ABSTRACT

DISNutritional deficiency in children with cancer at the time of diagnosis is not much more than in children hospitalized due to acute infection. However, a temporary weight loss is observed in cancer patients during the follow up.

It was observed that the initial mean weight Z-score values of children with cancer significantly decreased by the 3rd and 6th months of the follow up, however, returned to initial levels by the 12th month. The decline in weight Z-sccres values were more obvious in patients with solid tumor, especially in those exposed to abdominal surgery.

There were no differences between the mean values of weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and height Z-score of the study and control groups. In addition, the rates of acute malnutrition (Relative weight <90%) and of underweight (BMI <5%) were similar in both groups. However, serum albumin levels, relative weight and weight Z-score values were significantly lower in control group than in children with cancer. The rates of underweights (weight Z-score <-2) and of chronic malnutritions (height Z-score <-2) were higher in control group.

One hundred and seventy children with cancer and 107 children representing the control group (the majority of them hospitalized due to acute infection) were enrolled in the study. Demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements and biochemical parameters were retrospectively obtained from the records.

In this study, we aimed to compare the initial nutritional status of children with cancer with those of the control group. We also aimed to identify the changes in nutritional status of children with cancer during the treatment.