Department of Nursing, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
College of Nursing, Graduate Institute of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Support Care Cancer. 2024 Nov 26;32(12):825. doi: 10.1007/s00520-024-09050-9.
During and after treatment, esophageal cancer (EC) patients experience changes in body mass index (BMI), performance status, nutrition status, symptom distress, and physical fitness. This study aims to evaluate temporal changes and their associated factors in BMI, performance status, nutrition status, symptom distress, physical fitness, and functional ability in EC patients during and after treatment.
This prospective longitudinal study recruited EC patients from a medical center in Northern Taiwan. The 100 EC patients were assessed before treatment (T0), 1 month after starting treatment (T1), 3 months after starting treatment (end of treatment) (T2), and 6 months after starting treatment (T3). Generalized estimating equation analysis was used to determine the factors associated with changes in functional ability over time.
Patient nutrition status was lowest before treatment and then increased by 6 months after treatment. Symptom distress slightly decreased from before treatment to 3 months after treatment, rising at 6 months after treatment but not reaching baseline (T0). Functional ability increased from before treatment to 1 month after treatment and then declined at 3 months after starting treatment, increasing at 6 months to below baseline (T0). Patients who had a BMI less than 25 kg/m, engaged less in physical activity, and were less physically fit were more likely to have worse functional ability.
BMI, level of physical activity, and the degree of physical fitness were the important factors associated with functional ability in EC patients. Healthcare professionals should design patient-tailored prehabilitation programs in advance to strengthen physical fitness.
在治疗期间和治疗后，食管癌（EC）患者的体重指数（BMI）、身体状况、营养状况、症状困扰和身体适应性会发生变化。本研究旨在评估 EC 患者在治疗期间和治疗后 BMI、身体状况、营养状况、症状困扰、身体适应性和功能能力的时间变化及其相关因素。
本前瞻性纵向研究招募了来自台湾北部一家医疗中心的 100 名 EC 患者。这些患者在治疗前（T0）、开始治疗后 1 个月（T1）、开始治疗后 3 个月（治疗结束）（T2）和开始治疗后 6 个月（T3）进行评估。使用广义估计方程分析来确定与功能能力随时间变化相关的因素。
患者的营养状况在治疗前最低，然后在治疗后 6 个月增加。症状困扰从治疗前到治疗后 3 个月略有下降，在治疗后 6 个月上升，但未达到基线（T0）。功能能力从治疗前增加到治疗后 1 个月，然后在开始治疗后 3 个月下降，在治疗后 6 个月增加到低于基线（T0）。BMI 低于 25kg/m²、身体活动较少和身体适应性较差的患者更有可能出现功能能力下降。
BMI、身体活动水平和身体适应性是 EC 患者功能能力的重要相关因素。医疗保健专业人员应提前设计针对患者的康复计划，以增强身体适应性。
