High prevalence of malnutrition and nutrition impact symptoms in older patients with cancer: Results of a Brazilian multicenter study

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition in cancer is an independent factor associated with negative clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition across different age groups in patients with cancer in Brazil and to identify associations with nutrition impact symptoms (NIS). METHODS: In this observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study, the authors evaluated 4783 patients with cancer aged >/=20 years who were admitted to 45 public hospitals in Brazil. Nutritional status, nutritional risk, and NIS were evaluated using the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment. RESULTS: More than one-fourth (25.5%) of all participants were aged >/=65 years. In patients aged >/=65 years, the prevalence of moderate/suspected and severe malnutrition was 55%, it was 45.4% in those aged 51 to 64 years, and it was 36.1% in those aged /=65 years were no appetite (odds ratio [OR], 1.90; 95% CI, 1.62-2.22; P /=65 years who have cancer. The occurrence of NIS was higher in the population aged >50 years than in those aged