Association Between Nutrition Status and Survival in Elderly Patients With Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Background: Aging patients with cancer have a higher risk of mortality and treatment-associated morbidity than younger patients. Nutrition status may play an important role in cancer mortality. We aimed to evaluate the survival time of elderly patients with colorectal cancer and its association with body mass index (BMI), the patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA), and phase angle (PA).

Materials and methods: BMI, PG-SGA, and PA were determined for all patients (n = 250) at first assessment.

Results: Seventy-one (28.4%) patients were in active oncologic treatment (group 1) and 179 (71.6%) were in remission (group 2). At the time of the analysis, 73 (29.2%) patients had died and 177 (70.8%) were censored. The mean (standard deviation) age was 70.9 (7.49) years; 17.2% were undernourished, 56% normal weight, and 26.8% were overweight. According to the PG-SGA, 35.2% of patients needed some nutrition intervention and 4.4% needed it urgently. The mean PA was 4.94 ± 1°. PG-SGA, tumor stage, and PA differed significantly ( P < .001) between the groups; BMI did not ( P = .459). Severe malnutrition (PG-SGA C), compared with PG-SGA A, was associated with a relative hazard of death of 12.04 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.43-42.19, P < .001). PA >5° was associated with better prognosis: a relative hazard of 0.456 (95% CI, 0.263-0.792; P < .005).

Conclusion: Among elderly patients with colorectal cancer, PA and PG-SGA were prognosis factors. PA >5° was associated with best survival and PG-SGA C with worst survival.

Keywords: PG-SGA; bioelectrical impedance; colorectal cancer; nutrition assessment; nutritional status; phase angle; survival.