• Marta Correia, Marília Cravo, Pedro Marques-Vidal, Robert Grimble, António Dias-Pereira, Sandra Faias, and Carlos Nobre-Leitão.
• Serviço de Gastrenterologia, Instituto Português de Oncologia Francisco Gentil (Centro Regional de Lisboa), Rua Professor Lima Bastos, 1700 Lisboa, Portugal.
• Clin Nutr. 2007 Dec 1; 26 (6): 728-35.

Background & AimsThe aim of our study was to examine, in patients with gastric cancer, the correlation between nutritional status, QoL (quality of life) and serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1 and IL-6.MethodsForty-eight patients with gastric cancer were included. Nutritional status was assessed by % of weight loss in the previous 1 and 6 months, Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment, bioelectrical impedance analysis and by dynamometry. QoL was assessed by EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. TNF-alpha, IL-1 and IL-6 serum concentrations were determined using an ELISA assay.ResultsPrevalence of malnourished patients varied between 30% and 75% according to various methods used. QoL scores were significantly worse in patients with more advanced disease and in malnourished ones. Malnourished patients had higher values of IL-1 and TNF-alpha (16.7 and 28.0 pg/ml), p<0.05 and p<0.001. QoL was significantly worse in patients with higher levels of IL-1 and TNF-alpha (p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively). A TNF-alpha cut-off value of 8.72 pg/ml was associated with higher risk of malnutrition (MN) according to PG-SGA (94% sensitivity, 93% specificity). No correlation was observed with perioperative complications.ConclusionsThe prevalence of MN is high in patients with gastric cancer. A significant correlation was found between higher values of cytokines, especially TNF-alpha, MN and QoL.

31 keywords...

hide…