Nutritional monitoring of nutrition in children with cancer

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to identify the malnutrition due to disease and / or treatment and to determine the risk factors in children with cancer who were followed at Inönü University Faculty of Medicine Department of Pediatrics. Material and method: This study was carried out between March 2015 and March 2017 on 81 patients hospitalized for treatment at Inonu University Turgut Özal Medical Center Pediatric Oncology Service. History of the disease, age at diagnosis, treatments received, surgery, radiotherapy applications, number and duration of hospitalization, infection, and associated clinical findings were recorded. Age, body weight, upper middle arm circumference and triceps skin fold thickness measurements were performed at the time of diagnosis (0. month) and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of treatment. Z scores for weight for height, height for age (HFA) and body mass index (BMI) were calculated. Laboratory parameters such as complete blood count, urea, creatinine, AST / ALT values were regularly recorded and compared at 3, 6, 9 months. Results: In our study, hematological malignancies were found in 77%. Solid tumors (11.1% neuroblastoma and 12.3% Wilm's) were detected in 23%. The rate of malnutrition according to WFA was found to be 9.9% at the time of diagnosis, 14.8% at 3 months, and 19.7% at 6 months of treatment. It was 18.5% at the end of the 12th month. HFA Z-score of <-2 was found in 19.8% at diagnosis, at 3rd month, 21.1% at 6th month, 26.1% at 9th month and 20.4% at 12th month. The most significant change in the Z score observed at 9 months (p <0.001). Conclusion: High rates of malnutrition were found in children with cancer both at diagnosis and follow up. Key words: malnutrition, cancer, Z score, oncology