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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is a major problem in children with cancer, Nutritional assessment is an essential component of the history and physical examination. Malnutrition is an unspecific term used to define an inappropriate nutritional condition that is characterized either by a deficiency or                       an excess of energy, protein, and other nutrients.  AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the nutritional status of patients newly diagnosed with malignancy, and to show                     the correlation between malnutrition and different age, type of malignancy, duration of presentation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective study carried out on 150 patients between 2-15 years newly diagnosed with malignancy admitted to Child’s Central Teaching Hospital for the period from 1st of April 2020 to 31st of January 2021, exclusion criteria was age less than 2years and patients who receive chemotherapy, nutritional status included weight for age, height for age, triceps skin fold thickness, mid upper arm circumference, Body Mass Index were calculated. RESULTS: 150 patients &300 control, patients distributed as leukemia were 83 patients (55.3%), lymphoma were 30 patients (20%) and solid tumors were 37 patients (24.7%) , Regarding age and sex distribution,  patient aged 2- 15 years mean male to female ratio is 1.25:1 , percentage of malnutrition is weight for age shows 63(42%), triceps skin fold thickness 40(26.6%), mid upper arm circumference 66(44%), Body Mass Index 66(44%)  which is statistically significant for  malnutrition between case and control except height for age which was not significant. CONCLUSION: In this study, there is a high prevalence of malnutrition among cancer patients at time of diagnosis.  

DOI

10.52573/ipmj.2021.177174

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