There is increasing evidence about the role of inflammation in sarcopenia and tumor progression; thus, its modulation would represent a valuable strategy for improving clinical outcomes in patients with cancer. Several studies have reported that whey protein has significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics in humans. We aimed to evaluate the effects of whey protein-based oral nutritional support on circulating cytokines in patients with solid tumors undergoing systemic treatment. Forty-six patients with solid tumors of different origin and undergoing systemic treatment were evaluated. Nutritional support with two daily whey protein-based oral supplements was administered. Circulating levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, MCP-1 and IP-10 were determined. Nutritional evaluation included anthropometric, instrumental and biochemical parameters. Over 63% of the evaluated patients underwent surgery, 56.5% required chemotherapy and almost 50% received combined treatment. Patients with resected primary tumor presented with lower baseline IL-6 (p < 0.05) and IP-10 (p < 0.001); after three months of nutritional support, they presented with lower IL-8 (p < 0.05) and tended to present lower IL-6 and IP-10 (p = 0.053 and 0.067, respectively). Significant positive correlations between circulating cytokines, C-reactive protein and ferritin were observed; similarly, negative correlations with anthropometric and biochemical nutritional parameters were noticed (p < 0.05). We did not observe significant changes in circulating cytokine levels (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, MCP-1 and IP-10) in patients with cancer undergoing systemic treatment after three months of nutritional support with whey protein-based oral supplements. According to a univariate analysis in our cohort, circulating IL-8 was associated with mortality in these patients, additionally, MCP-1 and IP-10 tended to correlate; but an age- and sex-adjusted multivariate analysis revealed that only baseline MCP-1 was significantly associated with mortality (OR 1.03 (95% CI: 1.00-1.05)). In conclusion, surgery of the primary solid tumor and combination treatment allow significant reduction in circulating cytokine levels, which remained stable while patients received nutritional support with whey protein-based oral supplements over three months. The role of MCP-1 as an independent factor for mortality in these patients should be further evaluated.
Cytokines , Inflammation , Neoplasms , Nutritional Support , Whey Proteins , Humans , Female , Male , Middle Aged , Aged , Inflammation/blood , Nutritional Support/methods , Cytokines/blood , Adult , Dietary Supplements , Chemokine CCL2/blood
(1) Background: Malnutrition frequently affects patients with cancer, and it negatively impacts treatment tolerance, clinical outcomes and survival. Thus, appropriate nutritional screening and early nutrition support are extremely recommended. Currently, a significant number of oral supplements (OS) are commercially available; despite this, there is a lack of evidence for recommending specific OS, including leucine-enriched OS, for nutritional support in patients with cancer. (2) Aim: To compare the clinical evolution of patients with cancer (undergoing systemic treatment) that received standard hypercaloric, whey protein-based hyperproteic oral supplements vs. hypercaloric, hyperproteic leucine-enriched OS using a novel morphofunctional nutritional evaluation. (3) Patients and methods: This paper details an open-label, controlled clinical study in which patients were randomly assigned to receive nutritional treatment with whey protein-based hyperproteic oral supplements (control group) vs. hypercaloric, hyperproteic leucine-enriched OS (intervention group) during a twelve-week period. Forty-six patients were included; epidemiological, clinical, anthropometric, ultrasound (muscle echography of the rectus femoris muscle of the quadriceps and abdominal adipose tissue) and biochemical evaluation were performed. All patients received additional supplementation with vitamin D. (4) Results: Nutritional parameters (including bioimpedance, anthropometric, ultrasound and biochemical variables) of all included patients remained stable after the nutritional intervention. Extracellular mass tended to increase in the patients that received the leucine-enriched formula. Functionality (evaluated through the stand-up test) improved in both groups (p < 0.001). Prealbumin, transferrin levels and superficial adipose tissue increased in the control group (p < 0.05), while self-reported quality of life improved in all the evaluated patients (p < 0.001). (5) Conclusions: Nutritional support with hypercaloric, hyperproteic (with whey protein) OS and vitamin D supplementation were associated with the maintenance of body composition and improvements in functionality and in quality of life in the patients with cancer undergoing systemic treatment. No significant benefits were observed when a leucine-enriched formula was used.
Neoplasms , Sarcopenia , Humans , Leucine/pharmacology , Whey Proteins/pharmacology , Nutrition Assessment , Quality of Life , Dietary Supplements , Nutritional Status , Vitamin D/therapeutic use , Vitamin D/pharmacology , Neoplasms/therapy , Neoplasms/drug therapy
Malnutrition in patients with head and neck cancer is frequent, multifactorial and widely associated with clinical evolution and prognosis. Accurate nutritional assessments allow for early identification of patients at risk of malnutrition in order to start nutritional support and prevent sarcopenia. We aimed to perform a novel morphofunctional nutritional evaluation and explore changes in inflammasome-machinery components in 45 patients with head and neck cancer who are undergoing systemic treatment. To this aim, an epidemiological/clinical/anthropometric/biochemical evaluation was performed. Serum RCP, IL6 and molecular expression of inflammasome-components and inflammatory-associated factors (NOD-like-receptors, inflammasome-activation-components, cytokines and inflammation/apoptosis-related components, cell-cycle and DNA-damage regulators) were evaluated in peripheral-blood mononuclear-cells (PBMCs). Clinical-molecular correlations/associations were analyzed. Coherent and complementary information was obtained in the morphofunctional nutritional assessment of the patients when bioimpedance, anthropometric and ultrasound data were analyzed. These factors were also correlated with different biochemical and molecular parameters, revealing the complementary aspect of the whole evaluation. Serum reactive C protein (RCP) and IL6 were the most reliable parameters for determining patients with decreased standardized phase angle, which is associated with increased mortality in patients with solid malignancies. Several inflammasome-components were dysregulated in patients with malnutrition, decreased phase angle and dependency grade or increased circulating inflammation markers. A molecular fingerprint based on gene-expression of certain inflammasome factors (p27/CCL2/ASC) in PBMCs accurately differentiated patients with and without malnutrition. In conclusion, malnutrition induces a profound alteration in the gene-expression pattern of inflammasome-machinery components in PBMCs. A comprehensive nutritional assessment including novel morphofunctional techniques and molecular markers allows a broad characterization of the nutritional status in cancer patients. Profile of certain inflammasome-components should be further studied as potential targets for nutrition-focused treatment strategies in cancer patients.
BACKGROUND: Malnutrition and sarcopenia affect clinical outcomes and treatment response in cancer patients. Patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) may present with additional symptoms related to tumor localization in the gastrointestinal tract and hormone secretion, increasing the risk and effects of sarcopenia. AIM: To explore the presence of malnutrition and sarcopenia in gastroenteropancreatic (GEP)-NEN patients, their relation to tumor characteristics, patient outcomes, survival and the molecular expression of ghrelin system components in the tumor. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One-hundred-and-four patients were included. Anthropometric, biochemical and CT-scans at diagnosis were evaluated. The expression levels of key ghrelin system components were assessed in 63 tumor samples. RESULTS: Nutritional parameters were similar in GEP-NEN tumors of different origin. Relapsed disease was associated with decreased BMI. Patients who presented with weight loss at diagnosis had significantly lower overall survival (108 (25-302) vs. 263 (79-136) months). Ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) enzyme expression was higher in these patients. The prevalence of sarcopenia using CT images reached 87.2%. Mortality was observed only in patients with sarcopenia. Muscle evaluation was correlated with biochemical parameters but not with the expression of ghrelin system components. CONCLUSION: Survival is related to the nutritional status of patients with GEP-NENs and also to the molecular expression of some relevant ghrelin system components. Routine nutritional evaluation should be performed in these patients, in order to prescribe appropriate nutritional support, when necessary, for increasing quality of life and improving clinical outcomes.
BACKGROUND: avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a new eating disorder category among eating disorders. Its recent incorporation explains the lack of studies evaluating the optimal treatment and follow-up of patients with this disorder. CASE REPORT: we present the case of a 20-year-old patient with 3-week dysphagia and 20% weight loss. After ruling out organic disorders, he was diagnosed with ARFID and required parenteral and tube feeding until the improvement of the eating disorder. DISCUSSION: in this patient, severe caloric malnutrition secondary to the eating disorder made it necessary to turn to the parenteral and enteral approach until the behavioral modification and progressive food exposure were effective. The absence of etiological treatment makes cognitive behavioral intervention, along with the correction of nutritional deficiencies, the preferred approach.
Introducción: el trastorno de evitación/restricción de la ingesta alimentaria es una nueva categoría diagnóstica en el espectro de trastornos de la alimentación. Su reciente aparición explica la falta de estudios que evalúen el tratamiento y seguimiento de pacientes con esta patología.Caso clínico: presentamos el caso de un paciente de 20 años con disfagia de tres semanas de evolución y pérdida del 20% de peso, diagnosticado de trastorno de evitación/restricción de la ingesta alimentaria tras descartar organicidad del proceso, con necesidad de nutrición parenteral y enteral como tratamiento nutricional hasta mejoría clínica.Discusión: en este paciente, la desnutrición calórica grave secundaria al trastorno alimentario hizo necesario recurrir al aporte parenteral y enteral hasta la modificación conductual y la reintroducción paulatina de la alimentación por vía oral. La ausencia de tratamiento etiológico hace que la terapia conductual junto con la corrección de los déficits nutricionales sean la base del manejo.
Deglutition Disorders/therapy , Emergency Medical Services , Feeding and Eating Disorders/therapy , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Deglutition Disorders/etiology , Emergency Service, Hospital , Enteral Nutrition , Feeding and Eating Disorders/etiology , Humans , Male , Malnutrition/etiology , Malnutrition/therapy , Young Adult
Introducción: el trastorno de evitación/restricción de la ingesta alimentaria es una nueva categoría diagnóstica en el espectro de trastornos de la alimentación. Su reciente aparición explica la falta de estudios que evalúen el tratamiento y seguimiento de pacientes con esta patología. Caso clínico: presentamos el caso de un paciente de 20 años con disfagia de tres semanas de evolución y pérdida del 20% de peso, diagnosticado de trastorno de evitación/restricción de la ingesta alimentaria tras descartar organicidad del proceso, con necesidad de nutrición parenteral y enteral como tratamiento nutricional hasta mejoría clínica. Discusión: en este paciente, la desnutrición calórica grave secundaria al trastorno alimentario hizo necesario recurrir al aporte parenteral y enteral hasta la modificación conductual y la reintroducción paulatina de la alimentación por vía oral. La ausencia de tratamiento etiológico hace que la terapia conductual junto con la corrección de los déficits nutricionales sean la base del manejo
Background: avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a new eating disorder category among eating disorders. Its recent incorporation explains the lack of studies evaluating the optimal treatment and follow-up of patients with this disorder. Case report: we present the case of a 20-year-old patient with 3-week dysphagia and 20% weight loss. After ruling out organic disorders, he was diagnosed with ARFID and required parenteral and tube feeding until the improvement of the eating disorder. Discussion: in this patient, severe caloric malnutrition secondary to the eating disorder made it necessary to turn to the parenteral and enteral approach until the behavioral modification and progressive food exposure were effective. The absence of etiological treatment makes cognitive behavioral intervention, along with the correction of nutritional deficiencies, the preferred approach
Humans , Male , Young Adult , Deglutition Disorders/therapy , Emergency Medical Services , Feeding and Eating Disorders/therapy , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Deglutition Disorders/etiology , Emergency Service, Hospital , Enteral Nutrition , Feeding and Eating Disorders/etiology , Malnutrition/etiology , Malnutrition/therapy
