Smith J L, Malinauskas B M, Garner K J, Barber-Heidal K
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858-4353, USA.
Adv Med Sci. 2008;53(2):198-204. doi: 10.2478/v10039-008-0019-7.
The opinions and perceptions of patients are crucial throughout the cancer treatment process, as treatment is more effective when patient concerns are addressed. The present study was designed to identify history of weight loss since initiation of cancer treatment, specific nutrition-related problems and concerns (including food aversions, factors contributing to poor food intake and perceived nutrition-related problems), nutrition advice received by cancer treatment patients, and relations between items studied and reported unintentional weight loss.
A 23-item survey was completed by a convenience sample of 79 patients from treatment centers at a community hospital and oncologist office, of which 66 were included in the final analysis. Descriptive statistics included means, standard error, 95% confidence intervals, and frequency distributions. ANOVA and Pearson chi2 were used to evaluate differences in responses by treatment type and relations between items studied and reported unintentional weight loss. Twenty-seven (41%) of the 66 (27 males, 39 females) were receiving radiation, 20 (30%) chemotherapy, and 19 (29%) both.
Unintentional weight loss occurred for 41% since initiation of treatment (13% deficit), 27% had food aversions, 52% reported factors contributing to poor food intake, 50% had nutrition-related problems since initiation of treatment, and 89% had received nutrition advice. The prevalence of unintentional weight loss was significantly greater among patients who reported having food aversions, factors that had contributed to poor food intake, or nutrition-related problems.
This study demonstrates that adults commonly present with factors that contribute to poor food intake and perceive nutrition-related problems resulting from cancer treatment. Further, there is a greater prevalence of unintentional weight loss among those who report food aversions and perceive nutrition-related problems. The findings provide a framework that may aid healthcare providers in recognizing nutrition-related concerns and needs of cancer patients.
患者的意见和看法在整个癌症治疗过程中至关重要，因为当患者的担忧得到解决时，治疗会更有效。本研究旨在确定自癌症治疗开始以来的体重减轻史、特定的营养相关问题和担忧（包括食物厌恶、导致食物摄入量低的因素以及感知到的营养相关问题）、癌症治疗患者收到的营养建议，以及所研究项目与报告的非故意体重减轻之间的关系。
来自社区医院治疗中心和肿瘤医生办公室的79名患者组成的便利样本完成了一项包含23个项目的调查，最终分析纳入了其中66名患者。描述性统计包括均值、标准误差、95%置信区间和频率分布。方差分析和Pearson卡方检验用于评估不同治疗类型的反应差异以及所研究项目与报告的非故意体重减轻之间的关系。66名患者（27名男性，39名女性）中，27名（41%）正在接受放疗，20名（30%）接受化疗，19名（29%）两者都接受。
自治疗开始以来，41%的患者出现非故意体重减轻（13%体重不足），27%的患者有食物厌恶，52%的患者报告了导致食物摄入量低的因素，50%的患者自治疗开始以来有营养相关问题，89%的患者接受过营养建议。报告有食物厌恶、导致食物摄入量低的因素或营养相关问题的患者中，非故意体重减轻的患病率显著更高。
本研究表明，成年人通常存在导致食物摄入量低的因素，并感知到癌症治疗引起的营养相关问题。此外，报告有食物厌恶和感知到营养相关问题的患者中非故意体重减轻的患病率更高。这些发现提供了一个框架，可能有助于医疗保健提供者认识癌症患者的营养相关担忧和需求。
