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Indirect calorimetry in oncology: A case-based clinical tutorial
Vivian V Nguyen1, Pamela Funk-Debleds2, Kate Furness3
1University of Alberta, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Background:
Malnutrition is common in adult patients with cancer and is associated with increased complications, treatment toxicity, and mortality. Accurate estimation of energy requirements is essential to individualize nutrition care; however, resting energy expenditure (REE) in oncology is highly variable due to tumor characteristics, disease stage, inflammation, and treatment effects. Predictive equations and weight-based estimates may fail to capture these metabolic differences, potentially leading to inappropriate nutritional prescriptions. This case-based tutorial aims to illustrate the clinical interpretation and application of indirect calorimetry (IC) in adult oncology patients.
Methods:
Nine adult oncology patients were selected to represent a range of common and complex metabolic scenarios encountered in practice. Cases were obtained from ambulatory and inpatient settings across multiple tumor types and treatment stages. Clinical context, nutritional history, anthropometric measures, body composition and handgrip strength, Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) classification, and IC measurements are presented. Case discussions interpret measured REE, estimated total energy expenditure (TEE) accounting for physical activity level, and energy balance relative to intake.
Results:
Measured REE showed heterogeneity across clinical scenarios, including both hypermetabolic and hypometabolic states. In several cases, IC-derived energy requirements differed markedly from the guideline weight-based recommendation in oncology. Some factors associated with variability included inflammation, liver metastases, sarcopenia, and surgery.
Conclusions:
These clinical scenarios illustrate the marked variability in REE in oncology patients and demonstrate how IC can provide more accurate energy assessments than weight-based recommendations. This case-based tutorial highlights the role of IC in guiding individualized nutritional assessment and supporting precise energy prescription in oncology.
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