Nutritional Intervention in Egyptian Pediatric Patients with Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy Treatment

Abstract

Background: When it comes to pediatric cancer, nutrition could have a role in nearly every aspect of cancer control for supportive care,  treatment, and recovery. The purpose of this work was to improve the nutritional status of pediatric patients with cancer and to evaluate  the impact of nutritional counseling and support among these children.

Methods: This interventional study was carried out on 54 children; they were categorized into two groups (27 in each group): the  interventional group (group 1) that included patients who had cancer and undergone chemotherapy with complete nutritional  intervention, and the nonintervention group (group 2) that included patients who had cancer and undergone the chemotherapy and  refuse to complete nutrition intervention. All patients were subjected to nutritional status and anthropometric assessment at diagnosis  and during treatment, to detect clinical outcome. Biochemical assessment was done for all patients, including CBC. direct bilirubin, ALT  and AST, albumin and prealbumin, creatinine, and electrolyte test (Ph, Mg, K+ , and Na+ ).

Results: Statistically significant increases were  revealed in the degree of malnutrition among the group 2 compared to the group 1 on the 30th, 60th day, and 90th day of follow-up  (p<0.05), also statistically significant increases were revealed in the visits of dietitian and administration of nutritional supplements in  cases of the interventional group when compared to group 2 during different times of treatment and follow up (p=0.01, 0.006 respectively). Statistically significant decreases were found in the mean Hb, HT, and creatinine (p=0.02, 0.01, and <0.001, respectively) and  statistically significant increases in direct bilirubin at the 45th day of follow-up among the nonintervention group compared to the  interventional group (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Nutritional intervention could have a positive effect on anthropometric measures, quality of  life, biochemical analysis and hematological findings at different times of follow-up among studied children with cancer.