Authors :
Roberta de Lucena Ferretti; Eliana Maria Monteiro Caran
Volume/Issue :
Volume 8 - 2023, Issue 4 - April
Google Scholar :
https://bit.ly/3TmGbDi
Scribd :
https://bit.ly/40UdMaP
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7811186
Abstract :
Malnutrition in pediatric oncology is
considered common, and this diagnosis may be
underestimated according to the evaluation method.
Causes of nutritional problems (malnutrition,
overweight and obesity) are multiple and dynamic, and
may vary according to different stages: diagnosis,
chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery and treatment
completion. Patients with some histological types of
neoplasms such as carcinomas, bone tumors and
lymphomas are more prone to malnutrition. Difficulties
in the ingestion and absorption of nutrients can occur
due to psychological causes, pain, mucositis, vomiting,
nausea, dysgeusia and dysosmia. A relevant aspect is
that nutritional status of cancer patients affects the
intensity of symptoms, disease prognosis and quality of
life, in addition to influencing the pharmacokinetics and
pharmacodynamics of drugs used in antineoplastic
therapy, with deleterious consequences in terms of
effectiveness and safety caused toxicity. However, early
diagnosis of malnutrition favors the use of nutritional
supplements whose experiences described in the
literature demonstrate effectiveness in children and
adolescents with cancer. Real knowledge of the incidence
of malnutrition may allow early initiation of preventive
and therapeutic measures with an influence on the
prognosis and quality of life of this special group of
children and adolescents.
Keywords :
Malnutrition. Children. Adolescents. Malignant Neoplasms.
Malnutrition in pediatric oncology is
considered common, and this diagnosis may be
underestimated according to the evaluation method.
Causes of nutritional problems (malnutrition,
overweight and obesity) are multiple and dynamic, and
may vary according to different stages: diagnosis,
chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery and treatment
completion. Patients with some histological types of
neoplasms such as carcinomas, bone tumors and
lymphomas are more prone to malnutrition. Difficulties
in the ingestion and absorption of nutrients can occur
due to psychological causes, pain, mucositis, vomiting,
nausea, dysgeusia and dysosmia. A relevant aspect is
that nutritional status of cancer patients affects the
intensity of symptoms, disease prognosis and quality of
life, in addition to influencing the pharmacokinetics and
pharmacodynamics of drugs used in antineoplastic
therapy, with deleterious consequences in terms of
effectiveness and safety caused toxicity. However, early
diagnosis of malnutrition favors the use of nutritional
supplements whose experiences described in the
literature demonstrate effectiveness in children and
adolescents with cancer. Real knowledge of the incidence
of malnutrition may allow early initiation of preventive
and therapeutic measures with an influence on the
prognosis and quality of life of this special group of
children and adolescents.
Keywords :
Malnutrition. Children. Adolescents. Malignant Neoplasms.
