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Published on: November 30, 2016

Malnutrition in children with cancer: incidence and consequence

J van Eys

    Cancer
    |May 1, 1979
    PubMed

    Insights

    Overt malnutrition affects many children with cancer, particularly those with bone metastases or abdominal tumors. Intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH) can successfully treat overt malnutrition and may help prevent marginal malnutrition, improving treatment outcomes.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Oncology
    • Clinical Nutrition

    Background:

    • Overt malnutrition is surprisingly common in children with cancer, affecting up to 37.5% of those with bone metastases and 17.5% with abdominal/pelvic tumors.
    • Malnutrition prevalence varies by cancer type, being more frequent in Ewing's sarcoma than osteosarcoma.
    • Established diagnostic criteria for overt malnutrition are applicable to pediatric cancer patients.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the prevalence and management of malnutrition in pediatric cancer patients.
    • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH) for treating overt malnutrition.
    • To explore the potential of IVH in preventing the progression of marginal malnutrition.

    Main Methods:

    • Assessment of overt malnutrition using established diagnostic criteria in pediatric cancer patients.
    • Application of intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH) for nutritional support.
    • Observational analysis of clinical behavior to infer marginal malnutrition.

    Main Results:

    • Overt malnutrition is frequent in pediatric cancer, with higher rates in bone metastases and abdominal/pelvic tumors.
    • Intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH) is a safe and effective treatment for overt malnutrition in this population.
    • Early data suggest IVH can avert the progression from marginal to overt malnutrition.

    Conclusions:

    • Nutritional intervention, particularly IVH, is crucial for managing malnutrition in children with cancer.
    • IVH may enhance tolerance to chemotherapy and bolster immune defenses.
    • Given improving childhood cancer survival rates, further research into nutritional support's role is warranted.

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