Effect of social demography and medical nutrition therapy on cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in Aga Khan Hospital, Mombasa Kenya

Abstract

Background: Cancer has become a global public health concern with an estimated incidence 12.7 million in 2008 and a million deaths from cancer in 2012. Previous studies have indicated that malnutrition was associated with a higher mortality rate of cancer patients, on contrary, nutritional therapy has been associated with higher chances of survival.
Methods: This study was conducted at Aga Khan Hospital, Mombasa using a casecontrol research design. Information was sought through  patients’ health records involving cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy alone and those undergoing both chemotherapy and medical nutrition therapy. Collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. This study sought the impact medical nutritional therapy and social demography on cancer patients.
Results: The results recorded highest cases breast followed by ovarian cancer. Patients above 55 years recorded higher cases of cancer. More cases were recorded in urban compared to rural. The overall mean tumor shrinkage during and after treatment was from 2.5 to 1.67 cm in the case-study compared to increase from 2.30 to 2.62 cm in control. BMI for case-study increased from an overall mean of 19.92 ± 2.1 to 21.10 ± 1.9 Kg/M2 while for control it reduced from 22.40 ± 1.6 to 20.90 ± 1.6 Kg/M2 . p-value < 0.05 showed significant difference in mean BMI among patients suffering from all the cancer types apart from lungs and colon.
Conclusion: There is a positive correlation between medical nutritional therapy and cancer treatment by chemotherapy. There is need for further research covering more hospitals before making conclusive recommendation.