This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of patients with cancer in palliative care and to examine the interrelationship between objective and subjective nutritional assessment measures. Patients’ nutritional status in a palliative care unit of a Malaysian government hospital and a hospice facility were assessed using anthropometric measurements, weight loss at 1/6 months, and the scored patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA). Moderate-to-severe malnutrition was observed in a range from 31% to 69% using both measurements. Common nutritional impact symptoms were pain, xerostomia, and anorexia. Patient-generated subjective global assessment scores were significantly correlated with anthropometric measurements (P < .050). The PG-SGA is equally informative as objective indicators and is recommended as a quickly applied tool for nutritional status assessment of patients with cancer in palliative care.
Stratton RJ, Green CJ, Elia M.Disease-Related Malnutrition: An Evidence Based Approach to Treatment . Cambridge: CABI Publishing; 2003 .
2.
von Meyenfeldt M.Cancer-associated malnutrition: an introduction . Eur J Oncol Nursing. 2005;9(suppl 2):S35-S38.
3.
Ottery FDDefinition of standardized nutritional assessment and interventional pathways in oncology. Nutrition. 1996;12(1 suppl): S15-S19.
4.
Ravasco P., Monteiro-Grillo I., Vidal PM, Camilo MENutritional deterioration in cancer: the role of disease and diet . Clin Oncol. 2003;15(8):443-450.
5.
van Bokhorst-de van der Schueren Mae.Nutritional support strategies for malnourished cancer patients. Eur J Oncol Nursing . 2005 ;9(suppl 2):S74-S83.
6.
Ravasco P., Monteiro-Grillo I., Camilo M.Cancer wasting and quality of life react to early individualized nutritional counseling. Clin Nutr. 2007;26(1):7-15.
7.
Davies M.Nutritional screening and assessment in cancer-associated malnutrition . Eur J Oncol Nursing. 2005;9(suppl 2): S64-S73.
8.
World Health Organization.Cancer Pain Relief and Palliative Care. Geneva: WHO ; 1990.
9.
World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer.World Cancer Report. Lyon : IARC Press; 2003.
Van Kleffens T., Van Baarsen B., Hoekman K., Van Leeuwen E.Clarifying the ‘palliative’ in clinical oncology. Eur J Cancer Care. 2004 ;13(3):263-271.
12.
Santoso JT, Cannada T., O’Farrel B., Alladi K., Coleman RLSubjective versus objective nutritional assessment study in women with gynecological cancer: a prospective cohort trial. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2004;14(2):220-223.
13.
Detsky AS, McLaughlin JR, Baker JP, et al. What is subjective global assessment of nutritional status? J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 1987;11(1):8-13.
14.
Ottery F.Patient-generated subjective global assessment. In McCallum PD, Polisena CG, eds. The Clinical Guide to Oncology Nutrition. Chicago, IL: American Dietetic Association; 2000: 11-23.
Charney P.Nutritional assessment in the 1990’s: where are we now?Nutr Clin Prac.1995;10(4):131-139.
17.
World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research.Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective . Washington, DC: AICR; 2007.
18.
Gibson RSPrinciples of nutritional assessment. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 2005.
19.
Frisancho ARNew norms of upper limb fat muscle areas for assessment of nutritional status. Amer J Clin Nutr. 1981;34(11): 2540-2545.
20.
World Health Oganization (WHO).Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation, WHO Technical Report Series no.894. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2000.
21.
Ferro-Luzzi A., James WPT.Adult malnutrition: simple assessment techniques for use in emergencies. Br J Nutr.1996;75(1): 3-10.
22.
Cohen JWStatistical Power Analysis of Behavioral Sciences. 2nd ed. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1988.
23.
Baker JP, Detsky AS, Wesson DE, et al. Nutritional assessment. A comparison of clinical judgement and objective measurements. N Eng J Med. 1982;306(16):969-972.
24.
Sarhill N., Mahmoud F., Walsh D., et al. Evaluation of nutritional status in advanced metastatic cancer . Support Care Cancer. 2003;11(10):652-659.
25.
Segura A., Pardo J., Jara C., et al. An epidemiological evaluation of the prevalence of malnutrition in Spanish patients with locally advanced or metastatic cancer. Clin Nutr. 2005;24(5): 801-814.
26.
Orrevall Y. , Tishelman C., Permert J., Cederholm T.Nutritional support and risk status among cancer patients in palliative home care services . Support Care Cancer.2009;17(2):153-161.
William SJ, Carrara R., Danford L., et al. Quality of life and nutrition in the patient with cancer. Oncol Issues. 2002;17(suppl 20): 13-14.
29.
Thoresen L. , Fjeldstad I., Krogstad K., Kaasa S., Falkmer UGNutritional status of patients with advanced cancer: the value of using the subjective global assessment of nutritional status as a screening tool. Palliative Med. 2002;16(1):33-42.
30.
Persson C., Sjoden PO, Glimelius B.The Swedish version of the patient-generated subjective global assessment of nutritional status: gastrointestinal vs urological cancers. Clin Nutr. 1999;18(2): 71-77.
31.
Isenring E. , Bauer J., Capra S.The scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) and its association with quality of life in ambulatory patients receiving radiotherapy. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003;57(2):305-309.
32.
Bauer J., Capra S., Ferguson M.Use of the scored patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) as a nutrition assessment tool in patients with cancer. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2002; 56(8):1-7.
33.
Bovio G., Montagna G., Bariani C., Baiardi P.Upper gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with advanced cancer: relationship to nutritional and performance status. Support Cancer Care . 2009; 17(10):1317-1324.
