Abstract

• This study was conducted to identify appetite and nutritional status of 48 cancer patients who have been irradiated over 150 cm2 on chest or pelvic area over the three-month period. The data were gathered 3 phases, Each from initiation to completion of radiotherapy through the questionnaires of anorexia, the anthropometric and biochemical measures were used such as weight, TSF, MAC, MAMC, serum albumin and hemoglobin, TLC. Using SAS program, data were analyzed by percentage, Mean+/-SD, and two-way repeated measures ANOVA. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Eighty five percent(85%) of the subjects were aged from fifties to sixties. Cancers in the chest area occurred in 100% of men, 56% of the all subjects. The other 44% were pelvic cancer and 71% of the pelvic cancer occurred in women. 2. There were no significant differences in the appetite scores by all groups(characteristics). Changes of the appetite score over time were statistically significant by age, sex, cancer areas staging, treatment modality, and radiation dosage (F=4.0, p=.022; t=6.09, p=.003; t=4.90, p=.009; F=3.28, p=.042; t=5.04, p=.0084; t=4.76, p=.011). The appetite score on the 2nd phase (4 weeks after initiating radiotherapy) decreased from the 1st phase (initiating irradiation), and then increased on the 3rd phase (completing irradiation). 3. There were no significant differences in the body weight and MAMC by all characteristics, and no changes in the body weight and MAMC over time. However there were significant differences of TSF, MAC, level of hemoglobin, level of albumin, and TLC by all characteristics during the three phases. TSF of the men and the chest cancer were lower than those of the women and the pelvic cancer (t=73.20, p=.0001; t=22.91, p=.0001). And there was significant difference by cancer staging(F=3.19, p=.050). But there was no change in TSF over time. MAC of the men and the chest cancer were lower than those of the women and the pelvic cancer each(t=9.23, p=.004; t=17.85, p=.0001). But no change in MAC over time. Levels of hemoglobin had significant differences by age, sex and cancer areas; levels of hemoglobin of older than the fifties, men, and chest area were higher than those on the others(F=3.82, p=.029; t=21.75, p=.0001; t=8.71, p=.005). Levels of albumin were significant differences by sex and cancer areas; levels of albumin on women, and pelvic area were higher than those on the others(t=6.34, p=.015; t=15.23, p=.0003). While the levels of hemoglobin were changed over time, levels of albumin were not changed and within normal limit. TLC of the men was higher than women(t=5.05, p=.029). Changes in the level of hemoglobin over time were statistically significant according to sex, cancer areas, and radiation dosage(t=3.49, p=.035; t=3.36, p=.039; t=4.04, p=.021).
• Keywords: Cancer patient; Radiotherapy; Appetite status; Nutritional status; Prospective study

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