The impact of total parenteral nutrition on postoperative recovery in patients treated for advanced stage ovarian cancer

Total Parenteral Nutrition Treatment Improves the Nutrition Status of Gynecological Cancer Patients by Improving Serum Albumin Level

Background

Malnutrition is often observed in gynecological cancer patients, however its prevalence in these patients remains largely unexplored. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is a nutritional intervention method that has controversial treatment outcome on gynecological cancer patients. The present retrospective study is designed to evaluate the nutrition status and TPN treatment outcome on patients diagnosed with endometrial, cervical or ovarian malignant tumors.

Methods

Medical records of a total of 263 patients treated at the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, China were included. Nutrition status was assessed by patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA). Patients were grouped based on nutrition status, cancer type or treatment strategy for clinical characteristic comparison. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors for malnutrition status and hospital stay duration.

Results

Presence of endometrial and cervical cancer, body weight before nutritional intervention and serum albumin level (P < 0.001 for all) were found to be significant predictors for malnutrition status in gynecological cancer patients. In the malnourished patients, those who were treated with TPN had significantly lower serum albumin levels before and after treatment (P < 0.001) and PG-SGA scores after treatment. Also, TPN treatment could significantly increase the serum albumin levels in these patients after 1 week. In addition, shorter hospitalization period was needed for TPN-treated endometrial (P = 0.019) and ovarian (P < 0.001) patients. Moreover, serum albumin levels (P < 0.001), use of TPN treatment (P = 0.025) and nutrition status (P = 0.010) were identified to be independent predictors for hospital stay duration.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that malnutrition is a significant clinical manifestation in gynecological cancer patients who may benefit from TPN treatment for reduced hospitalization and improved serum albumin levels.

Research Status and Progress of Nutritional Support Therapy for Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is one of the most fatal gynecological cancers. For most ovarian cancer patients, nutritional risk or malnutrition may accompany them for life. Regular nutritional risk screening, timely nutritional assessment and necessary nutritional treatment play an extremely important role in the process of comprehensive treatment of ovarian cancer. The nutritional status and influence of ovarian cancer patients, preoperative screening and assessment of nutritional risk, preoperative and postoperative nutritional treatment indicate that nutritional treatment of ovarian cancer is one of the key factors in the treatment of cancer. We have summarized the status and progress of nutritional support therapy for ovarian cancer. We are aimed to improve the understanding of the impact of nutritional support therapy for ovarian cancer and to guide the clinical work.

Exploring the malnutrition status and impact of total parenteral nutrition on the outcome of patients with advanced stage ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

Ovarian cancer is a common cancer type in women and is often associated with onset of malnutrition. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is a nutritional intervention method that has been reported to have controversial effect on cancer patients. In the present retrospective study, we sought to explore the prevalence of malnutrition assessed by the Nutritional Risk Index (NRI) and its association with survival in advanced stage ovarian cancer patients. We also compared the post-operative outcome of the malnourished patients treated with either TPN or conservative management.

RESULTS

A total of 415 patients with advanced stage ovarian cancer were separated into 4 nutrition groups based on the NRI scores. We found that a number of factors were significantly different among the 4 nutrition groups, including age, serum albumin level, BMI and NRI; among which serum albumin level and NRI were identified to be independent predictors of progression-free and overall survival. In the moderately and severely malnourished patients, those who were treated with TPN had significantly shorter hospitalization period, lower serum albumin level and lower BMI after surgery. In addition, serum albumin level, use of TPN and number of patients with complications were closely related to the hospital stay duration.

CONCLUSION

Malnutrition status is closely associated with survival of advanced stage ovarian cancer patients. These patients may benefit from TPN treatment for reduced hospitalization, especially with the onset of hypoalbuminemia.

Development and Validation of a Logic Model for Utilization of Nutrition Support among Patients with Cancer

Cancer is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and about one in six people die from cancer globally. Approximately 20% to 70% of cancer patients are accompanied with malnutrition, and nutrition support plays an important role among cancer patients. However, the utilization of nutrition support is generally irrational in clinical practices and it is affected by multiple factors. Logic models not only present a framework to improve intervention of health care setting but also identify all the elements, pathways, outcomes, and their relationships between systems. This study developed a logic model of nutrition support for cancer patients based on current literature and conducted interview with medical staff in Macao to validate the logic model. In addition, suggestions were given as references to improve the utilization of nutrition support among cancer patients.

Prognostic value of preoperative hyponatremia and thrombocytosis in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

Preoperative hyponatremia and thrombocytosis are associated with perioperative morbidity in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate preoperative hyponatremia and thrombocytosis as prognostic parameters in patients with EOC.

METHODS

In a retrospective cohort study, serum levels of sodium and thrombocyte counts were evaluated in 498 patients with EOC. Data were extracted from the prospectively maintained database. Results were correlated with clinicopathological parameters and patient survival.

RESULTS

Mean (standard deviation) overall pretherapeutic serum sodium levels and thrombocyte counts in patients with EOC were 138.8 (2.9) mmol/l and 340.1 (122.6) × 10³/µl, respectively. Hyponatremia (serum sodium levels ≤ 134 mmol/l) was found in 33 (6.7%) patients and thrombocytosis (thrombocytes ≥ 450/µl) in 88 (17.7%) patients. Serum sodium levels were associated with the presence or absence of residual tumor tissue after primary surgery. Thrombocyte counts were associated with Fédération Internationale de Gynécologie et d'Obstétrique (FIGO) tumor stage, presence/absence of residual tumor, histological grade and histological type. Patients with thrombocytosis presented with advanced tumor stage, a higher rate of postoperative residual tumor mass, higher tumor grade, and a higher rate of serous ovarian cancer. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, only the established clinicopathological parameters but not serum sodium and thrombocyte count were independent predictors of patient overall survival.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative hyponatremia and thrombocytosis are not useful as additional independent prognostic parameters in patients with EOC.