Objective: The nutritionDay project was started in Europe in 2006, and since 2012, surveys specific to cancer patients have also been conducted. Here, we report on the current status of cancer patients in Japan and overseas based on the national reports published from 2015 to 2017.

Method: During this 3-year period, 748 cancer patients in Japan and 4,630 cancer patients overseas were enrolled. The average age was 71.3 years in Japan and 65.4 years overseas, and mean BMI was 21.6 and 24.1, respectively.

Results: The proportion of inpatients with terminal cancer was higher in Japan at 13.4% than overseas at 4.8%. The proportion of patients who received parenteral nutrition was 18.0% and just 10.9%, respectively. Conversely, the proportion of Japanese patients who received energy-rich/protein-rich oral nutritional supplements was just 3.9%, compared with 14.4% of their overseas counterparts.

Conclusion: The results published in the nutritionDay national reports make it possible to objectively evaluate the current status of cancer patients and nutritional therapies in Japan and to provide basic data for improving nutritional therapy into the future.

Background: A national registered dietitian has been placed on the head and neck cancer ward at our hospital to provide nutritional management since September 2013. Here, we investigated changes in patients’ weight loss and energy sufficiency before and after the dietitian’s placement.

Methods: Ninety-one patients were included in this study (74 men, 17 women; age 64.6±9.8 years). Patients were admitted to department of otolaryngology at our hospital and stayed for 14 days or longer during the period from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014. Rates of weight loss and energy sufficiency were compared for patients before (n=46) and after (n=45) the dietitian’s placement on the ward.

Results: The weight loss rate was decreased significantly after placement (4.9%±4.7%) compared with before placement (7.1%±4.9%, p=0.029). Moreover, the energy sufficiency rate at discharge was increased significantly after placement (87±27%) compared with before it (71±30%, p=0.011).

Conclusion: Placement of a national registered dietitian on a ward may help to increase energy sufficiency and reduce weight loss in patients with head and neck cancer.

Purpose: The current status of polypharmacy and the effects of medications on albumin (Alb) level were examined based on previous studies that conducted subjective global assessment and anthropometry.

Subjects and Methods: Among patients whose existing medications were confirmed on hospital admission between September 3, 2018 and August 30, 2019, the percentage of those taking six or more prescribed medications was calculated. Patient characteristics and total number of medications prescribed were examined, and the relationship between 12 major medications that can cause appetite loss and change Alb level was investigated.

Results: Among 3,749 patients, 1,532 (40.9%) were taking 6 or more medications. Total number of medications did not correlate with Alb level (r =-0.083, p=0.001). The odds ratios for Alb < 3.5 g/dL were 1.421 in patients aged ≥ 75 years, 3.664 in those with moderate or severe malnutrition, 0.656 in those on NSAIDs, 2.381 in those on steroids, 0.454 in those on anticancer drugs, 2.398 in those on iron agents, and 2.178 in those on opioids.

Conclusion: The total number of medications was not significantly correlated with Alb level, but age ≥ 75 years, moderate or severe malnutrition, and use of steroids, iron agents, or opioids were factors associated with a low albumin level.

Objective: To elucidate the incidence of new-onset sarcopenia and associated factors in stroke patients on a convalescent rehabilitation ward.

Subjects and Methods: This retrospective cohort study involved consecutively admitted stroke patients without sarcopenia on admission. The incidence of new-onset sarcopenia, diagnosed in accordance with the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria, was investigated during hospitalization on our convalescent rehabilitation ward. Factors associated with the onset of sarcopenia were investigated by logistic regression analysis.

Results: From a total of 147 hospitalized patients (99 men, mean age 63.7 years), 14 (9.5%) developed sarcopenia during their hospital stay. Age, energy sufficiency rate, and skeletal muscle index on admission were identified as factors associated with new-onset sarcopenia.

Conclusion: Age, energy sufficiency rate, and skeletal muscle index on admission are possible predictors of sarcopenia onset while hospitalized on a convalescent rehabilitation ward.

Purpose: The wound healing effect of the specialized amino acid supplement containing CaHMB, L-arginine and L-glutamine (Abound_®) has been reported. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of Abound_® in patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma in the perioperative period.

Methods: Eighty-five patients who underwent esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal carcinoma between January 2012 and April 2020 were included. Postoperative infectious complications were evaluated between those patients who received Abound_® for 7 days before surgery (n=43) and those who did not (controls, n=42).

Results: Among the 73 male and 12 female patients (median age 67 years, range 41-81 years) stage I disease was found in 32 patients, stage II in 13, stage III in 37, and stage Iva in 3. Baseline characteristics between two groups were balanced. Of the 85 patients, 29 (34.1%) had postoperative infectious complications:anastomotic leakage occurred in 1 and 8 patients (2.3% vs 19% ; p=0.012) in the Abound_® and control groups, respectively, pneumonia occurred in 7 and 17 patients (16.3% vs 40.5% ; p=0.013), and wound infection occurred in 0 and 3 patients (0% vs 7.1% ; p=0.074). The rates of anastomotic leakage and pneumonia were significantly lower in the Abound_® group than in the control group.

Conclusions: Abound_® has the potential to reduce the incidence of infectious complications and improve outcome following esophageal cancer surgery.