Establishment of nutritional therapy for patients receiving outpatient cancer chemotherapy to improve quality of life

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19660
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Miyake Sachi 川崎医療福祉大学, 医療技術学部, 講師 (80633859)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: がん患者 / 外来化学療法 / PG-SGA / 栄養介入 / 栄養療法 / SMI

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Maintaining and improving the nutritional status of outpatient cancer chemotherapy patients is important to ensure the safety and sustainability of chemotherapy and patient quality of life. The key here is the early detection of malnourished patients and the implementation of effective nutritional interventions. This study aimed to obtain underlying data for providing standardized nutritional guidance to outpatient cancer chemotherapy patients. The results showed that nutritional intervention had certain effects, such as increased food intake and reduced weight loss. However, in patients who were already malnourished, adequate dietary intake (appropriate nutritional support) was not associated with improved nutritional status or physical condition, highlighting the need for early nutritional intervention during chemotherapy.

Free Research Field

臨床栄養

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果は、すでに重度の低栄養に陥ったがん患者の場合、栄養療法のみでは全身的な改善は得られないことを物語っている。しかし、外来がん化学療法患者における栄養評価としてPG-SGAの有用性を改めて示し、早期栄養介入を実現可能にするための指標として、SMI(四肢骨格筋量)が候補となる可能性を示唆する知見が得られた。管理栄養士による栄養介入が、化学療法による食事摂取量および体重の減少抑制に貢献する基礎データとなり得る成果を得ると同時に、患者個々の状態に応じた栄養サポートの標準化を目指すための課題も提示した。