Evaluation and Prognostic Impact of Nutrition in Patients with Acute Leukemia: A Narrative Review

Acute leukemia (AL) is a hematological neoplasm with rapid progression that affects nutritional status of patients. Assessing nutrition in patients with haematological malignancies poses challenges due to the rapid progression of the disease, the variety of methods for evaluating malnutrition. In this review we will provide evidence of the need of early malnutrition diagnosis thru timely assessment and the implications of malnutrition in patients evolution in patients with AL.

The prevalence of malnutrition ranging from 15 to 26.5% among patients with AL. It is well known that inflammation and cytokine production have been recognized as potential mechanisms of CCS in hematologic malignancies. Regardless of the mechanism underlying Cancer Cachexia Syndrome (CCS) in AML, patients undergoing conditioning chemotherapy and during transplant or antineoplastic treatment. In addition to this, patients with AL undergoing chemotherapy frequently face two main challenges: oral mucositis (OM) and neutropenic colitis (NC). Both conditions challenge nutrition intake and nutrients absorption which make them more susceptible to have nutritional deficits. Malnutrition in patients with acute leukemia face a higher risk of therapy failure, increased rates of relapse, and higher mortality rates. Nutritional status impact patient's prognosis in many ways, malnutrition increases risk of antineoplastic treatment toxicities, hospital stay, and cost, as well reduces quality of life and this condition worsens patient's prognosis.