Advanced cancer

nutritional impact and the importance of integrating palliative care in a public health service

Abstract

Background: Cancer patients usually require palliative care. One of the reasons for this is malnutrition, which is common in these patients, affecting their prognosis and quality of life. Data on nutritional care in palliative care are still scarce. Objective: To characterize the diagnosis and nutritional care in palliative care cancer patients hospitalized in a public health setting. Methods: Descriptive retrospective cohort study on clinical, laboratory, and nutritional data obtained from medical records of cancer patients in palliative care. Results: A total of 128 admissions of cancer patients in palliative care were analyzed. Main primary cancer sites were in digestive, urologic and pulmonary systems. Mean age was 64.3±16.6 years. Patients were clinically and nutritionally compromised – mean performance status of 17.77±7.15, hemoglobin 9.6±2.37U/dL, albumin 2.64±0.64g/dL, C-reactive protein 125.37±68.37ml/L, and 60.8% of malnutrition (mean BMI of 20.19±5.57kg/m2). Oral route was the main route of administration (62.5%) and analysis of agreement revealed nutritional provision in excess of estimated daily requirements. No association was found between fasting condition, hospitalization outcome (death) and nutritional diagnosis (p=0.51). Conclusions: These cancer patients received palliative care just at the end stage of life, when most of them were malnourished, symptomatic, without specific oncologic treatment, and with a poor performance status. There was a preference for oral nutritional therapy, however, energy and protein supply were higher than the estimated nutritional requirements. The realization of fasting during hospitalization in the moments before death was not associated with the patient’s outcome.