Nutritional screening through patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) in gynecological cancer

• Published in: Mundo da saúde (1995) Vol. 46; pp. 54 - 63
• Main Authors: Melo dos Santos, Emylle Thais, Alves Neris, Vanessa, Nascimento da Silva, Tatiana Vanessa, Albuquerque Queiroz, Pedrita Mirella, Maio, Regiane, Pessoa de Araújo Burgos, Maria Goretti
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centro Universitário São Camilo 01.01.2022
• Subjects: nutritional assessment. nutritional status. malnutrition. neoplasms. gynecology
• ISSN: 0104-7809; 1980-3990
• DOI: 10.15343/0104-7809.202246054063

Cancer is considered an important cause of morbidity and mortality, and is related to the impairment of nutritional status, which in turn directly affects clinical management and quality-of-life. In this context, we sought to identify the nutritional status of women with gynecological cancer and to investigate the association of nutritional status by specific screening with nutritional status according to body mass index (BMI), age group, and clinical characteristics through a cross-sectional study, carried out in the gynecology and oncology wards of a university hospital, from July to December 2017. Patients aged ≥ 20 years old, diagnosed with gynecological cancer were evaluated. Nutritional status was identified using the patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA), which classifies well nourished, moderately malnourished, or severely malnourished individuals. Current height and weight were obtained using a mechanical scale and the usual weight was reported by the patients, which were used to determine the BMI and the percentage of weight lost. Sixty women were studied, with a mean age of 54.5 ± 14.17 years old, with a predominant diagnosis of uterine cancer (68.3%). Stage IV was the most prevalent (65%), the frequency of malnutrition was high (68.3%), especially among the elderly (81.5%), weight loss occurred in 60% of the group, and there was a need for intervention in 91.7% of cases. In this sample of adult and elderly women, a high frequency of malnutrition through the PG-SGA was identified. These findings highlight the importance of this tool in the identification of nutritional status in patients with gynecological cancer.