[The impact of early postoperative enteral nutrition on nutritional status and immune function in breast cancer patients after neoadjuvant therapy].

Objective

To investigate the effects of early postoperative enteral nutrition on nutritional status, immune function, and postoperative recovery in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy.

Methods

A total of 90 breast cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from August 2024 to May 2025 were enrolled. A randomized controlled study design was adopted, and the patients were divided into a control group (n=45) and a study group (n=45) using a random number table method. The perioperative diet for both groups followed the nutritional principles of adequate energy, high protein, high vitamins, and low fat, ensuring a daily caloric intake of approximately 2 000 kcal per person. Patients in the study group additionally received an oral special medical purpose formula food for tumor nutrition. Nutritional intervention in both groups started on the first day after surgery and continued until the seventh day after surgery. Nutritional indicators, immune function parameters, and surgery-related complications were compared between the two groups before and after intervention.

Results

Baseline characteristics were balanced between the study group and the control group. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in age, body mass index, Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 score, pathological type, or disease stage (all P＞0.05). Before the intervention, there were also no statistically significant differences in nutritional indicators (serum total protein, serum albumin) or immune function parameters (T lymphocyte subsets CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺ratio, immunoglobulins IgA, IgG, IgM) between the two groups (all P＞0.05). After the intervention, the nutritional indicator levels in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group: serum total protein was (72.42±3.61) g/L vs (70.74±3.76) g/L (t=2.040, P=0.045); serum albumin was (42.96±2.20) g/L vs (42.02±1.97) g/L (t=2.027, P=0.046). Additionally, some immune function parameters in the study group were also better than those in the control group: CD3⁺ was 75.41%±7.72% vs 69.26%±8.55% (t=2.814, P=0.007); CD8⁺ was 31.39%±9.43% vs 26.30%±6.89% (t=2.230, P=0.030); the levels of IgA, IgG, and IgM in the study group were also significantly higher than those in the control group (all P＜0.05). In terms of postoperative recovery, the drainage tube removal time in the study group was significantly shorter than that in the control group [(17.05±5.65) days vs (19.59±5.54) days; t=-2.029, P=0.046]. The suture removal time and incidence of poor wound healing were also lower in the study group than in the control group, but the differences were not statistically significant (both P＞0.05).

Conclusion

Early postoperative enteral nutrition support can effectively improve the nutritional status of breast cancer patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, enhance immune function to a certain extent, and promote postoperative recovery.