Nutritional Intervention for the Elderly during Chemotherapy: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Nutrition Science
• Geriatrics

Background:

• Chemotherapy often leads to malnutrition and side effects in older cancer patients.
• Oral nutritional supplements (ONSs) are explored to mitigate these challenges.
• Evidence on ONS efficacy in elderly cancer patients requires synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing literature on the effects of ONSs in older cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
• To evaluate ONS impact on chemotherapy adherence, toxicity, survival, and nutritional status.
• To identify gaps in current research for future studies.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of electronic databases up to March 2024.
• Inclusion of randomized, prospective, and retrospective studies involving elderly cancer patients (>65 years).
• Risk of bias assessment using the Cochrane tool; data extraction on key outcomes.

Main Results:

• Ten studies with 1123 patients were included; meta-analysis was not feasible due to heterogeneity.
• Certain ONSs demonstrated a reduction in chemotherapy side effects, notably oral mucositis.
• Improved nutritional status was observed with some ONS interventions.
• Limited evidence exists regarding ONS effects on chemotherapy adherence and overall survival.

Conclusions:

• ONSs show potential for managing chemotherapy-induced side effects and enhancing nutritional status in elderly cancer patients.
• More robust research is necessary to establish the impact of ONSs on chemotherapy adherence and overall survival.
• Future studies should incorporate frailty, dietary habits, and advanced nutritional assessments (e.g., Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis).