in pediatric cancer patients is crucial for treatment outcomes.
- Protein-energy malnutrition is a common complication in children receiving chemotherapy for solid tumors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively evaluate the nutritional status of children with solid tumors during chemotherapy.
- To identify the most sensitive marker for protein-energy malnutrition.
- To investigate the impact of disease stage and chemotherapy intensity on nutritional status.
Main Methods:
- Prospective follow-up of 50 pediatric patients with solid tumors throughout chemotherapy.
- Serial measurements of serum albumin, prealbumin, and body weight at diagnosis and before each chemotherapy course.
Main Results:
- At diagnosis, 36% of patients had low prealbumin levels, compared to only 2.7% with low albumin.
- Prealbumin levels showed significant increases throughout chemotherapy, particularly in children under 2 years and those with Stage IV disease.
- High-dose chemotherapy significantly impacted prealbumin levels, unlike weight or albumin.
Conclusions:
- Prealbumin is the most effective biomarker for assessing nutritional status in pediatric solid tumor patients.
- Prealbumin monitoring is valuable both at diagnosis and during chemotherapy.
- Findings highlight the importance of nutritional assessment in pediatric oncology.