2017 Volume 32 Issue 6 Pages 873-881
Background: Surgery for pancreatic cancer tends to be extensive and malnutrition due to postoperative stress, reduced exocrine pancreatic function, and impaired gastrointestinal function may affect the quality of life (QOL) of these patients.
Objective: To chronologically evaluate the association between postoperative nutritional status and QOL of pancreatic cancer patients and explore ways to improve QOL from a nutritional perspective.
Methods: Of 164 recruited patients who underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer, 65 completed preoperative, and 3- and 6-month postoperative nutritional assessment using the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score and assessment of health-related QOL using the Short Form-36 version 2 (SF-36v2) Health Survey were included for statistical analysis of correlation between nutritional status and QOL.
Results: Pancreatic cancer patients tended to be malnourished before surgery and were generally malnourished 3 months after surgery. Specifically, patients in the pancreatoduodenectomy and total pancreatectomy groups remained malnourished up to 6 months after surgery. Malnutrition was correlated with the QOL domains "Physical Functioning", "Role-Physical", and "Social Functioning".
Conclusion: Malnutrition reduces QOL in patients with pancreatic cancer. Improving the nutritional status at 6 months after surgery could be a key to enhance overall QOL.
