Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY, cilt.16, sa.1, ss.1-11, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Objective: This pilot study aimed to explore the possible effects of regular,
ongoing nutritional monitoring on dietary status, treatment results, and quality
of life in pediatric cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. The study also sought to
assess the potential role of caregiver nutritional support during treatment.
Materials and methods: Anthropometric measures, including weight, height,
body mass index z-score (BMI), and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC),
were recorded for 15 patients. Individual nutritional plans, the quality of
caregiver-provided nutritional support, and inflammatory parameters were
assessed weekly during radiotherapy. Quality of life was measured using a
validated questionnaire at the beginning and end of radiotherapy.
Results: More than one-third of patients were malnourished prior to radiotherapy.
A decline was observed, especially in the fourth week of radiotherapy, for weight
(p = 0.016), BMI (p = 0.013), and MUAC (p = 0.081). The albumin-to-globulin ratio
(AGR) (p = 0.004) and platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (p = 0.013) peaked at the
same time. Caregiver nutritional support scores (p = 0.026) and quality-of-life
scores (p = 0.037) were lower in patients who experienced weight loss during
radiotherapy. The median follow-up period was 13 months (range 9–16 months).
Progression-free survival showed a non-significant trend in patients without
weight loss [85.7% (95% CI, 42–99%) vs. 70% (95% CI, 35–93%), p = 0.590] and
was significantly better in patients who began radiotherapy without malnutrition
[100% (95% CI, 66–100%) vs. 50% (95% CI, 12–88%), p = 0.019].
Conclusion: Our initial findings suggest that regular nutritional monitoring may be
a part of treatment plans, not just supportive care, for pediatric patients
undergoing radiotherapy. Further research involving larger patient populations
should be conducted to establish high-quality evidence on this topic.