Nutritional status assessment in head and neck cancer, and gastrointestinal cancer patients using scored PG-SGA tool in a tertiary hospital.

Dr. P.Senthil Kumar

Volume : IX, Issue : III, March - 2019

Nutritional status assessment in head and neck cancer, and gastrointestinal cancer patients using scored PG-SGA tool in a tertiary hospital.

Dr. P. Senthil Kumar

Abstract :

Introduction: Malnutrition and weight loss are prevalent among 20–80% in cancer patients. So nutritional assessment and timely intervention is necessary to decrease the mortality associated with cancer. The scored PG–SGA tool has been accepted by the oncology nutrition dietetic practice group of American Dietetic Association as the standard for nutritional assessment for cancer patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status using scored PG–SGA score and to indentify the level of nutritional intervention needed according to PG–SGA score. Materials and method : This study was a hospital based cross sectional study using a pretested questionnaire including the scored PG–SGA which was given to cancer patients attending surgical oncology department of tertiary care hospital. Data was collected after informed consent from patients and analysed using SPSS software. Results : Out of 443 patients, 324 head and neck squamous cell cancer patients and 119 gastrointestinal cancer patients were included in the study. Females were majority 65.8% and the rest 34.2% were males. The mean age of females was 49.3 years and that of males was 53.6years. 45.6 % were malnourished (deficit was 20.8% and excess was 24.8%).Only 12% of the study population needed no intervention, and the remaining 88 % needed nutritional intervention. 15.8% of study population had score ≥ 9 and they required critical nutritional intervention, 42.2% had score 4–8 and they needed intervention by dietician, and 30% had score of 2–3 and they needed patient and family education. Conclusion: Scored PG–SGA tool helps to identify malnourished cancer patients and allows triage for nutritional support