Factors Associated with the Nutritional Status of Women with Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer in a Brazilian High Complexity Oncology Center

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 15; no. 23; p. 4961
• Main Authors: Silva, Roberto Júnio Gomes, Grippa, Wesley Rocha, Neto, Luiz Claudio Barreto Silva, Enriquez-Martinez, Oscar Geovanny, Marcarini, Júlia Anhoque Cavalcanti, Pessanha, Raphael Manhães, Haraguchi, Fabiano Kenji, Lopes-Júnior, Luís Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 29.11.2023
• Subjects: Age; Body composition; Body mass index; Brazil; Breast cancer; breast neoplasms; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Data collection; diet, food, and nutrition; Disease; Ethics; Ethnicity; Exercise; Family medical history; Females; food; Hospitals; Lifestyles; Metastasis; Mortality; Nutrition research; Nutritional status; Oncology; Oncology, Experimental; Prognosis; risk factors; Sample size; Sociodemographics; Software; Tumors; Womens health; Brazil; nutritional status; risk factors; diet, food, and nutrition; breast neoplasms; food
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu15234961

Breast cancer poses a significant public health concern owing to its high prevalence and the risk of mortality associated with delayed diagnosis and treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of women with non-metastatic breast cancer and to identify factors associated with it. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a High Complexity Oncology Assistance Center in the southeast region of Brazil, with the aim of assessing the nutritional status in women undergoing treatment for stage I, II, or III breast cancer. Patients in palliative care or undergoing reconstructive surgery were excluded. Data collection took place between June 2022 and March 2023 and included questionnaires, physical examinations, laboratory tests, and anthropometric assessments. Nutritional status was assessed using measures such as BMI and skinfold thickness, while nutritional risk was assessed using the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002) tool. Significant associations were found between nutritional risk and educational level ( = 0.03) and BMI ( = 0.01). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between educational level and nutritional risk, indicating that lower educational level was associated with higher odds of nutritional risk (OR = 4.59; 95% CI = 1.01-21.04; = 0.049). In addition, regarding BMI, it was observed that a BMI above 20.5 kg/m was associated with a higher likelihood of nutritional risk (OR = 0.09; 95% CI = 0.01-0.89; = 0.039). It is crucial to consider the nutritional status of breast cancer patients, alongside clinical factors, to offer comprehensive and personalized care. Gaining insight into the sociodemographic variables linked to nutritional risk can significantly contribute to our understanding of breast cancer. This knowledge, in turn, can aid in identifying effective strategies for public policy, health promotion, and prevention efforts aimed at tackling this condition.