Colorectal cancer patients with malnutrition suffer poor physical and mental health before surgery.

BACKGROUND

To determine whether there is an association between preoperative nutritional status and preoperative physical function, patient-reported quality of life, and body composition in colorectal cancer patients awaiting elective surgery.

METHODS

We conducted a pooled analysis of individual baseline patient data (n = 266) collected from 5 prehabilitation trials in colorectal cancer surgery. All data were collected approximately 4 weeks before surgery. Each patient's nutritional status was evaluated using the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment: scores 4-8 indicated need for nutritional treatment, whereas ≥9 indicated critical need for a nutrition intervention. Physical function was measured with the 6-minute walk test; patient-reported quality of life was captured with the SF-36; body mass and composition were determined using multifrequency bioelectrical impedance.

RESULTS

Mean Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment score was 5.3 (standard deviation: 3.9). Approximately two-thirds of patients had a Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment of 4-8 or ≥9 (n = 162/266). The 6-minute walk test was progressively worse with higher Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment scores (PG-SGA <4: 471(119) m; PG-SGA 4-8: 417(125) m; PG-SGA ≥9: 311(125) m, P < .001). Every component of the SF-36 was lower in those with a Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment ≥9 compared to Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment <4, indicating that malnourished patients suffer worse quality of life. Interestingly, only the male patients with a Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment ≥9 presented with statistically significant lower body mass, reduced fat-free mass index, and a lower percent body fat relative to those with Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment <4, in part due to the higher variability among the females.

CONCLUSION

The consequences of malnutrition are far-reaching and are strongly associated with the physical and mental health of colorectal cancer patients awaiting elective resection.