Performance status of male and female advanced cancer patients is independently predicted by mid-upper arm circumference measurement.

In the advanced cancer patient, performance status has considerable prognostic power. Karnofsky performance status, together with variables reported to influence its score, was measured in advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients (n = 148). For male and female patients, age, body mass index, weight loss, triceps skinfold thickness, mid-upper arm circumference, albumin, C-reactive protein, and tumor type and stage were regressed against Karnofsky performance status. On multiple regression analysis, only mid-upper arm circumference and log10 C-reactive protein in men (r2 = 0.462, P < 0.0001) and only mid-upper arm circumference and weight loss in women (r2 = 0.485, P < 0.01) were independent predictors of Karnofsky performance status. There was a significant partial correlation, with gender as a covariable, between log10 C-reactive protein and albumin (r = -0.530, P < 0.0001) and mid-upper arm circumference (r = -0.269, P = 0.035) and weight loss (r = 0.286, P = 0.024). The results of the present study indicate that mid-upper arm circumference is a major factor that influences performance status in male and female patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer.