Nutritional status in pediatric cancer patients

In our study , we had a retrospective assessment in pediatric cancer patients who had treatment at Celal Bayar University Pediatric Hematology and Onkology department in July 2012 and July 2016. These patients were between 3 months old and 204 months old. They were all 36 patients that 14 of them were girls, 22 of them were boys. We tried to show the relationship between the nutrition and the treatment. We compared the antropometric measurements (weight,length,weight for height,body mass index, body mass index percentile,blood albumın levels) of these pediatric cancer patients at diagnosis time and after 6 months of treatment periods. Malnutritin criterias are weight for height <%90p, albumın<3.2 g/dl, Body mass index <5p. According to these criterias for 16 cancer patients who have <7 years old, <120 cm of length, <35 kg of weight ) , we used weight for height values at time of diagnosis and we got 6.3 % , we got 6.3 % at sixth month of treatment as malnutrition incidence. So there was no meaningful difference between both intervals. We used for 20 pediatric cancer patients (who have > 6 years old, >135 cm of length ) body mass index percentile values and we found malnutrition incidence 20% (at 4 patients) at time of diagnosis, 15% after 6 month of treatment. There was also no meaningful difference between both intervals. We also compared the weight of these patients at time of diagnosis and at sixth month of treatment, there was also no meaningful difference between both intervals.We had no decrease at blood albümin levels between both intervals. Our patients' weights were increased at the sixth month of treatment but there were no relation between these values and sex, presence of hematologic malignancies, having radiotherapy or having chemotherapy, there were no meaningful difference between both intervals. There was an increase between the height measured at the time of diagnosis of our patients and the height measured at 6 months of treatment. This increase was statistically significant. Determination of the nutritional status of patients during diagnosis in pediatric cancer cases is important in order to prevent resistance and complications that may develop against treatments. In the period when patient follow-ups are performed regularly, kilo-height measurements are made at necessary frequency, additional enteral treatment is used in accordance with the amount of calories These positive developments are reported. It is not clear whether the consensus on the malnutrition criteria to cover all pediatric cancer cases is superior or not in the follow-up studies. In our study, the weight, height, body weight index, body mass index and serum albumin levels We recorded it. We examined the changes in these values after treatment and the relationship between weight changes in patients and other parameters. Statistically significant changes in weight, height, body weight, body mass index, body mass index, and serum albumin concentration were observed during the treatment of the patients in terms of malnutrition. As a result, evaluation of nutritional status in pediatric oncology cases should be done in early period and necessary follow-up, regulation and support should be provided in follow-up of the treatment.