Difficulties in assessing the nutritional status of patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer

Purpose of the study. Assessment of the most significant markers of nutritional deficiency in patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer. Materials and methods. The study involved 20 patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer (5 men and 15 women), the median age in men was 56.3 years, in women - 61.0 years. These patients were observed at the State Budgetary Healthcare Institution MCSC named after A. S. Loginov Department of Health from 2019 to 2021. Stage of the oncological process in the observed patients: T3-5%, T4-95% (according to the TNM system). All patients underwent a comprehensive assessment of nutritional status: laboratory testing of protein deficiency markers (total protein, albumin, absolute lymphocyte count) and bioimpedance analysis of human body composition (BIA) using the ABC-01 MEDASS apparatus. Results. The analysis of individual BIA indicators (active cell mass (ACM), percentage of active cell mass in lean body mass (%ACM)) showed a deficiency of incoming proteins, heterogeneous metabolic activity of body tissues, the presence of physical inactivity, a positive average correlation (r = 0. 4) between the value of the phase angle and the level of total protein in the blood, a positive weak correlation between the value of the phase angle and the level of albumin in the blood (r=0.1) and between the level of the phase angle and the absolute number of lymphocytes in the blood (r=0.2). Conclusion. The obtained laboratory and instrumental data did not reveal clear patterns in changes in markers of nutritional deficiency in patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer, which may be due to the specific treatment received. It is necessary to continue the search for more sensitive markers as part of a comprehensive assessment of nutritional status.

phase angle, bioimpedance analysis, nutritional support, nutritional status, clinical nutrition, pancreatic cancer

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