Nutritional status and body composition are already affected before oncology treatment in ovarian cancer

Abstract

Poor nutritional status is a common problem among ovarian cancer patients. In order to detect changes in nutritional status and body composition this study investigates anthropometrical and biochemical parameters among these patients. This study included women with ovarian cancer and woman without cancer. Body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), anthropometrically, and with DXA scan, and total serum protein, albumin, transferrin, hemoglobin, hematocrit levels and total lymphocyte count was also measured. Data from DXA scan and body composition as assessed by BIA was collected from thirty-one women. Student t-test was used to compare differences in means between groups. This study included 120 women, 57 with ovarian cancer and 63 with benign tumors. Both groups of women were overweight. Body fat by skin-fold thickness, arm circumference, serum albumin, total lymphocytes count, as well as transferrin levels were significantly lower in the ovarian cancer group (p<0.05). Ovarian cancer women had lower fat reserves by skin-fold thickness and lower serum proteins even though they were overweight. However, further studies need to use a body composition assessment on all subjects to confirm these results.