2018 Volume 61 Issue 4 Pages 204-212
Background Weight loss in patients with cancer is caused by cancercachexia and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). Recentdevelopments in antiemetic drugs have substantially improved CINV, butnutritional intervention did not improve body weight. This study aimed toinvestigate the effects of nutrition intervention with appropriate antiemetictreatment in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer during chemotherapy.
Methods Patients received individualized nutrition counseling by aregistered dietitian and were provided with oral supplements for 90 days. Bodyweight and other parameters were measured at baseline and after 90-dayintervention. To evaluate this nutrition intervention, patients were alsoretrospectively set as control, and then body weight change was compared withinverse probability of treatment weights (IPTW) analysis.
Results Ten patients received individualized nutrition counselingand were provided with oral supplements for 90 days. Of them, 7 patientsconsumed nutritional supplements, and the mean intake was 130 kcal/day. After90-day intervention, the patients did not show significant weight and BMI lossduring the course of cytotoxic chemotherapy. A total of 38 patients wereretrospectively enrolled as controls. The number of the patients who gain thebody weight after 90 days in the study cohort was significantly larger than thatin the retrospective controls with the IPTW analysis (Odds Ratio (OR) = 8.4; 95%Confidence Interval (CI): 1.6–42; P = 0.01).
Conclusion Early intensive nutrition intervention with appropriateantiemetic treatment prevents weight loss. Nutrition interventions might be alsobeneficial for quality of life, treatment response and survival.
