Digestive toxicity in cancer treatments. Bibliographic review. Influence on nutritional status.

INTRODUCTION: The cause of death can be attributed to malnutrition in 10-20% of cancer patients. Patients with sarcopenia present more chemotherapy toxicity, less progression-free time, less functional capacity and more surgical complications. Antineoplastic treatments have a high prevalence of adverse effects that compromise nutritional status. The new chemotherapy agents present direct toxicity on the digestive tract (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and/or mucositis). We present the frequency of adverse effects with nutritional impact of the most frequent chemotherapy agents used in the treatment of solid tumours, as well as strategies for early diagnosis and nutritional treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of commonly used cancer treatments (cytotoxic agents, immunotherapy, targeted therapies) in colorectal, liver, pancreatic; lung, melanoma, bladder, ovary, prostate and kidney cancer. The frequency (%) of gastrointestinal effects, and those of grade ≥3 are recorded. A systematic bibliographic search was carried out in PubMed, Embase, UpToDate, international guides and technical data sheets. RESULTS: They are shown in the form of tables in which the drugs appear together with the probability that they present any digestive adverse effect and the percentage of serious adverse effects (Grade ≥ 3). DISCUSSION: Antineoplastic drugs are associated with a high frequency of digestive complications with nutritional repercussions, which can reduce QoL and cause death as a result of malnutrition or due to the limiting effect of suboptimal treatments, closing the malnutrition-toxicity loop. It is necessary to inform the patient about the risks and establish local protocols regarding the use of antidiarrheal drugs, antiemetics and adjuvants in the management of mucositis. We propose action algorithms and dietary advice that can be used directly in clinical practice, to prevent the negative consequences of malnutrition.

Detección y evaluación del papel de la sarcopenia en ancianos con cáncer tratados con quimioterapia. Proyecto ONCOSARCO / Detection and evaluation of the role of sarcopenia in elderly patients with cancer treated with chemotherapy. ONCOSARCO project

Objetivos. Objetivos principales: elaborar un modelo predictor de toxicidad a la quimioterapia en ancianos oncológicos, a partir de variables relacionadas con la sarcopenia; identificar cuál de estos parámetros, sarcopenia o fragilidad, es el mejor predictor de toxicidad de la quimioterapia en ancianos. Material y métodos. Estudio prospectivo observacional, con pacientes ≥70 años tratados con quimioterapia en la Unidad de Cáncer en el Anciano de la Sección de Oncología Médica del Hospital Virgen de la Luz de Cuenca. Antes del inicio de la quimioterapia, a cada paciente se le determinará la fuerza muscular (handgrip, fuerza cilíndrica manual, fuerza de presión pulgar, flexión de cadera, extensión de rodilla), la masa muscular (índice de masa muscular esquelética) y la función física (velocidad 5 metros y test 5-Sit to stand). A lo largo de los 4 meses de tratamiento con quimioterapia, se recogerá la aparición de toxicidad severa. Se evaluará, mediante un primer análisis de regresión logística multinomial, cuál de ellos, sarcopenia (definición del European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People o fragilidad (criterios propuestos por Fried et al.), es el mejor predictor de toxicidad de la quimioterapia. Mediante un segundo análisis de regresión se pretende crear el primer modelo de predicción de toxicidad a la quimioterapia en el anciano oncológico, basado en la definición de sarcopenia. Conclusiones. Se espera que del análisis definitivo de este proyecto puedan encontrarse factores predictores de toxicidad a quimioterapia en ancianos oncológicos (AU)

Objectives. To develop a predictive model of toxicity to chemotherapy in elderly patients with cancer, using the variables associated with sarcopenia, and to identify which of these parameters, sarcopenia or frailty, is the best predictor of toxicity to chemotherapy in the elderly. Material and methods. A prospective observational study with patients ≥70 years treated with chemotherapy in the Cancer Unit for the Elderly, in the Medical Oncology Section of the Hospital Virgen de la Luz de Cuenca. The following tests will be performed by each patient before chemotherapy: muscle strength (handgrip, cylindrical handgrip, pinch gauge, hip flexion, knee extension), muscle mass (skeletal muscle mass index), and physical function (gait speed and 5STS test). The occurrence of severe toxicity will be recorded over a period of 4 months of chemotherapy treatment. It will be evaluated, using logistic regression analysis, whether sarcopenia (defined by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People) or frailty (defined by the phenotype of frailty) is the best predictor of chemotherapy toxicity. Using a multinomial logistic regression analysis, we will try to create the first model to predict toxicity to chemotherapy in elderly patients with diagnosis of cancer, based on the definition of sarcopenia. Conclusions. It is expected that the final analysis of this project will be useful to detect predictive factors of toxicity to chemotherapy in elderly patients with cancer (AU)

[Detection and evaluation of the role of sarcopenia in elderly patients with cancer treated with chemotherapy. ONCOSARCO project]. / Detección y evaluación del papel de la sarcopenia en ancianos con cáncer tratados con quimioterapia. Proyecto ONCOSARCO.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a predictive model of toxicity to chemotherapy in elderly patients with cancer, using the variables associated with sarcopenia, and to identify which of these parameters, sarcopenia or frailty, is the best predictor of toxicity to chemotherapy in the elderly. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective observational study with patients ≥70 years treated with chemotherapy in the Cancer Unit for the Elderly, in the Medical Oncology Section of the Hospital Virgen de la Luz de Cuenca. The following tests will be performed by each patient before chemotherapy: muscle strength (handgrip, cylindrical handgrip, pinch gauge, hip flexion, knee extension), muscle mass (skeletal muscle mass index), and physical function (gait speed and 5STS test). The occurrence of severe toxicity will be recorded over a period of 4 months of chemotherapy treatment. It will be evaluated, using logistic regression analysis, whether sarcopenia (defined by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People) or frailty (defined by the phenotype of frailty) is the best predictor of chemotherapy toxicity. Using a multinomial logistic regression analysis, we will try to create the first model to predict toxicity to chemotherapy in elderly patients with diagnosis of cancer, based on the definition of sarcopenia. CONCLUSIONS: It is expected that the final analysis of this project will be useful to detect predictive factors of toxicity to chemotherapy in elderly patients with cancer.